Memorization... just DO it !?

[timothy42b]

What do you mean "play by ear"? Thanks.

I don't really know.  I'm not being evasive, I just don't understand the mental processes involved or how this differs from memorization.  It feels different but must rely on some degree of memorization somehow.

At any rate, here is what I'm talking about.

Can you sing a song that you know, but for which you've never seen sheet music and don't know what the notes are?

Of course.  Most people can sing 100s or 1000s of songs.  If you're a church goer I guarantee you know a few hundred of the common hymns even if you don't read a note of music. 

Now, can you play one of those tunes on an instrument?  People raised on a strict diet of sheet music, like me, often can't.  I can sight read very well and play a tune I've never heard.  But playing a tune I know well without music was a struggle for me.  When I was young if I had to play without music, like for a parade, I simply memorized it.  At my age that is no longer simple!

Other people raised in a tradition of playing by ear often struggle to read sheet music fluently.  (as do people who memorize everything - but for different reasons, I think)

Part of my daily practice on trombone is to play something simple by ear.  Last night I had Here We Come a Caroling next in a book of Christmas carols.  It was written in D.  I played it in D with a metronome but not with music.  Then I moved up a half step at a time until I'd done all 12.  If I missed a note I stopped and thought about the interval - that should have been a major third, I'm in 5 sharps, that should be........

I should do the same on piano but I haven't got around to this yet. 

Does that help at all? 

[jianxli]

Yes, thanks. To me it is challenging to play a tune in 12 keys.

[timothy42b]

Yes, thanks. To me it is challenging to play a tune in 12 keys.

In 4 part harmony, it's not just challenging, for most of us it's impossible. <humor>

But for a monotonic melody, it's not that bad.  I have the most trouble in B, so I usually cheat and play that in Cb. 

[gvans]

In years past I could memorize just about anything, concertos, sonatas, chamber music.

Then I forgot how to do it.

[timothy42b]

In years past I could memorize just about anything, concertos, sonatas, chamber music.

Then I forgot how to do it.

you just need patience.

I keep praying for patience, but it's taking so %$#^% long!