How long to memorize a song

Go in to details. If needed, look it up on the internet www. Use real emotions like happiness, anger, sadness, excitement, sorrow, etc. I once read in a biography of Frank Sinatra that he used to write down the lyrics of a particular song over and over until he fell asleep just the day before performing. It worked like a charm. Your mind loves images and is better able to recall lyrics that are attached to visualizations.

The brain will absorb and recall lyrics much faster when the music and lyrics come from separate parts of the brain. Memorize the first line and sing it out loud, learn the second line and sing out loud. Now repeat the first and second lines together, then add the third line sing out loud, then sing all 3 lines together and so on. The brain will absorb the lyrics into the subconscious mind.

Then sing the lyrics right after you wake up to refresh the memory. Play the songs randomly and as often as you can to a small crowd or just a single person. Playing in front of people is the ultimate test! Do you also want to improve your singing skills? Join Guitarhabits and receive. I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy. When I tell them that it takes professional singers many months before a song is truly bedded in, they are surprised.

I tend to teach songs really fast see How many songs can you teach in an hour? Once people have an overall feel for the structure of a song, then we can go back and focus on the details.

Repetition is the key, no matter how boring it might feel. In many cases, especially with traditional songs, we are trying to short circuit years of hearing a song and allowing it to sink in naturally. Simply find one of the previous methods that works best for you and apply it to every song you have to learn. Feel free to check those out as well! I created a free cheat sheet that you can use to apply the most important info from this post in your own singing.

The cheat sheet contains all 10 tricks for memorizing lyrics, laid out in an easy to print format so you can keep a copy at home. Leave a comment below and let me know which technique worked the best for you and any questions you have. Great article. Hey Joe, Exactly like acting out a song! I accept the Privacy Policy. Updated March 06, by Matt Ramsey 12 comments.