I was reading the discussion quantity or quality, which brought on a question about Teflon tunes (they don't stick) There are a number of tunes I can play by memory. . .if somebody would be good enough to start the darn things! I feel like I could make my second million (gave up on the first) on "Name That Tune". To expand on that slightly I can be at work and humming a tune ALL DAY then go home and just sit there desperately trying to remember something about the tune to get it going. The wife just laughs and says the AARP membership card is on the way.
I have my performance repertiore memorized, and yet I still experience the same problem with tunes I write myself. I wrote a slow song a few months ago, and I have no chance of remembering it now. I should've written it down, but I was out of manuscript (or just couldn't find any). But yeah, I know what you mean by having somebody start the song. Usually during medleys I make up on the spot, I think about what song's gonna come next, and I can remember it perfectly. I am often afraid of not having a tune memorized, so songs I play first-time are often memorized within about an hour. : ) I think my repertiore is at a good amount right now, and is growing at a fine speed. But as probably all of us here experience, I still have times where I'm requested to play something that's temporarily left my brain. If somebody could give me the first three notes....
you should try n visualise the music; the countours of it, the harmonic progression, mentally the first few notes letter names, etc... for memorising repertoire, i personally think of cds i have at home and then what tunes are on those cds that i know. it's like a mental filling cabinet but usefull. mental mapping i think its called.. and if that's not what it's called, well it's what it should be called! kinaesthetic memory is another one, which if i remember correctly (ha) is remembering what it physically feels like to play a tune. if playin something tricky at a gig, i make sure i have it in finger memory incase i take a blank. u can learn this by reading a book aloud and playing at the same time.
people like messian used/had synthesia which is the use of colour if i've spelt it right. like diff colours for chords and mixes of chords etc... interesting approach.
Yeah, if you must, use crutches and word or colour associations etc to help you remember these "teflon" tunes.
But better still ... think about why you are not remembering them. Perhaps it's simply 'cause they're crap.
If you need to rely on a sense other than the aural to remember a tune, then are your senses not telling that there is just not enough going on in the aural bit to make it worthwhile?
Do you have problems remembering some tunes and not others? Why is that? Do you often find yourself mixing up tunes that are similar? why is that?
If you have more quality control over the tunes you learn, these problems will disappear
One technique that often works for me is to play the B part. For some reason that comes back easier than the first three notes. Then you can go round into the A.
I find that if I'm working a new song (original), I always record it before I'm done with the practice, even if it doesn't sound that great. (Just on my cheap little MP3 recorder.) That way I could at least go back and figure it out if I forget. Maybe I learned that from a Keith Richard's story, where he woke up one morning to see what he played before going to sleep the previous night when he was drunk as a skunk. And that's the story of "I Can't Get No Satisfaction". At least that's my understanding of it.
AARP used to stand for American Association for Retired Persons. Somehow they know when you're turning 50 and send you a membership solicitation and temporary membership just before your 50th birthday. It's called "getting AARPed" and it's the official sign that you're now middle-aged.
They are no longer just for senior citizens and retirees, however. They dropped the full name and just go by AARP, and have developed into an advocacy organization for those 50 and up, who hope to become senior citizens and retirees with a good quality of life. http://www.aarp.org/
Teflon Tunes
Teflon Tunes
Hi there,
I was reading the discussion quantity or quality, which brought on a question about Teflon tunes (they don't stick) There are a number of tunes I can play by memory. . .if somebody would be good enough to start the darn things! I feel like I could make my second million (gave up on the first) on "Name That Tune". To expand on that slightly I can be at work and humming a tune ALL DAY then go home and just sit there desperately trying to remember something about the tune to get it going. The wife just laughs and says the AARP membership card is on the way.
# Posted on June 11th 2006 by jrathbun
Re: Teflon Tunes
I have my performance repertiore memorized, and yet I still experience the same problem with tunes I write myself. I wrote a slow song a few months ago, and I have no chance of remembering it now. I should've written it down, but I was out of manuscript (or just couldn't find any). But yeah, I know what you mean by having somebody start the song. Usually during medleys I make up on the spot, I think about what song's gonna come next, and I can remember it perfectly. I am often afraid of not having a tune memorized, so songs I play first-time are often memorized within about an hour. : ) I think my repertiore is at a good amount right now, and is growing at a fine speed. But as probably all of us here experience, I still have times where I'm requested to play something that's temporarily left my brain. If somebody could give me the first three notes....
# Posted on June 11th 2006 by Aldivalloch14
Re: Teflon Tunes
next time you're out of manuscript, try: www.blanksheetmusic.net
# Posted on June 11th 2006 by rob_handel
Re: Teflon Tunes
"AARP"??
# Posted on June 11th 2006 by oldstrings
Re: Teflon Tunes
you should try n visualise the music; the countours of it, the harmonic progression, mentally the first few notes letter names, etc... for memorising repertoire, i personally think of cds i have at home and then what tunes are on those cds that i know. it's like a mental filling cabinet but usefull. mental mapping i think its called.. and if that's not what it's called, well it's what it should be called!
kinaesthetic memory is another one, which if i remember correctly (ha) is remembering what it physically feels like to play a tune. if playin something tricky at a gig, i make sure i have it in finger memory incase i take a blank. u can learn this by reading a book aloud and playing at the same time.
people like messian used/had synthesia which is the use of colour if i've spelt it right. like diff colours for chords and mixes of chords etc... interesting approach.
hope that helps,
martin.
# Posted on June 12th 2006 by martin t
Re: Teflon Tunes
Yeah, if you must, use crutches and word or colour associations etc to help you remember these "teflon" tunes.
But better still ... think about why you are not remembering them. Perhaps it's simply 'cause they're crap.
If you need to rely on a sense other than the aural to remember a tune, then are your senses not telling that there is just not enough going on in the aural bit to make it worthwhile?
Do you have problems remembering some tunes and not others? Why is that? Do you often find yourself mixing up tunes that are similar? why is that?
If you have more quality control over the tunes you learn, these problems will disappear
# Posted on June 12th 2006 by ...
Re: Teflon Tunes
One technique that often works for me is to play the B part. For some reason that comes back easier than the first three notes. Then you can go round into the A.
# Posted on June 12th 2006 by lildogturpy
Re: Teflon Tunes
Yep. In tunes where the B part is better than the A
# Posted on June 12th 2006 by ...
Re: Teflon Tunes
AARP? We're still waiting.
# Posted on June 12th 2006 by dafydd
Re: Teflon Tunes
AARP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AARP
# Posted on June 12th 2006 by Lurcherjohn
Re: Teflon Tunes
Crazy Young Fiddler,
I find that if I'm working a new song (original), I always record it before I'm done with the practice, even if it doesn't sound that great. (Just on my cheap little MP3 recorder.) That way I could at least go back and figure it out if I forget. Maybe I learned that from a Keith Richard's story, where he woke up one morning to see what he played before going to sleep the previous night when he was drunk as a skunk. And that's the story of "I Can't Get No Satisfaction". At least that's my understanding of it.
# Posted on June 12th 2006 by nofrets
Re: Teflon Tunes
AARP used to stand for American Association for Retired Persons. Somehow they know when you're turning 50 and send you a membership solicitation and temporary membership just before your 50th birthday. It's called "getting AARPed" and it's the official sign that you're now middle-aged.
They are no longer just for senior citizens and retirees, however. They dropped the full name and just go by AARP, and have developed into an advocacy organization for those 50 and up, who hope to become senior citizens and retirees with a good quality of life. http://www.aarp.org/
# Posted on June 12th 2006 by Tracie
Re: Teflon Tunes
Well, I just got a letter from the government telling me that I'm can't retire until I'm 68. Looks like life is much easier over there.
# Posted on June 12th 2006 by JerryH