memorizing songs and notes.

I am learning how to read music notation but noticed that while I am learning the song I concentrate on each note being played but once memorized I then seem to forget about each note and my finger just go to the correct spot on the fret board. Is this the proper way to learn because the notes seem to be irrelevant after I have memorized the song?
After you have memorized the song do you still think about each note?

Seeing as I am going to be applying to music schools in the near future, my reading skills need to improve, and I would like to know the same thing. Good question.

When I learn songs, I don't usually think about the notes after I've read them, once I've played it through following the sheet music, I usually have a good enough understanding of the song to follow the music in my head, and hit the notes in the scale according to the mood of the song.

If I know a songs in say, Ab, then I know which notes are diatonic, and can play those. It's easier for me to memorize a melody aurally, then translate that into notes. If it's a higher pitch, I play a higher scale degree.

Another thing I remember is the motif, which is a fancy word for riff. Songs usually repeat the same musical idea, so if I memorize that, then I can usually remember the rest of the song.

That's just how I do it. Play it enough, and it becomes second nature, until then, I use the music.

I'm interested to hear how other's go about this

Remember that reading music is similar in many ways to reading language. Your eyes and mind are used for both, so let's look there for how it works.

Think about reading in general. When you first learned to read you had to concentrate on individual word sounds. Then you put those together phonically into words. After reading a few books you can easily remember and mimic a few first books. Children do this all the time. But they aren't really reading yet. They are building up the skills required, but aren't really reading per se.

Eventually, you (and all children that learn to read) learned a lot of words by sight through repetition. Now, when you read you don't typically have to concentrate or even consciously be aware of every single letter. You've seen enough words, or words that are similar or similar arrangements of letter to simply read what is written on the page.

But even after you can read well, after you are technically literate, you can still occassionally encounter things that might throw you off. For example if you see a weird or big word you've never seen before. You have to stop and sound it out. Or go to the dictionary to learn what it means or how to pronounce it. But when you see this word again, you might remember a little more about it. Eventually if you see that new word enough, your mind will store it's phonic sounds and meaning in your subconscious. Then when you see it again, your mind will access your subsconcious, bring it to your immediate attention awareness and you will "automatically know" how to deal with it and not have to stop and look at every letter.

Music is very similar to this. So I would suggest to continue trying to "test yourself" by reading as much sheet music as possible that is unfamilar to you. You can help yourself by reading scales, chords and arpeggios (and all various intervals, and chord progressions). Eventually, more and more of it becomes an automatic process.

Also keep in mind that you have to "stay in shape". If you haven't read in a long time you can get rusty. But the more you practice at it (like anything) the better you can do it.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by: CSchlegelRemember that reading music is similar in many ways to reading language. Your eyes and mind are used for both, so let's look there for how it works.

Think about reading in general. When you first learned to read you had to concentrate on individual word sounds. Then you put those together phonically into words. After reading a few books you can easily remember and mimic a few first books. Children do this all the time. But they aren't really reading yet. They are building up the skills required, but aren't really reading per se.

Eventually, you (and all children that learn to read) learned a lot of words by sight through repetition. Now, when you read you don't typically have to concentrate or even consciously be aware of every single letter. You've seen enough words, or words that are similar or similar arrangements of letter to simply read what is written on the page.

But even after you can read well, after you are technically literate, you can still occassionally encounter things that might throw you off. For example if you see a weird or big word you've never seen before. You have to stop and sound it out. Or go to the dictionary to learn what it means or how to pronounce it. But when you see this word again, you might remember a little more about it. Eventually if you see that new word enough, your mind will store it's phonic sounds and meaning in your subconscious. Then when you see it again, your mind will access your subsconcious, bring it to your immediate attention awareness and you will "automatically know" how to deal with it and not have to stop and look at every letter.

Music is very similar to this. So I would suggest to continue trying to "test yourself" by reading as much sheet music as possible that is unfamilar to you. You can help yourself by reading scales, chords and arpeggios (and all various intervals, and chord progressions). Eventually, more and more of it becomes an automatic process.

Also keep in mind that you have to "stay in shape". If you haven't read in a long time you can get rusty. But the more you practice at it (like anything) the better you can do it.

Hope this helps.

Great way of explaining how the mind learns to read music. That all makes sense.

My Question is more about AFTER a song is learned via reading notation and you don't need the sheets anymore because you have it memorized. The question is HOW it's memorized to you? Do you memorize every single note in the song or does you fingers memorize the placement on the fretboard?

For me it seems that while learning the song I find the placement on the fretboard by reading notes. I then map the notes to the spot on the fretboard. After doing this several times I don't need to know about what note to map to the fretboard because my mind just memorizes the pattern on the fretboard. It's kind of like phone numbers. Have you ever memorized a phone number by the pattern on the phone pad, and if anyone asked you what that number was you would have to look at a phone because you have no idea what actual numbers are being pressed.

Just some food for thought

bro , or sis... don't wanna be sexist ,

you asked a very cool and valid question...

first off : since you're learning to read notation , do you own "the real book"?
"the real book" is a book of jazz standards that is pretty much gospel in places like berklee... when i do get into serious studying i like to use "the real book" and to answer your question , YES , you're supposed to eventually memorize the notes because what would EVER EVEN stop your memory if you're repeating the same process everytime , ANSWER : nothing will prevent your mind from memorizing so if your eyes start to wander perhaps it means you have done all you can in that particular song :(in other words , you've learned it...) best bet is to get a "real book" and you'll have more than enough jazz standards to keep your sight reading sharp FOR A LIFETIME...

a wise wise sage once said "learn everything you can about music , AND THEN FORGET IT"... if you've conquered a piece of music , turn the page and start on a new piece !!!

Franky M.