does anyone have any tips for remembering song lyrics while performing, other than mucho repetition?
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
Nope. Repetition is really the best. You want to get to where you don't have to think. I have been in the middle of songs and have no idea what comes next until I actually sing it.
If you must, though, mnemonic devices that tie one verse or phrase to the next one can be a short cut. And, if you are short of time, just repeat the tricky parts as much as possible.
Posted by EarlNMeyer-Flask (Member # 1546) on :
remember key words for each line and link them together in your memory.
Here's a book good for memory techniques: The Memory Book by Lorayne and Lucas
Posted by Shanna (Member # 7900) on :
I used to break a song into it's sections and focus on a section at a time, then practice two sections and the bridge between them, then string it all together.
Knowing the shape and structure of a song helped me and studying the the tricky bits (for example, if two lines were similar with the exception of one word).
And spend the time to get it right the first time! You don't want to learn it with a wrong word or wrong order, cause that's what your brain will fall back on when you're nervous.
Posted by Ryoko (Member # 4947) on :
Start by memorizing the ending section first and then work, phrase by phrase back to the beginning.
The main idea being that you want to feel more and more confident as you progress in the performance.
If you are being accompanied by another performer (piano, band, orchestra, etc.) be sure to also know their parts as well, particularly when you are not singing.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
See...for me, when I want to remember something I sometimes put it to music. Something about music helps me remember with far less effort on my part. So remembering song lyrics isn't something I struggled with when I performed.
Remember the key parts of the score, not just the words. That way the music helps to key memories of the words. Try repeating the words with music, then without. You use different parts of the brain remembering the spoken word and music, so doing it that way helps because it is redundant learning. They act as reenforcement to each other.
Posted by Dobbie (Member # 3881) on :