Tips for memorising music for exams

Musicians have a number of tactics to memorise their music for exams. 

1. Muscle memory from brute force. This method is immensely popular with beginners. Their main strategy is to repeat the piece until they've got it. The drawback is that they are relying on luck that nothing goes wrong. Some problems can be mitigated if the students practice from various points within the piece. That way they can jump to one of those points if something goes awry. I used this technique to rescue myself at my grade 10 piano exam in Bach's prelude and fugue in F# WTC Book 1.
2. Photographic and visual memory. Seeing the musical score and instrument pathways. Try writing out the piece from memory. I've memorised many jazz lead sheets in this manner. I "see" the score in my head. I can also write them out from memory for students. 
3. Analytical memory. Theory, understanding the relationships between the notes, chords, cadences, and form. This is the most secure memory aid. With analytical skills you understand the relationships between the notes, the form, the style etc. For example, in RCM grade 3 we find Sonatina in C by Clementi op. 36 no. 1. Here is my recollection of the piece. 
   1. ​It is in C major. 
   2. It is written in the classical style.
   3. It is quick.
   4. It is in sonata form. The exposition in C and modulates to the dominant key with a statement of the G major scale. The first theme riffs on the tonic chord. The development goes to c minor and further explores the theme. The dominant preparation is 4 measures long. The recapitulation is in C. The second theme group from the exposition stays in the tonic key. I could go on. 
4. ​Kinesthetic memory is how it feels in the hands. This is a form of body awareness. 
5. Aural memory. How it sounds. I can sing the entire sonata of Clementi. Therefore, this auditory impression will guide my playing. 
6. Visualsation. Angela Hewitt suggests the following in her Guardian interview. "One of the most common faults of pianists is that we spend too much time playing the notes and not enough time thinking about what we’re doing... the best memory work is done away from the keyboard – just looking at the score, memorising your fingering, the harmonies, the places where it’s easy to go wrong, the intervals, how many notes there are in a chord, the dynamics, phrasing; nothing is too simple or evident to go unnoticed. You must visualise yourself playing the piece without being at a keyboard. Then go and play and you will be amazed by the progress you have made.
7. ​Play along with recordings of your pieces. 
8. For jazz and pop students see my lesson on roadmaps. Roadmaps are a key tactic in memorising music we have learned from recordings. 

If I can help you memorise your music, call me.

​David.
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