Some people memorise effortlessly, without even trying, but for others it can be a struggle. Here are some practical tips to make it easier.
From Day 1, practice your music with the intent of internalising and memorising it. Don’t wait until you’ve learned it to begin memorising it.
Use good fingering and use it consistently. It will take a lot longer to learn the piece if you are using different fingerings every time. Writing your fingerings in the score will help.
Always memorise the dynamics, articulations, and other markings on the page along with the notes. This will help your sense of musicality in the piece which will help consolidate it more quickly.
Watch your hands as you play. Get used to watching your hands. Look for patterns on the strings as you play. Memorise the shapes as well as the notes
Sing and listen. Be able to sing the melody of whatever piece you might be tackling, and listen to the piece repeatedly! When you can sing the tune without music than you will have it engraved in your mind!
Memorise in small sections. Don’t try to memorise a whole piece all at once - work on just a few measures at a time. Once you’ve got a few bars off by heart, add in a few more.
Memorise hands separately, especially the left hand. The left hand is often neglected and left to chance that it will follow the right hand. But then if a memory slip occurs, it’s often difficult to get the LH back on track.
Designate a number of starting places throughout the piece where you can start the piece at any time. Don’t only play from the start each time.
Practice mentally, away from the harp. Sit on the couch and see if you can mentally play through the entire piece. Try to visualise the score and/or your hands on the harp. Being able to successfully play through the entire piece mentally is a strong indication that you have the piece solidly memorised!
Analyse the theoretical structures and absorb patterns. If you understand a passage ascending is just a variation on an arpeggio for instance , you can directly connect that to what you already know physically and visually. Take the time to look for phrases that repeat, shapes that are based on scales/arpeggios/inversions etc
Do you have your own memorisation tips to share? Please comment below!