This week we look at the third in a four part series on the importance of good memory for musicians. These are excerpts from a forthcoming book by Doug Oliver. Anyone interested in discussing these ideas &/or the book can contact the author, Doug Oliver or Neil Shedden.

Doug writes: "I'm hoping that this chapter on memory will create some interest and that readers will then want to explore the other aspects of mind power that I discuss in my book. As of this point, the tentative title of the book will be "Mindpower for Musicians".

Doug's articles will cover:
1. A general memory primer: music and the need for strong memory
2. General memory improvement: common memory techniques
3. Specific memory improvement for musicians
4. Memory and diet / supplements

Make sure you have read the previous articles first:

MEMORY: A MUSICAL NECESSITY
http://www.guitarsite.com/newsletters/001030/7.shtml

GENERAL MEMORY ENHANCEMENT
http://www.guitarsite.com/newsletters/001106/9.shtml

and now for this weeks...

SPECIFIC MEMORY IMPROVEMENT FOR MUSICIANS
If you haven't read the previous two articles in this series , I would definitely recommend doing so. What has been established thus far is an overall outline of how the brain and nervous system stores memory on both an electro - chemical and psychological level .We then discussed various methods for improving memory, in terms of storage and retrieval .In order to get the most from the following list of memory boosters, which has been designed specifically for musicians, you should take about 10 - 15 minutes and read Article Two: General Memory Enhancement. Trust me on this one. I wouldn't waste your time.

As I pointed out in the introduction, music is probably the most memory intensive art form there is. The field of music theory can require a very intense college course, or a long self taught process of reading and study. And the mental demands of playing in a band is also a major memory challenge, considering an average situation of learning 40 to 50 or more songs. And if you play leads note for note, consider the memory required to play 20 to 40 solos, some of which can be quite long.

All this is of no great revelation to anyone. But what a lot of musicians don't know is that their memory skills can be greatly increased, just like their musical skills. It's just knowing a little about the mental and physical functions of memory, and some guidelines for memorizing and recalling information. A lot of people just don't believe that memory can be improved. They feel that somehow it's a personal characteristic of your individual make-up and you're stuck with its limitations. Well, if you've ever seen one of those "memory experts" on a talk show who memorizes every name of the audience members by the end of the show, or some other amazing feat, you have witnessed someone who has learned the techniques for super memory and has simply taken them to a higher than average level. You can do the same thing. The level you achieve is up to you and the time and effort you put into it.

Lets start with improving your memory of music theory. This includes such aspects as: scales, modes, keys, chords, chord construction , inversions, intervals, harmonic progression, modulation, tonal functions, etc, etc ….Basically, how we'll approach this is by using study techniques that apply the memory procedures mentioned in article two.

For the average musician studying music, whether it's a college course , private lessons, or self teaching with books, there's two fundamental principles involved. First you must understand the concept of the specific information. Second, you must commit some things to memory.

Lets take the major scale and its modes for example. When learning this information, you have to analyze it. Usually the books that you are reading on a subject will just present the information. But in order to fully understand it, thus improving your chances of fully memorizing it, you really have to take it a step further. This one principle is paramount, and is discussed in article two -FULLY understanding something first. We all have the habit of thinking ,"Good enough, I'm pretty sure I get it". We then proceed with memorizing it thinking that we can fill in any blanks later. Big mistake. When I say analyze it, I mean re-read it, use it in examples, play the scale and isolate the modes frontward, backwards ,learn the intervals in a straight line, be able to recite the intervals verbally (i.e. mixolydian mode: full, full, half, full, full, half, full.) ,know the order of the modes, etc.

The mind must first be clear on something before it can make the electrical and chemical adjustments and synapse networking required to store the information in the nervous system. It doesn't physically start the process , or at least fully, until it has something solid to work with. The more definite your understanding of the information, the more "hooks" your brain has to grab onto and hold it.

Here's a few tricks for memorizing music theory. We discussed association in article two and this is a basic one. Most guitar players know the saying for memorizing the open stings: E, B, G,D,A,E -"Excellent Beginning Guitarists Don't Allow Errors"(you may have used another one). This is a classic example of association. Try this one for memorizing the order of the modes: Ionian,Dorian,Phrygian,Lydian,Mixolydian,Aeolian,Locrain - "I Don't Play Like Malmsteen And Lifeson". This is one I came up with. Malmsteen and Lifeson are two of my favorite guitar players, so it made sense to me. But of course you can invent one that better suits your own preferences. The point is, invent a sentence or a short story to relate the information to. By the time you finish a full scale study of music theory you may have about 40 of these sentences , for aspects of music ranging from the sharps and flats in each key to the construction of chords (i.e. a minor ninth -1,b3,5,b7,9).

Another method is to invent working examples of what you are learning. Write a melody that's seven measures long, each measure using a different mode of the major scale. Choose a key and first write a melody with each mode as the root of the same key, then a separate melody with each mode based on the Ionian in a certain key. Don't worry if you don't specifically understand the technical point of what I'm saying here. You may or may not know your modes yet. No problem, just keep in mind the importance of taking what you've learned and constructing something with it right away. Then memorize your example along with the information. This alone will achieve a higher degree of true understanding, which is one of the most significant memory boosters there is.

Another key element is reviewing and testing. The chemical processes in the brain take about 24 hours to fully develop with regard to memory. A significant amount of chemical action takes place within an hour after first implanting the information. Its been determined that by reviewing the information about 30 minutes later, and again within 24 hours, you'll strengthen the brains physical storage of what you've learned. With that in mind, either review ,or better yet take a test (if ones provided in the book you may be using) of the information. If there's no test at the end of the chapter or section, then invent your own. When you try to recall the information, you're sending all kinds of electrical energy through the newly created synapse changes, which strengthen them.

Now lets move on to memorizing songs. The first thing I do before I begin to memorize a song is tape it on cassette and listen to it as many times as possible. I'll listen to it in the car, while taking a shower, doing the dishes, whatever. This will develop a true feeling for the flow of the song and will most likely implant the memory of the arrangement without even consciously being aware of it. If you don't have the time to listen to the song repeatedly for a few days (or even a day), then at least make an effort to listen to it about five or six times before you begin the memory process.

The following is a list of steps to take that will guarantee a thorough , rock solid memory of a song.

1. Keep a notebook. Start with a index page so you can list all the songs in that particular notebook. Start by writing down the arrangement. I usually write the song part (verse, chorus, bridge, lead, intro, second bridge, etc.) at the left of the page , write the chord progressions in the middle, then write the number of patterns (a phrase or repeating cycle of chords) or measures on the right.

2. One of the biggest memory problems musicians have is when , for example, verse one and two have four patterns, then verse three is different and only has three patterns. Or the first and last chorus has eight measures, but the middle chorus has six. So in your outline of the song, use a highlighter or some other way of bringing your attention to the "different part". Then when you memorize the song, think of that part as being different and it'll help you to remember the change of patterns or measures.

3. And speaking of highlighting, I usually use different colored magic markers to underline the different parts. For example: yellow - verses, blue - choruses, green - bridges, etc. I usually use red to bring my attention to problem spots or tricky changes. For one thing, this color system will help to organize the song into components. Secondly, it brings up the old principle of association once again. If you get used to a certain color symbolizing a certain part type, after using this system for several songs you'll begin to associate blue for choruses, yellow for verses, etc. Then in your minds eye, you can actually visualize the "color flow" of the song. Like I have mentioned before, the more senses you bring into play, the more "hooks" your mind will have to grab onto. You'll be onstage one night and as the song is about to go into a chorus, not only will the musical arrangement be in your memory, but the color will come to mind. Believe me on this one, this will really help once you get used to this system.

4. Another very effective type of association trick is one I've already mentioned in article two. This is a method used long ago by Roman speakers. Back in the ancient world, speeches were a big attraction, along with plays . A notable speaker from those days was a man named Cicero. He was a popular speaker and gave very long, interesting speeches on different subjects ranging from politics to social issues. His speeches would sometimes last two or three hours. Often, if the speech went over well, he would repeat it several times over the next week or so, and would recite it exactly. His technique for memorizing a three hour speech was based on association. What he would do is divide his speech into general sections based on certain aspects of the subject. He would then walk through his house and assign each section to a certain room. While memorizing that section of the speech he would stand in that room so that in his mind he would relate that room to that section of the speech. He then would divide each section into even smaller groups, and would stand in a specific part of the room (by the door, along the left wall, by a window, etc.)and would memorize the smaller sections while standing at that specific location. When he was done, the entire speech would be memorized so that in his mind a path through out his house would be walked as he was giving the speech. He would be on stage giving the speech and would mentally travel the path of association as he progressed through each section of the speech.

This system is a great one for memorizing long songs and solos. To avoid confusion, every song that you memorize with this method should be done in a slightly different path through your house, or maybe in the yard, at your girlfriends apartment, etc. This way you aren't mixing up songs if you relate too many to the same locations. There might be one drawback with this system, and that's carrying your guitar (or worse , your piano) around the house. Well, you don't actually have to physically stay at that location in your house, but maybe before each section just take a walk to that location , or at least think of it as you memorize the music.

5. This one may seem simplistic, but it works. It's the technique mentioned earlier in regard to memorizing theory. Take the chord progression and make a sentence out of the chord names. For example: Am, D, G, B7, E - A Dog Goes Berserk Easily. This isn't rocket science and there's definitely some drawbacks. But it can come in handy now and again. You just have to remember the minors and sevenths. Also, I wouldn't necessarily recommend translating these onstage while playing. In a live situation you could get into trouble translating "Berserk" into B7 on the fly. This system is more for simply helping you to overall memorize the progression when you have time to sit down and think about it, like during band practice or at home.

6. This one will definitely work best for guitar players, although any instrument can take some advantage from it. You most likely already do this, to some degree. It's simply to become aware of any geometric patterns that are created when you move through the chord progression or lead. For example: B,E7, D, Am. The movement through this progression forms a box on the guitar fretboard.

D   < E7
v	^		
Am  > B

Other progressions may form triangles, "N" 's, "Z" 's, etc. If you look at the locations of the root notes, and "connect the dots" , you can form a lot of different shapes that can help you remember the chords. This method is especially handy because it allows you to easily transpose the key you're in by simply moving the whole shape up or down the fretboard. As with the last technique, you just have to make note of the minors , sevenths, and other extensions.

On the piano, things are a little more one dimensional, but you can still find ways to imagine shapes. The black keys are a big help in visualizing shapes. A "D major" for example is a triangle, a D major 7 is a lope sided rectangle, etc.

Solos become a little more involved. I usually divide leads up into sections, both in terms of musical arrangement and location on the fretboard. A guitar solo may consist of an intro, a section of building intensity, a melodic and mellow part, a major climax of power and speed, a decreasing intensity section, and an ending. In addition to that, think in terms of geometric shapes and locations, i.e, the intro starts in the lower frets, the build up climbs around the seventh fret, the climax consists of riffs at the 12th fret,etc. I've actually drawn maps of leads with descriptions of in what order the sections are in and what kind of action happens at each location. Then its just a matter of remembering the scale or scales used and the phrasing and riffs used at each section.

7. Lastly is to use the techniques that were mentioned earlier in regard to the study of theory. It all applies. Also, as if I haven't mentioned it enough, read article two. Just knowing more about how memory works and how registration, retention, and recall are interconnected will enable you to develop your own personalized techniques for improving your musical memory.

In the next, and last article in this series, we'll go over some miscellaneous items and deal with nutrition , diet, supplements, and pharmaceutical aids. As you've seen, memory is a electrical and chemical process and its been proven that you can increase your intelligence and memory by eating certain foods and taking specific supplements that will improve the brains chemical functions.

Also, we'll discuss "memory killers" which are things that reduce the brains efficiency and memory capabilities. So don't miss the final installment next week...

(c) Doug Oliver 2000

This week we have seen the third in a four part series on the importance of good memory for musicians. These are excerpts from a forthcoming book by Doug Oliver. Anyone interested in discussing these ideas &/or the book can contact the author, Doug Oliver or Neil Shedden

Doug's articles cover:
1. A general memory primer: music and the need for strong memory
2. General memory improvement: common memory techniques
3. Specific memory improvement for musicians
4. Memory and diet / supplements

Make sure you have read the previous articles:

MEMORY: A MUSICAL NECESSITY
http://www.guitarsite.com/newsletters/001030/7.shtml

GENERAL MEMORY ENHANCEMENT
http://www.guitarsite.com/newsletters/001106/9.shtml