Memorizing lyrics - how to do that? Any tricks?

[Toril S]

Hello friends! I have a huge problem: I don't see well enough to read lyrics while playing. Huge letters and big monitors do not help, they will be too far away. Sometimes I just play chords with my left hand, so that I can hold the sheet 10 centimeters from my eyes to read the lyrics. 1. It does not look good. 2. It doesn't give me the opportunity to play melody lines with my right hand. I have tried a music stand, but again, too far away. I can't get it near enough. So, the option I have is to learn the lyrics by heart. I have never had a very good memory, so this is a huge challenge for me. I wonder: Does anyone have a good memorizing technique or tip? I am not very optimistic, but keep trying. I want to look relaxed, sound OK, remember what to sing and make a good impression. To be honest, the reason why I never before sang on gigs is that I am afraid to forget the lines. So I stick to my instrumentals. By the way, I can't read music either, so I have to listen to music until I get the melody, that's how I learn new songs. So yes, I wish I could read music and lyrics, but I have to focus on what I can do, not what I can't!

[DonM]

First, learn the STORY of the song.  Almost every song has a story.
Then listen to a recording of it over and over, then start singing along with it.
Then, after you learn the chords to the song, play and sing the first verse until you memorize it, then do the same with the second verse and/or chorus.  Before long you will be doing the whole song from memory.
In a way, it's an advantage to do it this way.  I find that if I simply write down the words and chord changes, and start doing it, I never seem to memorize it.  The songs that I learn without writing them down I remember forever.
However, no matter how I learn the song, I do write down the chords and lyrics and save it to a text file in my lyrics folder.  Then, even years later, I can resurrect a song, go over it a few times if necessary, and I'm able to do it.

[beykock]

 Hi Toril :

Most giggers I know all use " tools ".
They usely are working approx. 2 - 3 hours.

Without these tools they are not capable to do their job.

IMHO there is no alternative ( for you ) than learning the lyrics " by heart ".

I hope and pray other members of this forum can help you out far much better than I do. Sorry. 😰

Take care, Babette

[mikf]

Not many tricks, just pure repetition. Most regular gig players only use chord and lyric charts as a safety net  but hardly ever look at them because they have played them all so often. I know that is what I did. Allays the fear of having the brain go blank even if it never happens. That used to terrify even seasoned pro like Barbara Streisand, so well understand your fear.
Mike

[Toril S]

Thanks Don, Babette and Mike for the good advice. Wish me luck, have a gig tomorrow, with some sing along fun....

[DrakeM]

Back in my 30's and 40's and playing Bass guitar with a live band, (generally a 3 piece) I would memorized on average 2 new country songs a week. That included putting a song chord chart together for the the lead player (and sometimes had a pedal steel player).

Anyway, learning the song just takes going over it a few times a day for 3 or 4 days. Seems your brain memorizes stuff over night, is my experience. But now with the keyboard, there is too much to memorized besides just the words.

I use lead sheets now that contain the key I have to transpose into, as I play everything in the key of C. I have to mark on the lead sheet when to turn the Backup singer(s) on and off. When to go from the MAIN A to MAIN B then back to MAIN A and then to MAIN C and use ending ONE for the break and not the regular Break button at times. As I now have to play the LEAD (and not just playing a bass pattern) I have to jot down the kick off for each song. I don't just play the the last four bars of the song for the intro and I use very few of the Yamaha intros unless they are the intro for the song. There is just TOO many things to ever remember, I gotta write it all out to do the song justice.

Regards
Drake

[Toril S]

Thanks Drake! Great advice and insight into the way you work with your music!

[MarkF_48]

Good thread as I also have difficultly trying to remembering lyrics. My age (72) doesn't help matters either (can't remember what the wife told me 10 minutes ago ). I usually put the lyrics in front of me and try to glance away when I get more confident and it seems to help.

[Toril S]

Thanks Mark😀

[Paula]

I dont carry any more baggage then I need to, with the Registration everything is ready to go ,I tie the lyric's  to the Reg,(text}one song to 8 reg, when I select the song in the folder it is all set up, Text, transpose, Multi Pads, tempo, pedals, Harmony the entire song no looking through books, you can change the font size on the text, the larger the words the less text in each screen so therefore maybe a few word notes if needed larger? so  here is what my reg may look like......  the text is open  Reg 1 play lead.. 2 sing there are the first line of the song so when I hit 2 I know what to expect, 3 sing  (variation may change )  a multi pad may turn on The registration I am using always corresponds with the text I also use little notes if needed, I have no down time yes it takes time to set up each song when using the reg this way, working with the mixer and style creator as well but once its set up it is there forever
         Paula

[keyplayer]

Hi Toril,
I only play, I don't sing although I'm singing the words in my head most of the time as I'm sure a lot of us are.
As Drake says, the brain seems to remember things overnight - when I was a schoolgirl I remember learning my times tables by working them out and reciting them to myself in bed before I went to sleep, the same with poems. I also taught myself to say the alphabet backwards that way and can still do it now without even thinking about it! (useless bit of information!) 
So my advice is to sing the words to yourself before you go to sleep, see if it works.
Pam

[Toril S]

Thanks Paula and Pam😀

[Rick D.]

Toril,

Check out this site, they have many options for arms and stands to hold iPads. If you are still using paper, switching to an iPad helps tremendously as you can enlarge the print and it is very bright.
As we get older, we need bright lights to see.

https://www.displays2go.com/C-29593/FlexStand-iPad-Tablet-Holders

The one I use is wall mounted and I can bring it up to 2" from  my nose. They do have stand mounted and clamp mount options as well.

Hope you find something that works for you, memorizing at my age is not an option.

Rick D.

[Toril S]

Thanks Rick!😀

[MarkF_48]

Toril,

Check out this site, they have many options for arms and stands to hold iPads. If you are still using paper, switching to an iPad helps tremendously as you can enlarge the print and it is very bright.
As we get older, we need bright lights to see.

https://www.displays2go.com/C-29593/FlexStand-iPad-Tablet-Holders

The one I use is wall mounted and I can bring it up to 2" from  my nose. They do have stand mounted and clamp mount options as well.

Hope you find something that works for you, memorizing at my age is not an option.

Rick D.

Somewhere I've seen mention on another forum of an iPad or Android app that can scroll song lyrics in large text sort of like how karaoke lyrics are displayed. Along with a tablet holder mounted nearby that may make for workable solution.

I wonder if listening to a song from an mp3 player with the lyrics through an ear bud monitor and singing along with it would help in guiding one through a song as they sing or be a distraction?

[Toril S]

Thanks Mark. 😀

[Toril S]

Hello friends. My gig went well. Second gig where I sang. Not as a concert, more a sing along party. That was that!

[mikf]

that's great Toril. Doesn't matter if you forget the lyrics at a sing along party. You only need to know enough of them to lead.
Mike

[Pianoman]

First, learn the STORY of the song.  Almost every song has a story.
Then listen to a recording of it over and over, then start singing along with it.
Then, after you learn the chords to the song, play and sing the first verse until you memorize it, then do the same with the second verse and/or chorus.  Before long you will be doing the whole song from memory.
In a way, it's an advantage to do it this way.  I find that if I simply write down the words and chord changes, and start doing it, I never seem to memorize it.  The songs that I learn without writing them down I remember forever.
However, no matter how I learn the song, I do write down the chords and lyrics and save it to a text file in my lyrics folder.  Then, even years later, I can resurrect a song, go over it a few times if necessary, and I'm able to do it.

I agree with Don on this.

In addition to what Don has recommended, I make 3 CDs of the songs
that I want to learn and place  each in my home stereo and both cars respectively.

I then listen to them over and over as I drive or when I'm home, till it drives my wife crazy.
I find that in this way I can memorize all the songs plus lyrics and chords within a few days.

Good luck and Best Regards,

Abby.

[Toril S]

Thanks Mike and Abby😀