How do you guys go about it? Is it just measure by measure repetition, or is there some secret way to do it? My teacher has been encouraging me to start memorizing my music, so I was just curious. I know how he does it, but how do you guys?

Well...have you memorized ANY music in the past?

If you're still a beginner at memorizing music then I would advise that you would divide the music in chunks. But please, not by measure. If you do measure-by-measure chunks, you are chopping up musical phrases. Try to split it up maybe by at least least 1 line or 2-3 lines (if you are more advanced, maybe by section A/B/etc). It's best you remember it by the musical phrases instead of individual notes by splitting the chunks up by measures. It is also much easier. When you split it up into musical-phrase-chunks, make sure that you can actualy read the music confidently. If you feel unsure at any place, then you will NOT be able to play it by memory! It's all relying on your muscle memory so try to play the piece with a metronome and make sure you are absolutely confident about what you're playing. RHYTHM = CONFIDENCE. Then, try to play it by memory, you may be surprised as to how far you can get. But if you stop at a place b/c of memory issues, look at the music again and review/relearn those parts. Also, rely on your EAR along with your muscle memory, it will help a lot. Can you sing the part? If you can, then you can play the part as well. And pleas don't just "memorize." Memorize efficiently by always anticipating what will come next.

As you get into this habit, memorizing will come automatically to you. Remember, memorizing mostly comes from how you play the piece with the music! If you just "play" the piece at a lower quality, then you will be less confident when you memorize the piece!

I guess I should have been more specific! I have memorized music before, nothing too difficult however. I have been having a problem with a specific part in Bach's Sonata No. 5. The fingerings aren't particularly difficult, and the rhythm and note patters are fixed in my brain, but I still can't get it down without looking at it. I was wondering if there was a trick to memorizing that I missed.

Thanks for your help Spark!

Ahhhh. Bach. You got to love Bach, huh? Bach's pieces are quite hard to memorize. I am playing Sonata no. 5, too.

Then how about this...You may think you "know" it, but you actually don't. AKA. Your brain knows it but your fingers don't! I know this sounds weird, but there are always tricky spots in Bach that defies what your brain would expect. Try focusing on the tricky spots by playing it with dotted rhythms. And try to play it in context by going a measure before and stopping on the first note in the tricky place. Then do that again but go the second note...etc. And keep doing that every day. Also, playing tricky spots backwards is another thing (yes, I said backwards! It works like magic). Do it until you really know it! And one day of that won't get you anywhere. So do it everyday until you can do it off the top of your head.

Like I said before, use the metronome too. Often times, ppl go, "oh I can do this. I know the rhythm" but they actually rush instead or just trample all over it without thinking. So when they play it without the music, they forget one or two spots. And really, that has nothing to do with knowing the notes. Knowing the notes is completely different from muscle memory. So just keep practicing that spot until your fingers automatically know where to go. Playing with metronome is always important even if you do know the rhythms. It builds muscle memory. And it makes sure your fingers always know where to go no matter what! If you stop even ONCE with the music, it reflects that your fingers are uncomfrotable with the place...unless you weren't focusing (and if you didn't focus...well then...then FOCUS!! cause focusing also relates to memory). I hope this helps. I know you were expecting more, but this is really it. This is all I have done in the past that helped me with memory issues.

I also find listening to it on a cd or something over about 3 times a day helps, then you know exactly where you go wrong!

I think I must have listend to Rampal's version a million times. I love all the Bach Sonatas!! But no. 5 in my current favorite. Thanks for the advice Spark, I never thought of playing backwards, I'll have to give that a shot. Maybe you all could help me with something else as well. I hhave to pick one of the movements of Bach's no.5 for a NYSSMA solo(I'll be judged and graded)but I cannot decide between movement one or movement two. What do you think?

Only one movement? I would say both movements, one slow, one fast to demonstrate musical understanding + an impressive technique. But if only one, then I would be tempted to say no. 2 definitely.

I know! I really wanted to do both, they fit so well together. I was leaning more towards movement 2 as well...but movement one is so beautiful. Thank you for the input, I'll take it into more serious consideration.

here are some ideas:

- try memorizing small sections at a time..difficult to memorize even an entire movement right away

- play small section with music, cover music and play as much as you remember, keep doing this until you know the music

- think in the key you are playing in, this way you feel the piece, much the way a singer does