How to Learn & Retain Your Music FASTER

This was something that I have been working on with one of my students and in this example, I thought it would be helpful to share this information not only with my students but for all of you! For the video below, I used Rudelick, a piece I wrote as an example :)

The first step is to SLOW down what you are learning and count each individual rhythm so you know exactly where each rudiment is placed in relation to the beat. 

Once you have this established throughout most of the piece, then start to simplify the counting by filling in beats where there are specific types of rudiments, such as the flam taps that happen on beat 4 in the first measure.

The counting is more for the overall accent placement and syncopation of a piece and how to relate it to the downbeat pulse overall. This is also known as composite rhythm!

One way I like to relate learning music to other life scenarios would be similar to when you meet someone for the first time, and then the next time you see them weeks later, and you forget their name and all the details you learned about this person.

You wouldn’t want to meet the person for the first time and then have that same interaction all over again because you did not truly internalize what they had to say.

Here’s the thing: that analogy is the exact same idea relating to learning music!

So in order to remember the details about someone (or in this case, a piece of music), follow the tips I mentioned earlier and click the video for even MORE details on how to retain a piece of music better AND faster!