Why You Shouldn't Memorize ANYTHING On GUITAR

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  • Опубліковано 28 кві 2024
  • Are you making the biggest mistake that guitar players make when they try to memorize something on the guitar? Keep watching to find out!
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 130

  • @Leo_ofRedKeep
    @Leo_ofRedKeep 21 день тому +14

    This is a key that teachers take for granted and students never get told in a way they understand.
    Teachers mean "learn to do" (through repeated practice) and students understand "learn to know" (through memorisation, as they were made to at school).

  • @seongomez4903
    @seongomez4903 18 днів тому +6

    He's talking about INTERNALIZING vs Memorizing.

  • @bkmeahan
    @bkmeahan 21 день тому +20

    I'm a pro at the forgetting part

    • @EarleMonroe
      @EarleMonroe 19 днів тому

      “Keep practicing and you’ll get worse at it” -Tommaso Zillio (probably) 😉

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  19 днів тому +2

      @@EarleMonroe LOLOL I don't remember saying something like that... but who knows? :-))

  • @hitesh_blues2353
    @hitesh_blues2353 18 днів тому +2

    I owe a huge thanks to you for helping me learn notes on the fretboard. I did that exercise where you play one note on every string all over the fretboard. I am able to locate notes on the fretboard by muscle memory and not theoretical memorization. ♥️

  • @AmandaSnoise
    @AmandaSnoise 19 днів тому +2

    This is so good. I am treating learning instruments like learning to type. I used to hunt and peck as a kid but when I started journaling daily I got the hang of it and can now type almost as fast as I think without conscious effort. I am working on feeling the sound if the notes and intuiting the proper distance between.
    Two months ago when I first walked into a guitar store to buy my own first guitar, I couldn't hold a D chord or play a pentatonic scale. Now I can just feel where it's supposed to go just like typing. Loving your videos!!

  • @Tarnishedpilgrimage
    @Tarnishedpilgrimage 21 день тому +13

    Dude this is genius. What you explain is like learning a language. It's much better to practice speaking and listening then trying to memorised the grammar rules. Best guitar channel ever.
    Edit: I actually do as you say and my guitar tech has improved tenfold. All my practice is just warm up to play songs I like haha

  • @andybedingfield7035
    @andybedingfield7035 16 днів тому +4

    What he is doing here is using a method of learning that learning science calls, “retrieval practice” or, “the testing effect” to speed up the process of learning the fretboard to the level of unconscious retrieval. Learning science shows this is one of the fastest and best ways to learn anything. When you memorize you use tricks like patterns to think your way through something with conscious thought. When you learn something deeply your body reacts without any conscious thought or effort. This is the goal even if you learn patterns first, they are just a stepping stone and for many a barrier to learning the fretboard deeply. Once you learn the patterns you will never be free to play until you know the fretboard well enough to stop using them to figure out where a note is anyway. He is just using a solid and proven method of learning to fast track you becoming a master of the fretboard. Just like you are a master of the qwerty keyboard. You don’t have to use a memorized pattern to find a letter on your keyboard. You just think what you want to say and your fingers move without you thinking where they have to go. The goal for this type of fretboard training is the same. I challenge you to find any typing lesson out there that teaches you to memorize hidden patterns of letters. No, they have you type one letter at a time reading from something starting with just a few letters. Just like he is doing here :)

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  16 днів тому

      Yes. YES. That's exactly it. I'm glad that the message is coming through (to some people at least!)

  • @richardracette6162
    @richardracette6162 19 днів тому +2

    You say "Just a few weeks" but I'm finding more like "Just a few months." Which is fine, I'm not concerned with time. I've found that using your system is good mental exercise and good for my overall efforts at being a better guitar player. Oddly enough, I think it helps with other things, such as playing Sudoku. So thank you.

  • @chriscantor6329
    @chriscantor6329 21 день тому +5

    I'm no expert, but toddlers learning to speak don't really focus on memory of how to pronounce words and we adults certainly don't, we just speak. I just wish my playing came as naturally as my speaking.

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому +1

      The secret is exercise and repetition rather than memorization.

    • @localbod
      @localbod 20 днів тому

      Absolutely true. Kids acquire a language through mimicking and repetition versus adults who learn a language (usually a second one).

  • @johnroberts1141
    @johnroberts1141 18 днів тому +1

    I like this approach. I am going to give it a try.

  • @user-pm2xj9st6f
    @user-pm2xj9st6f 19 днів тому +1

    It is more valuable to train your mind to think and work through everything at a fast rate and not to rely on muscle memory. There are so many other chords, chord voicings and scales it really is impossible to memorize them all.

  • @koldobikf1992
    @koldobikf1992 21 день тому +1

    I agree completely!

  • @metalpuppet5798
    @metalpuppet5798 21 день тому +2

    Isnt it a two way thing? If you want to remember something on the guitar you have to play it a lot. If you want to play something you will also have to remember it. And sometimes just playing it over and over again is maybe only kinda going to help if its for example something rythmically weird or something like that. Then you have to look at the notes, where they fall in the bar etc and figure out a way to always remember it.

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому

      No, you can read it/relearn it on the spot. At most you may need to have it in your short term memory while you play.

  • @Madchris8828
    @Madchris8828 21 день тому +3

    Okay this title really confused me at first, but I totally get your point when watching 😂. Thanks again

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому +1

      Accepting suggestions for an alternative catchy title

    • @Madchris8828
      @Madchris8828 21 день тому +1

      @@MusicTheoryForGuitar actually I think I worded what I meant wrong. I should have said the title did exactly what it should have intrigued me. Sorry! I was confused at first by what you could have meant. But the video explains it well and the title is good

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому

      Great :)

  • @iankr
    @iankr 21 день тому +6

    Muscle memory

  • @yourbandisabusiness
    @yourbandisabusiness 21 день тому +3

    In exactly the same everyone learned their first language. Daily exposure.

  • @richermorin
    @richermorin 21 день тому +1

    thank you master

  • @northernmonkey8652
    @northernmonkey8652 21 день тому +3

    Thanks a lot. I'm saving this video because i will probably forget it.

  • @JeanLoupRSmith
    @JeanLoupRSmith 20 днів тому +1

    With respect, this is an argument in semantics here. Whether you memorise by reading or by doing you're still memorising, it's the learning method that changes and different people learn in different ways. Some will remember things quicker by reading, some by doing. Yes you need the practice and repetition one way or another to develop the muscle memory but even that is a form of memorisation.

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  20 днів тому

      I am making a distinction between two different practices - which is not an argument on semantics (quite the opposite, it's an argument on the object level).
      Semantics = how we assign meaning to words. Also "an argument on semantics" is NOT a refutation, or any kind of negative.
      Indeed (and again, I stress, it's not a refutation) saying "Whether you memorise by reading or by doing you're still memorising" is precisely an argument on semantics. It is also a good argument (i.e. I agree that you could describe the end result of both practices as "memorization") but I still prefer to distinguish the two cases clearly.
      Moreover, the people who do need to hear the advice in this video tend to use "memorization" for one thing and not the other: I am trying to talk in their language for ease of understanding.

  • @johnskerlec9663
    @johnskerlec9663 20 днів тому

    You always have an interesting take on guitar learning. I agree but disagree, and practice to get good at a technique but forget it for the next technique. I do the same with the songs I write/record. I practice and get the best take, and move on to the next song. When I do it acoustic, I do it different but same. ?? I really have a terrible attention span. Thanks for the vid.

  • @orwendhag876
    @orwendhag876 16 днів тому

    By reasoning I found by myself the first exercice a while ago. The whole set of exercice is logical and I will follow that, thank ! I don't agree with the "you don't need to memorize anything", but I do agree with the methodology to learn the fret board.
    By the way, I think it can be useful to work on that more than 10 minutes by day, but I don't think it is productive to work by long sequences, it could be much better to do 5 minutes 4 different times a day.

  • @allboutthemojo
    @allboutthemojo 20 днів тому +1

    This is 💯% true. You just have to keep playing .
    Question for you, I've found that for songs I learned but have not played in 2 yrs, I can't remember them anymore. Is this normally what other's may also find?
    I guess my question is a little subjective but it comes from the fact that one just can't keep playing everything they ever learned , so they may retain only , say the last 10 or 15 they've been playing in the last few months?

  • @chrismaxwell1624
    @chrismaxwell1624 21 день тому +2

    The only thing I was told memorize is the Whole Step and Half Step of chord creation, just example. The notes I don't need to memorize I just need to play them but this can informs me on what to play if I want figure it out for myself. Or I can ask or go the internet to figure out what triad is for a chord. Then I go find the notes on guitar a play them.

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому +1

      "Or I can ask or go the internet to figure out what triad is for a chord" Not while you are improvising, you can't.

    • @chrismaxwell1624
      @chrismaxwell1624 21 день тому +2

      @@MusicTheoryForGuitar That's cart before the horse. I need to learn the chords and scales by playing them in practice before I can improvise. Improvising and random doesn't work out well for me.

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому

      Oh, I agree with that :-) I may have misunderstood your comment.

  • @jamessullenriot
    @jamessullenriot 21 день тому +1

    You are correct but I can give you my edge case .... I memorize a lot because on of the goals of me playing music is for quick recall and as another tool to prevent dementia. I do this with drums and piano as well. Also, I can't read music and have no interest in learning, I have my own notes I make that make sense probably to me when I'm learning something, but once I learn it I try to not reference that again.

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому

      If you do what I say in the video, that would be at least as good for you, and probably better.

  • @CorneliusMagnus
    @CorneliusMagnus 21 день тому +2

    One very important distinction you could mention talking about this issue. Yes memorization can be useless activity but only when you have your guitar available for you at the moment. If you don't have access to your instrument you can memerize by visualizing the freatboard and this is an activity with great return on time investment.

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому

      That's not memorization, though. It's at least "recalling" which is a greatly useful activity. At best, you are "reasoning" about the fretboard and theory. Indeed I recommend doing exactly what you say here: ua-cam.com/video/X7_A3b219h4/v-deo.html (go to the part about mental exercises)

    • @robfirestone6158
      @robfirestone6158 21 день тому +1

      @@MusicTheoryForGuitar You’re selectively defining memorization in a way that isn’t how the word is normally used.

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому

      Or maybe I am just clarifying what I mean.

    • @robfirestone6158
      @robfirestone6158 21 день тому +1

      @@MusicTheoryForGuitar
      We can disagree and be kind
      Have a great night!

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому

      You too!

  • @Skulkkid
    @Skulkkid 19 днів тому +1

    Thank you goat

  • @dwainthompson7777
    @dwainthompson7777 20 днів тому

    Very true sight reading is the way to go. And sounds memory

  • @Darkurge666
    @Darkurge666 3 дні тому

    I learn by playing to my Spotify Playlist on random. There is no way you can memorize a hundred songs all at once. You have to try and fail until you get better and better at guessing the right note. And eventually you have developed that muscle memory. I also tune the guitars differently, so it doesn't matter what tuning a guitar is. I just need to find the first note and then the rest will follow. I have to know the song (not how to play it but how it sound) but that is why I use my Playlist of my favorite songs. It also means it is less repetitive and more fun! I will only improve a little every time but over time it adds up and I get better at all songs. 👍

    • @Darkurge666
      @Darkurge666 3 дні тому +1

      It also makes switching tune inside a song easier. For example if you play phantom of the opera. 🤓

  • @christopherheckman7957
    @christopherheckman7957 19 днів тому +1

    Use it or lose it.

  • @MrNinjastab
    @MrNinjastab 17 днів тому

    You should have stated what you basic concept of muscle memory. This is the same thing I teach my students and it is muscle memory of the brain. Not actual muscle work. The brain is a muscle on its' own. I show my students this concept in real time as well. Great lesson

  • @richermorin
    @richermorin 21 день тому

    he would be cool to see you play your own music or whatever like ken tamplin does with singing

  • @arpeggioblues5924
    @arpeggioblues5924 21 день тому +3

    Really? I have to disagree.. In order to reach mastery, you take one idea, scale, pattern etc, and you pound it into your short-term memory, fail, relearn, fail, relearn.. when you can sit in front of your TV and play it without thinking about it, now it goes from Short-term memory to Long term memory.. Remember learning your times tables.. repetition is the ONLY way to master it.. You practice kicking a soccer ball, until you get it to the goal, the move to a new position and try again until you get it.. The real key.. Concentrate on ONE thing, until you can do it and hold a conversation with someone at the same time, then go to another thing.. guitarists that try to learn to much causes your brain and short-term memory to short out. ONE thing at a time, and master it until you don't think about it.. An intermediate guitarist learning basic chords, remember how hard it was at first.. Now you don't think about how to finger an E major chord, a C major chord. Key don't try to learn too many different things at the same time. Pace yourself, and master the guitar this way.. otherwise, you will confuse yourself, and your short term memory will not store ., I have to completely disagree with this anti-memorization concept. It doesn't work towards total mastery.. it's malarky! to go in this direction. Mastery requires repitition, repitition commits to long-term memory. It's okay to try something, and then next day you forget, that's what is SUPPOSED to happen, keep doing it until you don't have to think about it. Now, it's in your long-term memory.. the next thing you learn, will come to you faster because you trained your brain to use it's short-term memory and long-term memory efficiently.. I've been playing for over 40 years, this is how it's done.
    I'd like to offer a tip that increased my learning speed to 300% of all the rest of you. I have abandoned the EADGBE tuning.. go to FOURTHS tuning.. EADGCF.. now ALL triads 7ths scales.. have the exact same patterns. no more B and E string shifts.. this means you have to learn 33% of what you need to learn. I'm doing fusion now because of this one move.. I'll never go back to campfire guitar tuning.. MY Humble Opinion.

    • @SamBrockmann
      @SamBrockmann 21 день тому +1

      How does this attitude actually make you a better guitar player?

    • @lonnyhandwork422
      @lonnyhandwork422 21 день тому +1

      My humble opinion is that you should have watched and ensured you understood the video before going on a rant. You do get points for using the word “malarky” though.

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому +3

      Uhm... honest question, did you watch the video? Like, the part where I talk about repetition?

    • @tizmon
      @tizmon 21 день тому

      The music in your head must come out on time and memorizations won’t be enough for it. Long nor short term. Keep playing until your fingers and brain make secure connections so what you think will come out through your fingers is what he is saying here. He must pay me for saying this for him so he won’t have people like you get confused and write a long messages like yours.

  • @bobnolin9155
    @bobnolin9155 18 днів тому

    I have never practiced. I just play. This approach has resulted in me sounding terrible for many years, but having fun. And now I sound good. It only took 50 years or so. What is this "sheet music" you speak of? Music comes in sheets?

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  18 днів тому +1

      The beauty of the internet is that this could be a joke, or it could be completely serious... and there's no way anyone can tell ;-)

    • @bobnolin9155
      @bobnolin9155 18 днів тому +1

      @@MusicTheoryForGuitar 😉

  • @robfirestone6158
    @robfirestone6158 21 день тому +2

    Trying playing a Bach fugue without memorizing it.

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому +1

      Trying memorizing.a Bach fugue wihtout playing it

    • @robfirestone6158
      @robfirestone6158 21 день тому

      @@MusicTheoryForGuitarI can!

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому

      @@robfirestone6158 There are also people who can improvise fugues. No memorization involved.

    • @robfirestone6158
      @robfirestone6158 21 день тому +1

      @@MusicTheoryForGuitarYou conveniently changed the topic. I saw what you did there!

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому

      @@robfirestone6158 Err.. no I didn't? Not on purpose at least.

  • @visog
    @visog 21 день тому +1

    Oof! Subtle point but very true!

  • @markb9419
    @markb9419 21 день тому +2

    finally! haha yes 100%

  • @ANDYFIERRO
    @ANDYFIERRO 21 день тому +1

    Muscular memorization 😅

  • @AlexKosSaheli
    @AlexKosSaheli 21 день тому +1

    huh

  • @SamBrockmann
    @SamBrockmann 21 день тому +1

    Memorization is not how you learn the language of music.

  • @jaketheward
    @jaketheward 18 днів тому

    Misleading title

  • @onethousandtwonortheast8848
    @onethousandtwonortheast8848 20 днів тому

    Charlie Parker did not know there were keys. He thought music was just one big thing. When I learned that, I threw out everything and every theory book. I made my own understanding of music theory and I am so happy I did. I got into that awful habit of playing things without hearing them inside my head first. That’s what practicing things to learn them by memory did for me. A complete waste of time!

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  20 днів тому

      "Charlie Parker did not know there were keys" I'd like to know more: do you have a source of this?

    • @onethousandtwonortheast8848
      @onethousandtwonortheast8848 20 днів тому

      @@MusicTheoryForGuitar I believe I read this in one of the only books written about him. My instructor was a huge Charlie Parker expert. He knew everything about the man. If I remember correctly, he was self taught. He did not look at music in a traditional western sense. I believe what you are saying in this video is extremely important because it frees people’s minds to be exploratory. Music is an expression. There is not a lot of expression happening in music schools.

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  20 днів тому

      Thanks. I find the concept in music theory useful when they are taught with an eye to expression and improvisation. As opposed to "memorize this and pass the exam" or "these are the avoid notes", which is what most people do.

  • @eyvindjr
    @eyvindjr 21 день тому +2

    Stearing at a piece of paper is the opposite of memorization. Why do you think it is the same?

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому

      I don't. But many people do, and I'm trying to reach them to help them.

    • @eyvindjr
      @eyvindjr 18 днів тому

      @@MusicTheoryForGuitar Who? Guitarists have little tradition for reading sheet music, but for windband and orchestra instruments, it is the most common way of learning new music. Memorization to me is learning to look a way, not to never look in the first place.

    • @eyvindjr
      @eyvindjr 18 днів тому

      @@MusicTheoryForGuitar Also, both "trying to remember" by visualising music, and imagining music while reading scores can be very helpful ways of studying. Singer do this all the time, as the time they can use their voice is limited. I am sure guitarists can do this as well!

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  18 днів тому

      Would you mind rewatching the video and making sure I am saying what you think I am saying? For instance, I don't think I mentioned sheet music (I could be wrong) or orchestral instruments (I could be wrong), or "never looking in the first place" (that I'm kinda sure). Point is, I don't disagree with your last two comments, so there's clearly a misunderstanding.

  • @guitarista67
    @guitarista67 18 днів тому +1

    This is about the stupidest recommendation I’ve heard.

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  18 днів тому +1

      Yes. I'm not giving this recommendation because it's clever: I'm giving it because it works.

  • @rodnyg7952
    @rodnyg7952 18 днів тому +14

    this is silly and meaningless. You're telling people to not memorize anything, but then say to read and learn them to remember them, which actually means "commit to memory". So, you contradict yourself. Then you say "just let them go" which is counter intuitive to the act of learning anything. I don't think you understand how memory, and learning work

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  18 днів тому +2

      Yes, if you confuse "remembering" with "committing to memory" then my video makes no sense at all to you.

    • @rodnyg7952
      @rodnyg7952 18 днів тому +7

      @@MusicTheoryForGuitar remember means "commit to memory". You need a dictionary

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  18 днів тому +1

      Dictionary says:
      Remember: have in or be able to bring to one's mind an awareness of (someone or something that one has seen, known, or experienced in the past).
      Memorize: commit to memory; learn by heart.
      Not the same :-)
      I recommend also googling "the difference between remembering and memorizing".

    • @johnroberts1141
      @johnroberts1141 18 днів тому +3

      @@rodnyg7952 You are confused and looking for a fight.

    • @rodnyg7952
      @rodnyg7952 18 днів тому +6

      @@johnroberts1141 you make no sense either. Good luck remembering anything without memorizing it

  • @Taylagio
    @Taylagio 21 день тому +2

    Gets up on stage, sorry I didn't memorize my songs...

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому

      Not what I say in the video, clearly.

    • @Taylagio
      @Taylagio 21 день тому +3

      @@MusicTheoryForGuitar it's called a joke, loosen up

    • @MusicTheoryForGuitar
      @MusicTheoryForGuitar  21 день тому +2

      Eh, lately I get comments so absurd that they are hard to distinguish from jokes ;-) All's good then!

    • @johnroberts1141
      @johnroberts1141 18 днів тому

      @@Taylagio Sarcasm is never funny. It shows unresolved anger issues.