Lobotominator
8 posts
Sep 05, 2011
12:25 PM
|
Hello all,
I would like to know if there are any tricks to memorized a large amount of licks.
I learned and practised a few licks and then, when I think I'm good enough, I put them away while learning and practicing new ones....Then I realized I forgot the previous ones and that when I improvise over jam track, I always play the same licks.
----------
Lobotominator
/l , [____],
l----L -OlllllllO-
()_) ()_)------)_)
|
hvyj
1747 posts
Sep 05, 2011
12:47 PM
|
Learn scales.
|
nacoran
4561 posts
Sep 05, 2011
1:52 PM
|
The more you know about a riff the more likely you are to remember it. If you think of a riff as just this particular set of notes you are likely to forget it. If you think about it more specifically, as a slide, followed by a warble, followed by chugging then instead of thinking of it as a bunch of notes you get remember slide-warble-chug.
It's the phone number principle. A phone number is at least 7 numbers long, a long distance number you may end up dialing 11, but it's broken up into pieces. 1- once you know all long distance numbers start with 1 that part is easy. Then you get an area code- but those are pretty easy a lot of the time because everyone in San Diego, for instance, has the same one. Then the local exchange, but those are pretty easy too, it's just 3 more numbers and there are probably only a few codes you have to learn in a specific area. That leaves you only having to learn 4 numbers. If you think of 5555 five-thousand-five-hundered-and-fifty-five you only have to remember- 1 (but it's always 1) area exchange one long number. Break your riffs down into pieces like this. It's easier to remember them that way.
12 Bar Blues is essentially an example of the phone number trick. It's just a format to remember the chord changes. If you can break your licks down the same way they'll be much easier to remember.
The more pegs like that you learn and the more you understand the underpinnings of something the easier it is to remember or recreate from scratch if you do forget. (One great way, as hvyj so succinctly said, learn scales.)
The second thing is periodic reinforcement. Don't let a riff sit in the closet too long. When you are practicing, just run through a bunch of riffs to warm up. It can be better to study something for 5 minutes every day than for a whole day once a month. This helps with the thought part and the muscle memory.
And if you find a riff you really like, take notes and or record it. That way you won't lose the thought part of it and can recreate the muscle memory part if you have to.
Finally, ear training. The more you can play what you hear the quicker you'll be able to retrieve what you, or anyone else has played.
----------
Nate
Facebook
Thread Organizer (A list of all sorts of useful threads)
|
The Iceman
83 posts
Sep 05, 2011
2:21 PM
|
Relate the riff to something broader within music - start to understand where these particular notes came from - perhaps out of a blues scale or one of the modes. See all the note choices available in your mind's eye and visualize which ones make up a particular riff. Of course, this means broadening your understanding of music. You will start to understand the landscape in which the riffs are created. It is a short hop from this to becoming the one that creates riffs rather than one who memorizes riffs created by others.
----------
The Iceman
|
Lobotominator
9 posts
Sep 05, 2011
2:38 PM
|
Great advises, All this will help.
I know my practice time is kind of "all over the place" and goes as I feel. I should probably write a list of the licks I like and make myself some kind of program. with both licks, scales and songs.
This make me think of Gindick...in his books, every licks has a name. using names would probably help a lot.
----------
Lobotominator
/l , [____],
l----L -OlllllllO-
()_) ()_)------)_)
|
tookatooka
2467 posts
Sep 05, 2011
3:37 PM
|
@Lobotominator. I've just deciphered your signature. Brilliant.
----------
|
Lobotominator
10 posts
Sep 05, 2011
4:18 PM
|
@tookatooka. Thank you :)
I'm a harp and a Jeep entousiast.
----------
Lobotominator
/l , [____],
l----L -OlllllllO-
()_) ()_)------)_)
|
mandowhacker
87 posts
Sep 05, 2011
6:13 PM
|
I seem to remember licks from songs (music with words) a lot eaiser than tunes (music with notes).
Is this normal???
----------
Just when I got a paddle, they added more water to the creek.
|
nacoran
4564 posts
Sep 05, 2011
7:51 PM
|
Mandowhacker, I do to, but maybe that's because I have a bad habit following the vocalist to closely.
----------
Nate
Facebook
Thread Organizer (A list of all sorts of useful threads)
|
