Do you sometimes find it difficult to memorize new mandolin songs? A page full of music notes can be dizzying. But it provides one of the best ways to improve your mandolin playing. So let’s explore the most entertaining and effective ways to learn new mandolin songs.
The tips below will help you with the process of reading music and committing the tunes to memory.
Learn the Chords
The first move you should make when learning a new song is to practice the chords of the song. This means studying the length you should play each chord for, and discovering the feel of the song.
Most songs are freely available online, so search out the tune you want to learn and then play along with the chords you know from the sheet music. For example, search “Blackberry Blossom” on Youtube. Start out by strumming once per chord change. This will make it much easier to keep up with the song, and will let you focus only on when the chord changes happen.
Hum and Play
After you have memorized the chords, know where the changes occur throughout the song, and have a framework of the strum pattern, sit down with just you and your mandolin.
Start humming the melody of the song.
Good. Now, strum the song as you hum the melody. Begin with just one strum per chord change until you have a good grasp of it. Then strum as the song permits while you hum.
Soon enough you’ll have the melody stuck in your head and you’ll find it permeating deep into your mind. This is the goal. Now, the song will come out naturally when you actually pluck it on your mandolin.
So let’s play it!
Play Through it All
Start from the beginning of the song, and play up until the first repeat. No need to rush, and no problem if it doesn’t sound anything like the actual song. When you miss a note, just keep playing through.
You don’t even need to differentiate between quarter notes, whole notes, etc. This is just to get used to it.
Play by Measure
Now begin to play measure by measure. Match each measure to how your humming of the melody went.
Use a metronome while you do this to make sure you’re in time. Don’t move onto the next measure until the notes are clear and precise. This doesn’t mean fast. Speed comes much later.
Note which measures of the song come easy to you, and which put your fingers into knots. For the parts that are particularly arduous, decide if you can use different fingering to allow transitions to be more fluid. Your first choice isn’t always the best.
Master the Middle
You’ll notice that you become a genius of the beginning. This is because you play it so often!
Instead of starting from the beginning of the song each time you mess up, try the middle. This way you’ll put the much needed work into the correct part of the song.
It is the same for the B part of the song. It can be tempting to learn the A part of the song and then forget to practice the B. But the true master of a tune is equally good at the B part as they are the A part.
Ditch the Sheet Music
Now you know the song, so take off the training wheels.
Put the sheet music in another room and play from memory. This is when you’ll really be able to put your soul into the song. Instead of being fed the answers, you’ll just let it all flow out.
Practice in the Morning
Studies show that recall memory is better in the morning. This means that we’re better at remembering names, facts, mathematical equations, and the mandolin tunes we’ve been practicing just after we get out of bed.
So by practicing in the morning, you’re more likely to pluck the correct notes. Meaning, much more effective practice.
Also, by practicing in the morning you’ll feel accomplished. If you wait till the afternoon or later you may just not practice at all.
Take a Break
Hard work is how you become a master, right? Research shows this isn’t even half of it. By making room for your unconscious through meditation or a routine task like washing dishes or whittling.
Here’s the recipe:
- Grab your mandolin, a timer device, and anything else you’ll need. Perhaps sheet music if you’re new to the song or just a tuner if you’re practicing from memory.
- Set a timer for 20 minutes which you’ll dedicate to uninterrupted practice.
- Play your heart out for those 20 minutes.
- When the timer is up, stop what you’re doing. Hang up your mandolin and go catch up on some chores. Or move to another quiet room to practice some breath meditation.
- Repeat however many times you’d like.
Not only are you going check off other tasks for your todos, but you’re also going to get better at mandolin while you do them!
Practice Without Your Mandolin
Most of the time you won’t have your mandolin with you. This doesn’t mean you can’t continue practicing.
Instead of reaching for your phone or snacking do this: imagine you have your mandolin with you. In your mind’s eye imagine you’re practicing a song.
Think of your fingers being placed on the frets and then dancing them to their next positions. Imagine plucking the notes out with your pick. Make sure you’re keeping good technique throughout.
Throughout the day also make a habit of humming the tunes you’re practicing.
By following these steps you’ll be constantly adding new tunes to your song list, and from them will be able to incorporate new licks into your improvisations! Happy picking.
MandoZen 