For many musicians, learning a new song is routine. But it’s not always easy — you might not have sheet music or a chord chart, a decent recording, or even a reasonable amount of time to learn the song. To help you out, here are some song-learning strategies.
1. Listening
I bet if someone asked you to sing “Hey Jude” or even “Don’t Stop Believin’,” you could probably sing the entire thing from memory. Maybe you remember the entire orchestral interlude or can rock out on some air guitar over Neal Schon’s solo. Why? Because you’ve been listening to these songs for years. This is why the first and most important step to learning a song is listening. Find a recording and sing along with the track; this will help you internalize the melody and form of the song. Challenge yourself to put it in your mind before you pick up your instrument. Once you do pick up your instrument, the learning process will be faster.
2. Analyzing
Now that you have the general structure of the song internalized, focus on each instrument. Don’t only listen to your instrument. Remember, music is a conversation between players, and if you only focus on your part, then you may miss an opportunity to interact in a musical way or, worse, cover up something important. Think like you’re a part of a building. Are you the decoration on top? A prominent feature? The supports or foundation underneath? When listening, analyze the composition as a whole and how your instrument fits among the parts. This is how you “practice” listening. In my opinion, it’s as important as practicing your instrument.
You may be wondering, “What should I do if I don’t have a recording?” This depends on the scenario. If you have a few rehearsals with your band before performing a new song, you can analyze while playing live. If you only have a soundcheck, your analysis will have to be quicker and more streamlined. If you have no recording and no chance to rehearse the song as a group, odds are you will be sight-reading from sheet music, in which case you’ll have to do your best to listen while reading and react accordingly to what you hear across the band. You will find that after years of playing songs in common styles, you will easily recognize patterns in song form, chord progressions, etc. These skills are extremely valuable, especially when time is short.
3. Charting
In a pinch, creating a chord chart or sheet music can be your only salvation. Even if you only learned from the written page, make a recording of what you’ve learned (even on your phone) and listen to it on a loop. Listening to yourself play the material you’ve just learned will help you memorize the song and keep you from relying on muscle memory or sheet music. Remember — use a chart as an aid, not a crutch. Let your ears be your guide. This will allow you to focus less on reading and more on giving an engaging performance.
Whatever method you use to learn new songs, I recommend using the best instrument possible, for the best sounds, feel, and action. There are obviously many choices among the great keyboards on the market, but I suggest adding these keyboards to your wish list:
Nord Stage 3
For a versatile stage keyboard, check out the Nord Stage 3. It has weighted touch, an organ section with drawbars, acoustic and electric pianos, a synth section, and a sample library with orchestral instruments.
Roland RD-2000
The Roland RD-2000 is another popular stage keyboard worth considering. Sweetwater Studios’ in-house RD-2000 is a fixture in Studio Control Room A.
Dexibell VIVO S9
The Dexibell VIVO S9 is a new addition for me. Dexibell’s True to Life Editor (T2L) allows you to tweak your sounds with great detail. One thing that sets the S9 apart is its array of nine motorized physical organ drawbars. It sure impressed me!