How to learn a piece in 3 days? Our tips for mastering a score quickly
Master a piece of music in just three days? It's ambitious, but not impossible. The secret? A good learning method, effective tools, and determination.
Whether you play the piano, guitar, sing, or play any other instrument, the secret is to understand the piece well so that you can play it simply.
Reading, memorizing, repeating, and playing: discover our techniques and tips for mastering and learning a piece of music in record time!
Mastering a piece of music: what does that mean?
Knowing how to read sheet music (the basis of learning music)
Before even setting yourself a learning challenge, the first step is to make sure you have mastered the basics of music, namely music theory.
Knowing how to read notes, decipher staves, and understand rhythm and nuances saves valuable time when mastering a piece of music. Reading sheet music helps the brain to anticipate and memorize a score gradually.
Play the score smoothly
Being able to read sheet music is a good foundation, but you also need to know how to play without hesitation. Your playing should be fluid, the tempo should be steady, and you should be able to make precise transitions while controlling your movements.
When playing the piano, you have to learn to coordinate the movements of your left and right hands in order to master a piece of music correctly. The important thing? Focus on accuracy and rhythm.
🎹Need help playing a piece in rythm Start by playing slower than the tempo of the piece, then gradually increase the speed with the help of Newzik's metronome function. Newzik's metronome feature.
Being able to play a piece without even reading the score
Being able to play a piece without looking at the sheet music is proof that you have mastered the score, and even that you can improvise based on the melody. This requires the use of several types of memory:
Visual memory, which allows you to identify the structure on the score.
Auditory memory, or the ability to hear a melody internally without actually playing it.
The motor memory that allows you to perform movements without thinking.
It is this combination of memorization techniques that will enable you toplay without reading the score in just a few days.
Learn a song in 3 days: step-by-step guide
Day 1 – Objective: play the main sections of the piece at a slow tempo
The first day is the most important, as it lays the foundations for your learning. Here are a few techniques to help you play a piece correctly:
Listen to the song several timesto understand its structure (theme, verses, chorus, transitions, etc.). Here's a little tip: listen to several different versions of the same song to help your ear get used to the correct articulation and phrased.
Identify the key sectionsin the score (introductions, repetitive passages, chord changes) and then play the first few bars a slower tempo.
Focus on memorizing technical points (faster passages, syncopation, changes in tonality) to train your brain to anticipate difficulties.
Day 2 – Goal: play the entire piece correctly
The second day is devoted to memorizing the entire piece. At the end of this second day, the goal is to be able to play the entire composition. composition without any problems.
Put the sectionstogether: verse and chorus, or right hand and left hand.
Repeat the transitions: these are often the most complex areas to master.
Work without sheet music on the easy passages to test your memory.
Continue listening to the track to consolidate your auditory memory.
Alternate between slow and fast playto improve your accuracy and dynamics.
Day 3 - Goal: Play the piece from start to finish with confidence
Final stretch to polish your learning! Here are a few tips to consolidate everything you've memorized so far:
Play the entire piece several times throughout the day, focusing on thesoundandmusical expression.
Correct the final details: nuances, breathing, tempo, precision of gestures, and articulation when singing.
Practice in front of other people as if you were in public: this helps to fix your memory and manage stress.
Tip: Film or record yourself playing the piece, then listen back to your performance. This will help you identify areas that need work... but also allow you to see how much progress you've made!
💡Did you know? Newzik offers an audio recorder feature, perfect for listening to yourself as you rehearse!
3 tips for memorizing a musical score quickly
1. Listen to and sing along with the song.
Have you tried singing a lesson at school? It's an unbeatable technique for helping the brain memorize information more quickly.
It's the same with music. Singing helps anchor the song in yourauditory memory, which is the fastest to develop.
💡Our techniques:
Trysinging or humming the melody, even if it's only approximately.
Identifyrecurring musical phrases: your ear will naturally pick up on repetitive patterns.
If the piece contains lyrics,memorize the words along with the musicto reinforce your memory of rythm accents.
The trick: associate notes or lyrics images or gestures. This "visualization" technique makes it easier to memorize sequences.
2. Repeat the score in a loop
Repetition is the key to learning any musical instrument, but you can't just do it any old way. Don't play mechanically; it's better to play slowly and gradually master the piece to improve your memory.
💡 Our techniques:
Cut the pieceinto small sections (4 or 8 bars).
Work through each passage slowly, analyzing thechords and transitions.
Vary the tempo: play very slowly to understand the structure, then gradually speed up.
After a few loops,step away from the scoreand test your memory.
Tip: rather than playing 10 times in a row, try spacing out your repetitions. For example, play 3 times in the morning, 3 times in the afternoon, and then 3 times in the evening. This is a good technique to avoid tiring your brain!
3. Play along with recordings or accompaniment
Practicing with areference recordingorbacking trackis one of the best ways tostabilize rythm coordination.
This also allows you to place your instrument in the overall context of the piece: the melody line, the chords, etc.
💡How do you go about it?
Search for instrumental versions of the song (on YouTube, Spotify, or digital sheet music libraries).
Play in sync; this develops your sense of rhythm and precision.
Analyze the chordsas you play. Understanding harmony helps you anticipate what comes next in the song.
For pianists, this method improves coordination between both hands and allows them to "feel" the piece beyond simply reading the notes. The effect is twofold: you strengthen your auditory memory(you recognize the sounds before playing them) and yourmotor memory(your hands anticipate the movements).
🎵 Now that you have all the right advice at your fingertips, immerse yourself in learning your score with the Newzik app, a miraculous digital tool!
Read, annotate your scores, practice, and record your rehearsals to facilitate your learning.
With Newzik, success in music is just a click away!
