Memorizing Charts

[subcitizen]

Do you guys (especially all you rythm section players) have any special techniques for memorizing chord charts? Or do you think that it's a matter of just programming them into your memory?

-andrew

[Jakeweiser]

generally I learn the changes way faster then the melody. I know the tune in my head but on the guitar it may not be worked out. for me, playing melodies genearlly happens on my own gigs with my own bands, and when I do work like that it's my own music.

I probably know 5X as many tunes as a rhythm player then as a front line player simply because of the fact that melodies are always different, changes genearlly are interexchanging.

The common 32bar tune is basically 16 messures of music, learn the A's the Bridge and then the turn around int he transitions and your home free. When learning standards that means you should be able to learn it in only a matter of a few choruses tops. More difficult tunes I go through it section by section to commit it to memory in the practice room. I won't play a tune unless I know it cold or am reading it, I don't want to leave room for error.

Basically, in a standard set most of the turns are going to be in similar keys with similar chord progressions. I find the trick is the heads, of course especially Bop tunes that don't lay well on the guitar.

[Colman]

i play trumpet and it took me 2 months to memorize confermation by parker. .... i jsut played it every single day working out avery little thing and after two months i can play it in my sleep on the other hand the changes i have no idea what they are i have to read the changes of a page but i dont have to read the head.

i find be bop heads easier to learn than ballads because the aaba's are so diffrent and its really hard to mess it up ballads motivs are harder to lean cuz the ideas are oftern very similar so its easier to mix up

[Sam]

It's not about memorizing tunes, it's about internalizing them. If you memorize the Gettysburg Address and get stuck, you have to start over. If you understand how a tune is put together, you can play a wrong note or change and plunge on, or develop it in the moment.

So, IMO, you're looking to really familiarize yourself with chords, gravity-points, melody, maybe even lyrics. Once the puzzle fits, the tune is yours to use.

[4on6.com]

If you're learning the Standard(s) book, I suggest coming across vocal performances. It really helps you hold onto the melody line. Ultimately the melody line will guide the tune. It's easy to work solos off that line if you have it and the chords become very logical once you know where the line is going.

Then, moving to bop will be another logical step considering, as is mentioned above, many chord sequences are reused. Many bop tunes are based on changes with Standard book chord sequences.

Bop lines are well learned by singing along (as best as you can). You can better hear the intervals between the notes if you are singing them as well.

Any tunes in particular? or is this just for general consideration?

Good luck,
MW

[subcitizen]

Is there a particular "Standards" book? I use The Real Book (just came in the mail today!) and that seems fine besides the few errors that are in there, which they have corrections for anyway. But a lot of them are just fine as is and don't really make a difference unless it's on the melody. For instance, on Ladybird, the last two bars they originally put as |Cmaj7 Ebmaj7|Abmaj7 Dbmaj7| ...but apparently it's really |Cmaj7 Eb7|Abmaj7 Db7|. However i think the first one sounds better.

anyway, this if for general consideration. My talented music teacher said that if i learned 30 standards down cold then he would hire me for some gigs...so i've been working towards that. I've got about 25 so i'm almost there...i've found the best way to memorize is just to play over and over again.

-andrew

[El Gaucho]

Charts arent all hard memorization. There are usually only so many different types of chordal movement in jazz tunes, so these are what is key to focus on. For example, damn near ever tune will have a ii-V-I, so just remember the key centers to the ii-Vs and ur set. it is also easy to remember things such as chromatic motion and diatonic motion so try to remember these, most of the time if u can remember that a ii-v occurs around a part of a tune and u see a D-7 u can guess that G7 and then Cmaj occurs. then there is the fact that most tunes are either blues or rythm changes which makes this easier. As u become more familiar with these simple cadences (ii-v-I, iii-vi-ii-V, I-vi-ii-V, iib5-Vb9-i7) they become one big chunk, like a single chord, to remember. Also a lot of tunes i wont neccerelly remember the changes while soloing over them, or even know the changes at all, but i play some notes till i find i am in a key, and just play in that key until i sense a key change, at which point its usually pretty easy to figure out whats happening there, and then back to the original key.

Most tunes are usually AABA anywaY...

[4on6.com]

The "Real" Books are a good start. You can usually pick up legitimate songbooks for all the big writers (Ellingotn, Arlen, etc.). You're bound to run into variations in chord choices. often times, the chord is merely an inversion of another. Again, the melody and song key will probably clarify the correct chord choice. Jamey Abersold's play along series is worth looking at as well. There are hundreds of standards used there, and the chart books usually have a reference section with lists of where the selections appear on record.


25 out of 30 sounds like your work is almost complete.


MW

[monk]

The best way to memorize charts is:

1) UNDERSTAND them. Not just "dumb" memorizing the chords, but their relationships. Where in the tune are the chord changes "normal", where happen special things? Melody: Which chord tone are the important melody notes (e.g.: second melody note of "Stella by Starlight" is the 11 of the Em7b5 chord)?

2) Play them in different keys; so you learn the intervallic and chordal relationship even better. Ensure that you transpose NOT by calculating the intervals but by hearing.

Best Wishes,
Monk

[jazzbluescat]

Reiterating/elaborating on what's been said. I use a number system as much as possible because it remains the same in all keys.
Also, I think of numbers in helping me remember changes by the bass movement. For instance: C7 up to E-7(b5), I think C7 to a 3rd above's -7(b5). Or in Fmaj, V7 then up a maj 3rd and that's a min.7(5).
Another ex: G7/E-7(b5)A7 in Abma is Seven 7 down a minor 3rd's -7(b5), etc.
Numbers within a number system, in microcosm.

It seems more complicated written down than thinking it.:D

What helps the very most is a thorough understanding of the theory/function of the changes and the melody note relationship with the chord.

[monk]

Yeah jazzbluescat, your method is quite good.

But look at your example: C7 followed by Em7b5. More important than memorizing "major 3rd up" is: Which chord comes after that? And perhaps it's A7! And perhaps after that comes Dm7!
So for 4 chords you only have 2 things to memorize: 1) C7 (perhaps dominant of F),
2) II-V-I of Dm (parallel minor of F).

If we professional musicians talk about changes, we often say for example: "In the bridge, II-V-I of Bb, then II-V-I of C" ("Honeysuckle Rose"). 2 things to memorize instead of 6!

[jazzbluescat]

......Which chord comes after that?..........

Oh, absolutely! Knowing where you're going helps in remembering how to get there; things often just fall in place, and helps you see the variations that cats use to get there, to boot.

[Scottone]

the numeral system is also vital in creating an understanding of the harmony, separate from hand positions on an instrument.
pianist Cyrus Chestnut loves to tell about being invited, as a student at Berklee, to accompany Betty Carter. she asked for "Body and Soul"(written in C, usually played in Db), he said no prob; she said "in G", and he fell apart...

when you have an understanding of the way the harmony moves in a song, it demystifies it, making it more manageable. f'rinstance:

"All the Things You Are" is usually played in Ab. the progression is a basic 1-6-2-5, but it starts on the 6: 6-2-5-1 in Ab; then the 4, then 2-5-1 in C.
from there it's 6-2-5-1 in Eb; then the 4, then 2-5-1 in G.
look at your tonal centers: Ab; C; Eb; G- an Ab major 7th, the key you're in!

studying the form of tunes takes you a long way towards memorization. just like with a lyric, if you know where you're going, getting there is a whole lot easier...