Question: Is it better to memorize pieces in music and classical guitar?
Short answer: yes.
Long answer: depends on the situation.
Yes, it is generally it is better to memorize your music for performance. Memorized music often results in a more refined performance and good experience for both you and the audience. It also promotes solid muscle memory and maximum performance concentration. Reading music can be a multi-tasking distraction and playing by memory often allows the player to focus solely on the music and the performance itself.
However, there are a number of other variables involved in the question which must be considered. Maybe you didn’t have time, it wasn’t important, or you simply didn’t want to. Let’s explore this more.
Reasons to memorize your music
A refined performance – Memorizing your music is an extra layer of preparation in practice that often leads to a more refined performance. After 35 year of playing and 20 years of teaching, I’m almost always certain a memorized piece will be performed better by my students. The mere act of memorizing the music results in more time, effort, and careful consideration of the piece which equals a better musical performance. This isn’t a rule, it’s just a consistent observation.
Good experience – Less setup, less looking away from the guitar or your audience, less distraction, less everything. It’s a good experience to just pick up the instrument and play that thing you know.
Clutter free – Without the music stand there and having to either setup your music or carry it on stage, performing my memory is a clutter-free experience.
Muscle memory and mental memory – The extra time thinking and practicing the piece both with the music and without it often results in better muscle memory and internal memory. Even when you read music you know, you are still using a lot of muscle memory to accomplish it and the act of memorizing it is an extra layer of embedded muscle memory and mental memory.
Distraction free (no multi-tasking) – Reading and playing does require a small amount of multitasking brain work. You can cut one of those elements out for a distraction free, high focus performance.
Memory can improve – The more you practice memorizing your music the better and faster you get at it. For the majority of students I’ve taught I know this is true. Memorizing music is a skill that gets developed over time and with practice.
Valid reasons to NOT memorize your music
The context of the performance or practice session is a serious consideration as well. Not every piece needs to be memorized and there are many situations where music might not be memorized for good reason. Here are a few reasons:
You didn’t have time to memorize it yet – Memory takes time and dedication and if you are on a short schedule it might not be possible. For example, because I record music for this website every week, I rarely have time to memorize it. I’m on a timeline and it isn’t my personal performance material so I learn it, record it, and move on. Sometimes we need to make the time and just do it for important pieces but that is not always possible.
It’s just one of many learning pieces you are studying short term – I don’t have my beginner students memorize every piece in my method book. It’s just too much quantity. However, I usually select three main focus works and have them memorize those while also playing through other parts of the book.
Sight reading – Obviously, when sight reading you don’t have time to memorize more than a few measures at a time. It’s important to read music as well as memorize it sometimes.
Large volumes of music being played – Sometimes the sheer volume of music you play makes memorization of all the music not feasible, at least in the short term.
The piece isn’t important – Individual works get played for different reasons. Maybe one piece is a concert piece you’ll perform in a big concert, maybe another piece is something you are just playing for fun at home. You can pick and choose what pieces are important enough for you to memorize.
The piece is not conducive to memorizing – Some pieces can be memorized very quickly whereas other works are very difficult. Pattern-oriented, repetitive, and memorable melodic works are often easy to commit to memory without much effort outside of basic practicing. An intricate and complex work without much repetition might not be as practical to memorize, at least in the short term. You’ll have to choose what you want and plan accordingly.
It doesn’t affect you much (for experienced players) – Some players will have 80-90% of their music essentially memorized but will use the score as a basic guide to remember key points. We all do this in practice at some point during the learning process. An experienced player may be able to use the score and perform at their highest level. When it comes to students though, be careful that they aren’t avoiding the skill of memorizing music. It is something that must be developed over time.
Performance nerves – Although I recommend people work through performance nerves (separate conversation), some people need the music to play the piece under pressure. Often the music is just there to give hints as to which part comes next. When it comes to students I’m usually of the opinion that the student just needs more preparation time and more practice performing the piece by memory. So it I still think it’s better to perform by memory even if a student has performance nerves.
Chamber music – When playing ensemble music you have other people to consider in the equation. So it will depend on your confidence level and memorization skills but I’d say most people use their music in chamber music unless it is, for example, a very dedicated duo with a set programme.
You don’t want to – We could dive into a conversation about making music special and not being lazy about memorization but I’m a realist and know that not everyone is into music for the same reasons. If you play music as a hobbyist, or even as a professional, you have a personal choice and no one can force you to memorize your music. Special note here: If your teacher is asking you to memorize your music please follow their advice, they are trying to help you improve, develop, and discover new skills within yourself. Please listen to them.
Recommendation
Don’t worry too much either way. That said, I highly recommend you always be memorizing three or more works just to keep the skill going and/or development of the skill. Even if you don’t perform by memory, at least practice it.
One more tip, if your performance piece is memorized perform it by memory. Take more preparation and practice time and more test-performances for friends and family. You can do it! If you need to use the music, practice it with the music for a few weeks so the way you’ve been practicing it at home matches the way you’ll perform it. It can be disorienting to look back at the score after weeks or months of playing it solely but memory.
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