I have just recently tried learning a few songs since I learned a few of the Rudiments by heart. So I was wondering whats you all techniques to learn song and pieces of music by heart and the process period. Like do you go measure by measure or what, cause I'm at a loss on how to do it...

play it, play it again, repeat. With enough repetition, you can learn anything. Just make sure you are learning it correctly by playing it note by note, measure by measure, and phrase by phrase.

Also look for patterns to memorize instead of just notes and rhythms.

So like thats how you do it? just look through for like patterns, cause I was trying to learn the "Ditty" but after the 3rd measure it switches up and i just cant get that part.

Take it slow, break it down.

Another good way to memorize things is to play it through, then play it measure by measure. On the measure by measure time, play the measure looking at it, then see if you can play it without looking. Do that for the whole song then go back and see if you can do things like each line or to A( if it's lettered) or to something like measure 5 (if it's numbered) Eventually you'll be able to play it all by memory.

As Ghostman said though, it takes alot a lot of repetition to learn anything.

"chunk it!"

This method can be done a variety of ways, this is the "longest" way, it can easily be cut in half, especially for phrases that have measures that rely on each other to keep the beat. This is, of course, assuming you have 4 bar phrasing...it's concept is the most important thing, and can easily be adapted to what ever you have on paper.

Play a measure. Play it without looking. Play the next measure. Play it without looking. Play both measures together without looking. Play the third measure. Play it without looking. Play the fourth measure. Play it without looking. Play both measures together without looking. Take a quick glance at the music (if needed ), then play all 4 measures without looking.

Its simple repetition really. Of course, if you're learning something like a warmup, they're usually easily to memorize by pattern, especially if you think of Accent/Tap as a boolean...or light switch if you have no idea what that means . "On off off on on off on" or what not...

For the most part...the idea is repetition. Be confident too...It took me a while to realize that I could actually memorize music quickly; I was just unsure of myself. Don't be afraid to mess up...it will happen anyway!

I was wondering, I know how to read music its just that some pieces have od symbols in it, what do they mean when like the notehead is a triangle and like when there are numbers over notes and the accent is going up?

That stuff is usually up to the arranger/composer to define...

I can only speculate the numbers are stick height definitions. As for the triangle...in snare music, I'm not too sure, in tenor music, it can mean a crossover. We'd have to see music in order to get an idea of intent, but even then, you wouldn't know for sure unless you asked the author.

Also I was wondering, is it best to learn my songs in traditonal format opposed to learning it matched form, since I will most likely be playing these songs in traditional style, or does it even matter. I mean should i learn songs matched and then switch to traditional when playing or learn as traditional.

You should learn it the way your going to perform it.

Or, whatever's most comfortable.

Anyone got any tips on how I could possibly learn the ditty at a faster rate? Cause i just like that song for some reason, and then speed it up to at least 120 BPM because im like ubber slow right now.

Read through this thread

play the metronome game. Start at your current tempo, when you play it flawlessly at that tempo (more than once, consistency is crucial) bump up the met 8-10 clicks. Repeat until you have it at uber lightning stupid fast tempo....or at least 120...

it's a 60 second on field warm up. :P

-Joey