When Is the Best Time to Start Memorizing a New Piece?

Like many other young kids, I never really thought twice about memorizing music. In the course of working on a piece, it usually just happened.

Of course, at some point, memorizing music becomes more difficult for everyone. The repertoire gets more challenging, you start having lots of repertoire to learn at the same time, and performance deadlines don't leave you with as much time as you'd like.

And this is when you probably began memorizing music on purpose. Intentionally. Using specific memorization strategies (a few linked below).

But this leads to a related question that I don't think we often ask. Which is, when should we start the process of memorizing a new piece? Once it's mostly in your fingers? When you can play it at tempo? A month before the performance? Two?

A 2002 study of singers provides some clues.

Get all the nerdy details here:
When Is the Best Time to Start Memorizing a New Piece?

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Have you ever wondered why it is exactly that things often sound better at home than they do on stage?

If you’ve been confused (and frustrated) by the inconsistency of your performances, I put together a free 18-question quiz called the Mental Skills Audit, which will help you pinpoint your mental strengths and weaknesses and figure out what to tweak in your preparation.

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Take the quiz here: bulletproofmusician.com/msa