Do you long to advance your knowledge of music theory without breaking the bank? Maybe you’d love to get better at jazz, improv, or compose your own piece someday.
Or perhaps you’ve struggled with memorization. You’ve tried over and over again, but somehow you can never quite seem to master a piece entirely from memory.
Or, if you’re like me, you’ve periodically struggled with both throughout your musical journey.
Today I’m ecstatic to introduce you to an online learning platform that has classes guaranteed to advance your piano skills!
The platform is called SkillShare, and it offers diverse classes ranging from cooking to photography to productivity. I recently learned of the platform in a podcast, and the concept immediately struck a chord.
Although I had heard that there are a huge variety of niches on the platform, I was especially eager to explore SkillShare for pianists!
And after checking it out, I was so impressed with the quality of the instruction and the range of videos that I immediately applied to become an affiliate.
I knew that I had to share this gift with others interested in self-improvement, whether specifically at the keyboard or in life. Enjoy the post but don’t stop there. I invite you to take the next step toward reaching your goals by clicking the link below.
Now let’s get to SkillShare for pianists!
This post may contain affiliate links, and as affiliates of SkillShare and Amazon, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase through a link. Please see my full disclosure for further information.
SkillShare for Pianists: The Secrets of How to Memorize Music
Does watching videos of people playing piano completely from memory make you feel jealous? Have you always wanted to play the piano from memory but can never quite pull it off?
If you’ve always fantasized about learning how to memorize but continue to struggle, then this class is for you!
Taught by Jeeyoon Kim, The Secrets of How to Memorize Music goes behind the scenes of memorization. Kim, a classical pianist and teacher, covers various topics designed to help you master memorization. She gives insight into the tips and tricks that will take you from beginner to confident memorizer throughout the class.
This course is of particular interest to me because I have a love/hate relationship with memorizing music. Throughout my college years, I struggled with memorization. And as a piano major, I was expected to perform without music in front of me. Shaky memorization led to even more unstable performances and, ultimately, significant anxiety at the mere thought of performing.
Flash forward to my post-college years when I desperately wanted to retain my identity as a pianist. I re-dedicated myself to the art of piano playing. But along with a commitment to the craft came memorization.
I believe that there are aspects of musicianship that no one can ever fully master in a lifetime. And some skills are always more accessible than others. But for me, memorizing has become more attainable thanks to this class. Read on for the specific transformations I believe are possible for you, too, thanks to this class.
Develop Memorization as a Skill
Watching a truly great pianist perform from memory feels magical. Their command, stage presence, and skill feel amplified by their ability to play challenging repertoire entirely from memory. It can leave you wondering whether you have the talent to memorize music.
You can stop all that wondering and second-guessing because I’m here to tell you that you absolutely CAN memorize music!
The truth is that memorization is a skill. Similar to learning scales, dynamics, or key signatures, it’s a skill that requires practice. And as such, there are ways to make memorization easier.
Throughout the class, Kim gives you the memory hacks no one else talks about. Her inspirational message is that regardless of your skill level, you can successfully memorize music. It all starts with a solid understanding of how memory works and a great example of SkillShare for pianists!
Gain a Deeper Understanding of Memory
Your journey into memorization starts with the different types of memory, and Kim specifically mentions sensory, short, and long-term memory.ng-term memory. The memorization process always begins with short-term memory, and short-term is the most fleeting type of memory and therefore not particularly reliable for any length of time.
Your goal is to transition memories from short to long-term storage where they are more secure. This is the type of memory from which musicians playing from memory are drawing from.
And once a piece is thoroughly explored and secure in your long-term “bank,” you can play from a place of freedom.
While we’re on the topic of memory, I will mention a fantastic book written by Dr. John Medina, a molecular biologist. The book is called Brain Rules, and it outlines 12 foundational principles for how our brains work.
In his chapter on memory, Medina echoes tenets outlined by Kim in her class. More specifically, each touts the importance of short practice sessions and constantly working on memory retrieval.
In other words, it’s not enough to simply remember. You must also practice bringing forth that memory. I won’t give away Kim’s secrets but believe me when I say that Kim does an incredible job of illuminating how to work with, instead of against, your brain. SkillShare for pianists doesn’t get much better than this!
Gain a Deeper Understanding of the Music
I’m not sure about you, but my previous efforts at memorization focused solely on playing something over and over and over again. Although I’m not going to argue that repetition is important, there are ways to make it enjoyable and effective.
And one of the best ways to do this is through pattern recognition. Your brain loves patterns!
Make it Meaningful
And according to Medina, the more meaningful you can make the information, the easier it is to remember. This recommendation is also echoed by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool in their book Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise. Ericsson spent his entire career studying people at the top of their fields, and his most exciting work involved studying people who could hear a long string of unrelated numbers and repeat them back.
Ericsson found that people who are the best at reciting back unbelievably long number chains do so by attaching some type of extra meaning to those numbers. In other words, they did not simply memorize by rote. They came up with an alternate way to remember sections and then wove them back together again.
Make it Creative
And in her class on memorization, Kim recommends attaching meaning by creating a visual map. She guides you through looking at a piece and creating a short-hand visual representation of the piece. By engaging your creativity around the piece in this way, your memory becomes robust and resilient. It allows you to recall specifics that may otherwise fall by the wayside when trying to memorize solely from rote.
Even beyond learning the mechanics of memorization, Kim proves to be an encouraging and engaging teacher. She continually emphasizes the point that memorization is difficult for everyone. But at the end of the day, memorization is crucial to a higher level of creativity and freedom than could ever be achieved otherwise.
And speaking of higher levels of creativity and freedom, let’s move on to music theory!
SkillShare for Pianists: Music Theory Comprehensive
Ok, ok. Music theory may not immediately come to mind when I say “creativity” and “freedom,” but stick with me for a minute.
Music, like most things in life, comes with its own set of rules. Rules to organize melody, harmony, and rhythm. These rules provide guidelines for how music works, and they give you a deeper understanding of how music is constructed.
And with understanding comes meaning. The type of meaning that makes memorization easier because there are fewer options from which to choose once you understand the rules. Fewer options mean stronger memory retention and recall. And stronger memory recall means creativity and freedom.
See how it all works together?
Whether your music theory knowledge comes from your hometown piano teacher, college courses years ago, or somewhere in between, be assured that you can conjure it forth once again.
Even if you’ve never gone in-depth with theory before, it’s never too late to start. And Jason Allen’s course is hands down the one with which to begin! It’s yet another outstanding SkillShare for pianists option.
The Class
Although there are many ways to learn music theory, learning from a reputable instructor is arguably the best. And Allen has the reputation to back up his instruction.
With a Ph.D. in music composition, Allen has not only composed for the Minnesota Orchestra but was a semi-finalist for the 2014 Grammy Foundation’s Music Editor of the Year. He’s been teaching music theory at the college level for years and truly knows his stuff.
The course itself is, therefore, his entire music theory curriculum presented in 17 separate parts. The first part covers the absolute basics of reading music, such as note names, clefs, and dynamics. Later classes cover harmonization, composition, and every music student’s favorite topic … modulation. It’s difficult to come up with a topic a pianist would need to know that’s not covered somewhere in this course.
When Allen says comprehensive, he truly means it!
Benefits of Learning Music Theory
I’m going to throw a bit of honesty your way right now. Despite studying music theory in college for 2 years, I’m embarrassed to admit that relatively little has stuck with me.
And although it’s true that as a nurse practitioner, I don’t often have to harmonize melodies or compose SATB pieces, I love music and want to expand my horizons. For quite some time now, I’ve had this nagging feeling that memorization would be simpler if I had a more solid grasp on the subject.
After reading Brain Rules and completing Kim’s class, my suspicions are confirmed. A better understanding of music theory will help me form more secure patterns and enhance my recall, thus streamlining memorization.
And according to Ian over at Thrive Piano, learning theory strengthens sight reading skills, accuracy, and improvisation. I don’t think anyone can argue with those benefits!
Why You Need This Class
If I haven’t mentioned it yet, I strongly believe in mastering music theory as a way to boost your piano skills. And this class is the perfect answer to your question of how to learn music theory because it’s divided into sections. You have the freedom to pick and choose which sections would most benefit you and skip the rest.
Allen has even created a variety of projects throughout the course to strengthen your theory skills.
And his interactive style makes the class engaging, so you’ll never worry about your mind wandering off halfway through a video. Videos are typically concise, so you don’t even need a huge daily commitment to start making progress.
And lastly, I’m a huge believer in self-directed courses. Especially when they’re taught by experts in the field and accessible at a reasonable price. It’s truly a win-win!
Why You Need SkillShare for Pianists
Now it’s your turn to dish. What skill have you been longing to improve? Maybe you’d love to learn jazz piano. Or perhaps you’ve been looking for advice on upping your freelance game. Maybe you’re struggling with productivity and time management.
Regardless of what’s lacking in your life at this moment, SkillShare has a potential solution for you!
SkillShare has an incredible range of courses taught by highly qualified instructors, and more are added every day. The site offers the opportunity to advance your knowledge in everything from cooking to photography to drawing. Even if you’ve completely mastered music memorization and theory (no small feat!), there’s something for you.
Whether you’re looking for SkillShare for pianists or something a little different, give it a try! Click the link below to get started.
And if you were intrigued by the books above, check them out on Amazon:
,If you’re looking for more piano inspiration and resources, check out any of the following posts:
- 5 Mindset Secrets to Boosting Your Piano Playing Confidence
- An Authentic Review of the Modacity App
- How to Instantly Upgrade Your Piano Practice
- 7 Simple Tips for Adults Who Want to Learn Piano
- How to Find the Right Piano Teacher for You
- How to Learn Piano as an Adult
- 5 Benefits of Learning Piano as an Adult
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this post or your piano journey in general. Have you been struggling with something that you just can’t seem to overcome? And what have been your recent triumphs? Drop a comment below with your thoughts!
