Theory of Karaoke Lesson 5: Memorization
- Jason Burchard

If you want to become a great singer, a lesson in memorization is one that should be taken to heart. However, don’t fear about this lesson either. Memorizing your favorite song isn’t going to happen in one day. As always, with practice this lesson will be a valuable one for you.

For those who don’t know me, I would describe myself as an intelligent person. One of my flaws though, is that I don’t have a great memory. I’m terrible with names. I don’t remember much of anything very well. The more I got to the bottom of why I couldn’t remember things, the more I came to realize the truth. The truth is, memorization is all about effort. It’s about repetition and association.

Repeat something over and over and you are more likely to remember it. Here’s a test. I’ll start something and you finish: I pledge allegiance to the flag… If you are like me, you probably were forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of school for years. And like me, you probably don’t hear it much anymore. Still, most of us got to the end. If you didn’t, I hope you still understand. Repeating will help you remember.

Pick out a song that you would like to remember so you may sing it someday without needing the words on the screen. The first song I tried this with was Pearl Jam’s version of “Last Kiss”. I found that this song is like a bit of a story. Songs like this that have some progression in the story can help you remember your place. This is where the association part of memorization comes in. As in “Last Kiss”, I know the first major part of the story is about taking off in the car, then the wreck and the loss of the loved one. Other songs that may repeat the same lines and chorus over and over may prove to be more difficult. Why? Even though there are fewer lyrics to remember, it is easier to lose your place and to forget how many times you need to repeat.

After reading the lyrics, write them down. Read them again. Then sing the song with what you wrote down. Don’t use any music, just use the lyrics and go by how you remember the song sounds. After reading, writing and singing the song a few times, you will begin to memorize the song. Soon you can sing the song without looking at the lyrics you wrote down. When I did this for “Last Kiss”, I could almost see the page I wrote the lyrics down on as I sang along from memory.

Once you feel you have memorized the song well enough, try singing it karaoke. You need to do this in public. Try your best to use your memory and not look at the lyrics on the screen. Keep yourself in front of the screen in case you really need it. You may need to use it the first time or two, because nervousness can really help you forget what you thought you memorized. You’ll soon only be glancing at the lyrics. Finally, you’ll be a real pro and won’t even need to look at the screen. The less you use the screen, the more you can sing to the audience. Once you start to do this, people will notice and appreciate your talent. If you have trouble looking at people at first, look at the ceiling a lot (or somewhere else) so everyone knows you aren’t looking at the screen. On the same note, don’t look at the floor or turn your back, because that can be seen as a lack of confidence.

Use this lesson on one song at a time and you will soon be able to sing most songs by memory. You will be more comfortable and confident. You will appear more talented to others. And most importantly, you will enjoy karaoke more than you already do.