Make use of all those random post it notes! This first option is particularly useful if you respond to visual prompts and it also happens to be my personal favourite. By writing out individual post it notes and placing them somewhere you see everyday, hard to remember words and phrases will become easier to recall through frequent spaced out repetition.
One advantage of this specific method over the others, is that it is largely a subconcious way to absorb information; the words and phrases are memorised naturally over time by consistent viewing rather than all at once in one sitting. This makes it easy to incorporate into your existing morning or evening routine, as it is not time consuming or stressful and can be undertaken with any amount of lyrics ranging from problem phrases to complete verses.
Traditional lines are a more involved option to memorise lyrics, but over a period of time can be equally as useful. The act of writing out the words, covering them and repeating this process multiple times, I find can often be a good way for remembering difficult passages quickly.
In the same way that hearing a piece of music on the radio or live takes you back to the first time you hear it, using music and lyrics combined as a tool for memorisation can also be extremely effective. Unique rhythmic or melodic features within pieces can often act as memory triggers to remind you of key lyrics at various points in the song.
Word clouds are another different and creative way of memorising lyrics. For opera arias and art song, or anything that is heavily plot based, this method will allow you to explore the meaning behind the piece in an engaging way, whilst also committing key words to memory. This is a particularly helpful exercise to do if the piece you are learning is not in your native language, as the process of translation can also be a great fun way to enhance memory retention.
For those who are audio or podcast fans, or for those who also find themselves quite busy, this final tip similar to the first is another sneaky way to learn lyrics. Record yourself saying or even better singing the song on your phone to create a reference track that can be listened to on repeat for as long as you need to anywhere at anytime.
I hope that some of these tips will be helpful when approaching song lyrics. Let me know what methods work for you. Be it a classical opera aria or a rock ballad, the words of songs often tell a unique story and it would be a shame to forget any! If you are interested in learning more about the techniques I use personally, please feel free toget in touch. I would be happy to hear from you.
© gayleewalkersoprano originally published on 14.1.21 - updated 13.4.24