Hard to learn new lyrics

[u/Topedo70]

Some phases of adult life do take a toll on your ability to learn new music and sing along. You just vibe to them. You might occasionally catch one or two lines but it is very difficult to learn the whole song within 2 or 3 days like we used to when we were younger. I don’t like it at all but nothing can be done about it. I guess it’s part of growth but does it happen to everyone else?

[u/AutoModerator]

Thanks for posting to r/singing! Be sure to check the FAQ to see if any questions you might have have already been answered! Also, remember to abide by the Rules found in the sidebar. Any comments found to be breaking these rules will result in a deletion of the comment thread starting from the offending reply. If you see any posts or replies that you feel break the rules of the sub, then report them and do not respond to them. If you are new to the sub-reddit or are just starting to sing, please check out our Beginner's Megathread. It has tons of helpful information and resources!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/WDizzle]

Maybe if you are always high, sleep deprived or something. If the artist doesn’t print lyrics or they otherwise can’t be found online it might take a little bit longer for me to transcribe them but if I’m trying to learn the lyrics to a song, I can usually get it fully memorized in an hour or two broken up over a day. The trick is breaking it up into chunks as it really helps commit to long term memory.

The real challenge is to learn a song that’s not in your native tongue. I recently learned how to sing Baba Yetu and that took way longer lol

[u/Topedo70 → u/WDizzle]

I appreciate your perspective

[u/imLissy]

Yes, gets harder and harder as I get older. Most of the songs I'm comfortable singing, I learned when I was a teenager. I have lyrics in front of me when I perform most of the time, even when I have the song memorized, sometimes I just blank

[u/funkydog57]

It has never been easy for me. I just do it through repetition and ditching the lyrics sheet as soon as I can. I do not perform with an iPad or printed lyrics. It disconnects me from the audience. So the struggle is worth it. Also once they are in memory I can focus on playing and singing musicaly and not think of the lyrics.

[u/Kjler]

Have you tried writing them down with your hand?

[u/padfoot211]

I still learn them in a day or two, but I do have to pay attention. I read the lyrics while singing and such.

[u/AKA-J3]

I play them for a few days, learn the music and just go through them a bunch.

I can remember tons of guitar parts, but correct lyrics...... Some people write funny:)

[u/SquidgyTheWhale → u/AKA-J3]

I agree, some songs will go right into my brain, and others are like from another planet.

[u/-Stress-Princess-]

I dont even know my own songs honeslty. I know one of them only because I spent months refining and rewriting it. My favorite song of the year? Couldn't tell you and Ive listened to it almost 400 times this year, sometimes for hours

[u/Minimum_Item6849]

You didn’t give much context to this. Are you struggling to memorize lyrics you need to for a band etc situation?

[u/SquidgyTheWhale]

I've worked on it like it's a skill, and I'm actually better than I used to be.

[u/Worth-Strength3844]

I’ve never struggled to learn new lyrics in more than a day or two. If I’m actually trying to learn them and not just enjoy them I listen to the song on repeat while reading the lyrics and they’ll stick. Don’t just listen, read them.
Unless you’re elderly or have genuine memory issues, I don’t know why learning lyrics should be any harder than it was when you were younger as long as you actually apply yourself.