song memory

[larryace]

So I'm doing work around the house yesterday, listening to an old collection of my favorite songs, most of which are 20 30 40 plus years old...And it occurs to me that I remember every word, every musical nuance, all my favorite parts...everything, crystal clear. But like a lot of people I can't remember what I did 3 days ago. How is it that I have amazing memory for songs and lousy memory for other things? It's like I have a special part of my brain just for music storage that works infinitely better than my normal memory function. Can anyone relate to this?

[eddiehimself]

i think it comes with being a musician if i'm honest, you get an ear for this sort of thing.

[larryace]

Man if i could apply my song memory to my normal memory, heck, there'd be no stopping me...I could be a card counter in Vegas and be rolling in dough.....

[maddrummr]

Music is simple...life isn't.

[LeeLovesSabian]

In response to Larryace's orignal post:

I have done the same thing, except instead of songs from 30 years ago, it was more like 3 years ago. lol
But, its the same concept.
Maybe the songs were once important to us?
People usually remember things that are important to us.
Example: a mother remembers her daughters birthday, by heart.

It should be the same thing.

[Guz2]

So I'm doing work around the house yesterday, listening to an old collection of my favorite songs, most of which are 20 30 40 plus years old...And it occurs to me that I remember every word, every musical nuance, all my favorite parts...everything, crystal clear. But like a lot of people I can't remember what I did 3 days ago. How is it that I have amazing memory for songs and lousy memory for other things? It's like I have a special part of my brain just for music storage that works infinitely better than my normal memory function. Can anyone relate to this?Same here. I can name all Metallica, Maiden and Who albums and tell you all the past and present members of those bands. It just sticks in my head but I can't remember how to do certain maths problems.

[Drumsword]

yeah, I can relate. I usually remember songs I heard 25 years ago and not since, and remember most all of the 100+ songs I've played on in the recording studio almost note for note..However, I can't remember to stop and fill the car up on the way home.

[TheGroceryman]

extremely embarrasing, but who cares its the internet, but i was in my basement this one time, and i really had to go to the bathroom. once i got up there i drank some water then walked backed down....once i got down there i realized i just forgot to do what i came up there to do!!! go to the bathroom.....and i can remember a lot of godsmack songs that i havnt heard in a while, like since my childhood. all the drum parts too...

[Jeremy Bender]

Probably the way most people learn is by concentration and through repetition. These two things we do when we like something and want to learn it e.g. song lyrics or a drum pattern. While most of us remember lyrics to favorite songs, I don't know anyone who can remember exactly how many times they've heard the song.

[Abstsbtsb]

The fact that your listening to them is refreshing your memory giving the illusion that you have it memorized. I bet you couldnt recite every note and drum part without listening to it as you go along. You would remember what you ate for breakfast 3 days ago if you were watching a recording of it.

[Dystisis]

The fact that your listening to them is refreshing your memory giving the illusion that you have it memorized. I bet you couldnt recite every note and drum part without listening to it as you go along. You would remember what you ate for breakfast 3 days ago if you were watching a recording of it.

Exactly. Remembering music is easier because the brain detects the current musical values, chord progressions etc. then remembers the next step.