How-To Perform “Using Mental Images & Representations” Flashcards
How does imagery help with phrasing?
Visualize phrases as “waves” that rise, crest, and fall, guiding how you shape the dynamics.
Can I use storytelling for improvisation?
Yes! Imagine your solo as a dialogue between two characters: a bold leader (low notes) and a curious follower (high notes).
How does metaphor help with rhythm changes?
Think of rhythm changes as “switching gears” in a car, smoothly transitioning from one pace to another.
How can the fretboard be visualized to aid memory?
As a ‘map’ with destinations
This analogy helps in understanding the movement between chords.
How can analogies help me memorize chord progressions?
Use analogies to visualize the movement of chords as a journey.
For example, G → Em → C → D could be like walking from a mountain (G), through a valley (Em), to a forest clearing (C), and ending on a sunny meadow (D).
How can alliteration help me remember chord sequences?
Turn chords into a fun phrase.
For example, for G → D → Am → C, try: “Giant Dogs Ate Cake.”
How does personification improve emotional connection to chords?
Assign personalities to chords. G could be “the optimist,” Em “the poet,” and C “the dreamer.”
What metaphor can describe a quiet intro in a song?
Like ‘the sunrise’
This metaphor connects emotional experiences to musical dynamics.
What is personification in the context of music memorization?
Giving life to the music by imagining melodies or basslines as characters
This helps in understanding the relationship between different musical parts.
What role does imagery play in learning guitar songs?
Use imagery to create vivid mental pictures.
For example, when playing arpeggios, imagine water cascading down a fountain, with each note representing a droplet.
How can I use similes to improve my strumming?
Compare your strumming motion to “painting strokes on a canvas” or “waves crashing on the shore” to internalize smooth and rhythmic movement.
How can analogies simplify percussive techniques?
Think of tapping the body of the guitar as “knocking on a door,” creating an inviting rhythm.
How can similes help with alternate tunings?
Think of Drop D tuning as “loosening a belt after a big meal.”
What symbolic meanings can be assigned to chords?
G = Happiness (yellow), Em = Sadness (blue), C = Hope (green)
Connecting emotions or colors to chords assists in emotional recall.
How can storytelling help memorize a song structure?
Imagine the song as a story with a beginning (intro), middle (verse/chorus), and end (outro).
For instance, the intro might set the scene of a sunrise, while the chorus is the day’s adventure.
What analogy could I use to master barre chords?
Think of barre chords like a “clamp” holding everything together while your other fingers act as “sculptors” shaping the tone.
What literary device involves comparing sections of music to familiar concepts?
Analogies help in recalling complex arrangements by relating them to everyday experiences.
Good analogies may explain and inspire an audience and can turn an idea into a vivid image in the reader’s mind that can stick long after they may have finished listening to or reading the message. For example, ‘people are like stained-glass windows.
What technique uses memorable phrases to simplify complex patterns?
Alliteration or Mnemonics
Such techniques make it easier to remember sequences like fingerpicking patterns.
How can mnemonics help with fretboard memorization?
For the open strings (EADGBE), use “Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie.”
How can I use mnemonics for fingerpicking sequences?
For PIMA (thumb, index, middle, ring), remember: “Please Imagine Magical Angels.”
What’s an analogy for alternate tunings?
Think of alternate tunings as “changing the climate” of your fretboard. Standard tuning is a sunny day, while Drop D feels like a storm brewing.
How does color imagery apply to melodies?
Assign colors to sections of a melody (e.g., bright tones = yellow, darker tones = purple). This adds a visual layer to your memory.
How do metaphors enhance my rhythm playing?
Imagine rhythm as a “heartbeat” that keeps the song alive, steady and reliable, regardless of the complexity around it.
How do metaphors help with tempo changes?
Think of tempo as a car: accelerations are “speeding on the highway,” while slowdowns are “cruising through a neighborhood.”
Can I use acronyms to remember song structures?
Yes! For Intro → Verse → Chorus → Bridge → Chorus → Outro, use “I Venture Carefully By Crossing Oceans.”
Provide an example of imagery used in the song ‘Blackbird’ by The Beatles.
Picture a bird hopping between branches while the wings flutter gently
This visualization aids in recalling the movements of fretting and picking.
Fill in the blank: For the fingerpicking pattern PIMA, you might remember: ‘_______’.
‘Pigs In Mud Always’
This mnemonic aids in recalling the order of finger usage.
How can sliding between notes be described to reinforce memory?
Like ‘skating on ice’
This simile connects familiar sensations to musical techniques.
How can similes help with tricky chord transitions?
Imagine your fingers moving “like dancers shifting positions” gracefully and in rhythm with the music.
How do stories help with longer pieces?
Break the song into “chapters,” each with its own setting and mood, to create a mental roadmap.
How can storytelling help with complex picking patterns?
Create a narrative where each string is a character. The thumb is the leader, and the fingers follow, weaving their unique lines into the story.
What concept involves recognizing patterns in repeated sections of music?
Contrast and Repetition
This technique helps anchor parts of the song through familiar structures.
How do symbols help map out scales?
Use symbols for key notes: stars for roots, hearts for thirds, and triangles for fifths.
How do metaphors enhance my understanding of dynamics in a song?
Think of soft dynamics as “whispers in a library” and loud dynamics as “cheering in a stadium.” This helps you remember when to play softly or forcefully.
Can I use rhymes for finger placement?
Yes! For a D chord, “Two-three-two, try something new.”
How can I apply imagery to hammer-ons?
Picture hammer-ons as “raindrops tapping on glass,” where each note lands lightly and clearly.
How can fingerpicking patterns be visualized for easier recall?
As ‘painting strokes’ or ‘waves lapping on the shore’
These images can assist in remembering the gentle repetition of picking motions.
What’s a good analogy for alternate picking?
Alternate picking is like “rowing a boat,” with each stroke (up and down) propelling you forward.
Can I use alliteration for fretboard positions?
Sure! For a pattern on frets 3, 5, and 7: “Three Tall Trees.”
What narrative structure can be applied to a song’s sections?
Divide into chapters like Verse, Chorus, Bridge
Imagining sections as parts of a story aids in remembering transitions.
How do analogies improve barre chord transitions?
Imagine barre chords as “a sliding gate” opening to a new tonal landscape.
Can I use rhymes to remember tricky scales?
Absolutely! For the E minor pentatonic scale, make a rhyme like: “E, G, A, B, D / Play these notes and you’ll feel free.”
What’s a metaphor for bending notes?
Bending notes feels like “stretching a rubber band,” pulling tension and releasing it smoothly.
How can metaphors make fingerpicking patterns easier to recall?
Think of fingerpicking as “weaving a tapestry.” The thumb represents the foundation threads, while the fingers weave melodies like colorful threads into the pattern.
Can personification help me connect emotionally to a song?
Yes! Imagine each section of the song as a character. The bassline could be a steady, grounding friend, while the melody is a playful storyteller.
What is a good metaphor for slides on the fretboard?
Think of slides as “gliding on ice,” where you smoothly transition from one point to another without breaking the motion.
What is an acronym that can summarize a song’s structure?
IVCVBC
This stands for Intro, Verse, Chorus, Verse, Bridge, Chorus and can be remembered with a phrase.
How can storytelling help memorize arpeggios?
Think of arpeggios as “climbing a ladder to the stars,” with each note as a step in the ascent.
How does personifying my hands improve coordination?
Imagine your fretting hand as a “sculptor” shaping the notes, while your picking hand is the “orchestra conductor,” controlling timing and volume.
Can color symbolism help me associate emotions with chords?
Yes! Assign colors to chords, like G = yellow (happy), Em = blue (sad), and D = green (calm). Use these colors to visualize the mood of the progression.
How can I personify vibrato?
Vibrato is like “a singer holding a note with a quiver in their voice,” adding expressiveness.
How can similes help with strumming dynamics?
Play softly “like brushing feathers” or loudly “like chopping wood” to match the song’s energy.
What’s an analogy for dynamics within a solo?
Picture the solo as a conversation: whispers (quiet dynamics) to shouts (loud dynamics).
What’s a metaphor for pull-offs?
Picture a pull-off as “letting go of a balloon string,” where the note floats off effortlessly.
What metaphor can be used to describe hammer-ons in a song?
Stepping stones on a creek
This metaphor adds movement to the bassline, enhancing memorization.
What does the alternating bassline represent in the song imagery for ‘Blackbird’?
The bird’s steady heartbeat
This personification helps in connecting musical elements to relatable concepts.
How can symbolism apply to song sections?
Use symbols to represent parts.
For instance, a star for the intro (shining start), a flame for the chorus (intensity), and a river for the outro (flowing away).
