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Mapping Music: For Faster Learning and Secure Memory, by Rebecca Payne Shockley. A-R Editions, Inc., (801 Deming Way, Madison, W153717), 1997. 122 pp., $19.95.
When asking for directions to a new location, a driver might ask a friend to draw a map. Such a map, containing a few pertinent landmarks, allows the driver to pay attention to crucial elements that will enable him or her to reach the destination. In much the same way, mapping can serve as a useful tool to help musicians achieve their musical destinations, promoting more effective learning and memorizing.
Efficiency in learning music and memorizing, two skills that challenge many musicians, are explored by author Rebecca Shockley in her book, Mapping Music: For Faster Learning and Secure Memory. Sight playing, along with the related ability to learn new music quickly, is commonly covered within most lessons; although memorizing is encouraged and often required, this particular skill is rarely taught. Students are often left on their own to memorize their repertoire in any way they can, usually through sheer repetition, relying solely on motor memory. Shockley has taken the map- ping technique and adopted it as a tool to help students begin to view their repertoire conceptually. Used...