How do I fight forgetfulness?

[BrokenBoy]

It's stopping me from learning music related stuff. I need to learn theory or else I'll hit a roadblock.

 

[Knower of nothing]

What are you learning and how long since you started trying?
I still forget stuff like the names of the chord functions, dominant, tonic, subdominant, uh, the other ones. And I know it's because I don't apply that knowledge to my music writing. If not applied in some form, it'll just slip away.

 

[cornman]

Simplest thing i can think off the top of me head, take notes when you are studying. I have pretty terrible verbal memory so for me i just write down names, dates, commands etc.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

One of the learning techniques I will use is flashcards. As you know, in every educational course, there is that element of "learning facts" or things "I have to know for the next test". Now, when I study, I flip things in my minds eye. If I were the one making the test,...what are the key things I would want my student to know? If I assign reading of chapters 2 and 3 of this textbook,...and were to test my students,...what kinds of questions would be on that test? If you approach your learning from that perspective, I think you will have a better understanding of the "course objectives" and "key points". It's been my "go to" whenever tackling a complex topic, even when I am not in school,...it could be simply a learning tool regarding a "special interest", as well.

I purchase those stacks of "index cards" and write down my questions on one side, the answer on the other. Each time you study, make 5-10 new flashcards. Once you have your flashcards, you can carry them around with you, and you can flip through them quickly,...it could be a few times a day,...repetition,...and eventually you will have committed this knowledge to memory.

I had stacks of flashcards for each course. Some 35-40 years later,...I still remember them and I haven't looked at them at all,...that knowledge just taking up space in my head.

 

[Jonn]

I keep on forgetting that I have a bad memory and make the same mistakes over and over and over again.
Funny, but a true story.

 

[Fino]

If you can somehow get the chance, teaching what you learn to somebody else is a great way to solidify knowledge.