It has taken me 2 years to really get Jerusalem Ridge down without tabs, clean and with speed. I didn’t try to memorize it.  I’ve just played it several times a day for 2 + years 

Just practice and to me it slowly falls into place so how 

Its a real struggle for me also. I try and work on a few measures at a time until I have it down and can play it with out looking at the tab and then I move to the next measures. Also I was told to hum or sing along as you play so you cant internalize the melody as you play that seems to help a lot.

Ok, glad to hear from you guys, and I’m not alone, yes! Playing and learning alone sometimes you feel like you not making any progress but then playing along with Devin I feel good about my playing so you know just good to hear it takes time to memorize the songs tab wise.

Hi everyone! I have the same issue with remembering tabs...

I've tried this: repeating small group of measures (4 or 8) with the metronome, one time looking at tabs, the other closing the eyes, etc, etc...

then, I tried to close my eyes two times 🙂 and again and again.... It's a long work...

Posted by: @georgeanddoris66hotmail-com

Just practice and to me it slowly falls into place so how 

It just falls into place after a while. Sorry for the screwup

Is tab best used to teach you what to play or to describe what you already played? 

Practice, practice, practice

I learned from CGO to memorize the chord progressions. All the relevant notes are under your fingers, the tablature is built on that with embellishments added usually hammering, pulling, or bending a string on the second fret with your middle finger. I agree, just listen and it will be right!

Repetition.  That's the key.  A few bars at a time.  Over and over until they are memorized.  Then move on and do the same thing and then incorporate the originally memorized with the newly memorized.  Once you're ten bars or so in, there's usually a repeat except for maybe a minor change so memorizing the repeats is easy because you know them already.  Devin sometimes breaks the song up into several parts, which helps because that makes it easier to memorize.   Once memorized, play at least once a day to retain.  Your brain can store tons of information and it loves a good work out so keep memorizing and you'll find it gets easier.

I agree. I get most of the song down pat but then I’ll hit one spot and I can’t find the right note. Then I start all over at the beginning. I’m not playing to impress or entertain anyone but myself but when others are around I stick to the tabs more. lol. 

@jerseychicadee I find visualizing the tab when I'm trying to memorize the piece works for me.  I remember starting out with the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 and the little pieces in there were all regular music notation as opposed to tabs and I find tabs so much easier to memorize.  That and I haven't memorized the fret board yet so I'm in the dark when it comes to reading a musical score for guitar without tabs.

Try to play it looking at the frets and not following the tabs on the laptop, in a certain sense is same as memorize tab 🙂

I learned to read sheet music at a young age in band and orchestra, and learned music theory ad nauseum. I wouldn’t say I memorize the charts, I “see” the notes as I’m playing what I just studied. I can play by ear quite a bit, but when the piece is technically challenging, I consult the charts.

I consider it a gift, as well as a curse, mostly a gift, though. Not everyone can do this. Those of you/us who possess this gift will probably attribute it to thousands of hours of practice and study.