How to memorize and play a guitar solo from memory?

Some performers bring sheet music on stage, yet they still play from memory. Therefore, as a guitar learner, it's very necessary to memorize some pieces, and one should not believe those who claim that playing beautifully is possible just by having the sheet music. If one has a strong sight-reading ability, it might be possible to play smoothly in one go, but it certainly won't be perfect.

Detailed playing includes nuances such as expression, dynamics, tempo, rests, and harmonic progression, and incorporates one's own creative interpretations. If one relies on sheet music to manage these elements, they can only be described as "unskilled." Just like a speech, one delivered without a script will never be captivating. When performing a piece, if one can play it entirely from memory, they can fully concentrate on the performance, allowing it to reach its full potential. Conversely, if one needs to refer to the sheet music during performance, it's inevitable that their attention will be divided, affecting the overall delivery of the piece. Memorizing music doesn't have any special methods or tricks; no one can clearly explain how they manage to memorize it. However, first and foremost, don't memorize the music like a student memorizing a textbook.

To elaborate, I believe it's essential to pay attention to the following three points: 1. Pay special attention to the areas where the music restarts after pauses, long rests, long held notes, and weak beginnings. 2. Recognize similarities, such as the recapitulation in a sonata, which is often similar to the beginning but with slight differences; remember what those differences are, etc. 3. Be aware of changes in key, tempo, meter, accent positions, and temporary variations in pitch, as well as special harmonic progressions, etc.

Changes mainly come from several aspects: 1. Harmony Arrangement. 2. Texture Structure. 3. Melodic Embellishment or Expansion. 4. Rhythm Changes. 5. Transposition. 6. Arrangement of Emotional Positions. Summarize to aid memory. Mix-ups are possible; try to avoid them. If a mix-up occurs during performance, go with it. Note: Do not stop.

If you're unsure about holding a whole note, a long rest, or a long tie, here's what you can do: Maintain them, mentally counting the beats at the original tempo, until you feel it's about right, and end on the even beats... This approach may sacrifice accuracy, but it usually doesn't cause discomfort.