Ear Training?

Not sure how old you are, but I’m 73 and I’m on the 2-year plan. :smiley_cat:

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I like the EarMaster app for these drills. It definitely helped me to have a song reference I already knew for each interval. I found it easier to think, “Oh, that sounds like . . .” The Earmaster site has lists of songs for each interval so you can pick the ones you know and make your own reference sheet.

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Ear training is a learned process, like memorizing the alphabet when we were kids. It takes work and repetition, but it’s time well spent because it leads to a better understanding of how and what to play.

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It’s unfortunate that you can’t just buy it and it requires work :joy:

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I have found that music, whether learning to play an instrument or ear training or music theory or transcribing songs etc. etc. etc. is a life long journey. I am also convinced that if a beginner wants to learn he can do it but he has to put in the time and effort. Unfortunately in this world of instant gratification a lot of people seem to not understand this. There is no magic pill or workaround for this.

I am 72 now and started this journey when I was 7 and I am still learning and expect that that will continue forever. It’s just the nature of the beast.

Hell, I still have not got a set up to record covers yet. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

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This^^^

Exactly.

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I don’t know if it will be useful to you, my approach to learning intervals was a bit different than recommended. For me, the association with a familiar melody did not work out because it all depends on the context and was confusing.

I associate different intervals with feelings or features (and it works regardless of key). This way I caught it very quickly and I am able to recognize them.

And so, for example, the major sixth (my favorite interval) sounds like “sweet nostalgia”, the minor seventh like “sad nostalgia”, while the minor sixth like “despair” or “overly dramatic” and the major seventh like “the pursuit of fulfillment”.

Maybe try this way? Of course it’s subjective!!
The above examples concern intervals played melodically ascending and harmonically (emotion, association remain the same). But when played descending, I had to rethink the sequence of sounds in my head.

Maybe this approach will help you somehow?

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And that’s all that matters.
We all learn at different rates and sometimes in different ways.
I am glad you found a way that works for you.
Congratulations. :+1: :+1: :+1:

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Ear training has always been my weak point… I’m going to be away for a week so I’m going to work on that while I’m gone; hope the people on the plane like my singing! :joy: I bought “Complete Ear Trainer” and I’m also going to read “Nurtured by Love” by Shin’ichi Suzuki. I have some other music theory books to help me sleep :wink:

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This is totally fascinating to me.
Sounds very cool, and very personal. But I could see other players constructing their own subjective characters/emotions/reactions to intervals and having great success with it.
I do this also! But I never codified it into words.
Very cool.

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The site for the book Improvise for Real (book, website) has several courses called Sing the Numbers. They are basically a modified version of relative solfège (do, ra mi, etc.) but using scale degree numbers. It is active training where the teacher models an interval run and then pauses for you to sing, imitating it. Over three audio courses (each about $24 USD), you cover a tremendous amount of terrain, starting off with small whole- and half-step intervals, then moving to larger interval leaps. Modes (“harmonic environments”) and recognizing chord changes are also covered topics.

Unlike most ear training, this is deliberately and intentionally designed to develop your inner ear, your intuitive sense for melody and harmony. This is more effective than recognize-the-intervals ear training because you are learning to recognize what the scale degrees sound like in a specific harmonic context–what they feel like. This is the key to being able to learn music by ear, to transcribe the music you hear in your head, and to transcribe the music you listen to.

The course emphasizes immersion, which is why it is packaged as an audio course. The course is meant for you to repeat exercises several times through out the day. I play them on my smartphone during random breaks in my day. I also practice them on my instruments (guitar and bass) during my daily practice. The exercises are musical and it feels very much like trading licks during a jam session.

The site also offers two formal ear training video courses Ear Training for Musical Creativity and Recognizing Chords by Ear, but they are pretty pricey ($150 each). The Sing the Numbers audio courses capture the essence of these courses (Improvise for Real’s philosophy is ear training should be 90% working directly with sounds, 10% recognizing them.). Still, if you prefer a structured, hand-held approach to learning, these video courses are a good investment.

What I appreciate most about IFR’s approach is it is grounded in realistic expectations. Developing your ear takes time, focus, intention, and effort. It’s like learning to play a new instrument, because it is–you are learning to play “the ear” instrument. Too many people expect to take a course and magically play by ear within a week. The process of training your ear is similar to the process of learning the bass: master a few notes at first, then gradually add more and more.

This lesson on their YT channel gives you a good example their approach to ear training.

Edit: Adding this video from them that emphasizes the importance of immersion with ear training, and really putting a lot of effort into learning those first four major scale degrees when first starting out.

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Were you able to use the Sing the Numbers without the book?

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Yes, book is not needed.

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Thanks just purchased “1”

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I had a similar experience with Rick Beato’s ear training. I started out doing really well and as things progressed to more complex tasks I found I was only getting mid to high 80’s. It’s a skill I’m really interested in developing and I’ll pursue it more when I get a bit better at playing bass.

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Welcome to the forum! Feel free to introduce yourself over here.

Cheers,
Antonio

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I think at some point all the ear trainer need to be put aside and instead go to your instrument and start baking notes and intervals in. Best way I’ve found is to try to transcribe small riffs / passages with just your ears. It’s a horribly difficult thing if you aren’t forced to do it a lot every day, which we aren’t.

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Thanks for the tip John. :guitar: I’ll give it a go

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I was thinking about doing the talking bass ear training course. Anyone take it and yay or nay?

Yes, it is…unfinished IMO.
Only Vol 1, and leaves much to be desired.
You are better off trying to transcribe easy tunes or riffs by ear.
Ear training only comes with … time and practice (unless you have perfect pitch).
But I find listening to intervals etc as most courses do is relatively worthless unless you are studying music full time.
Practical use with a tune you know, hunting for the next notes, etc adds more value at least IMO

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