Ear Training Methods

[Kentrel]

So for the next three months I'm focusing my guitar practice on ear training as this is definitely a weak point for me, and I want to improve a lot.

 

Apart from transcribing and figuring out melodies I hear and playing them on guitar in different positions what other exercises are there?

 

One other technique I'm using is to go along the fretboard and pick out intervals. For example, for perfect Fifths I'll start at bass E and then B on the string below it. At the same time I'll sing each note as I play it, and then hit them again and sing the name of the interval. I'll do this all the way up the fretboard until its too high for me to sing, then I'll come back down. I'll also at random points try to play a melody that I know begins with a P5th, especially a melody I've never practised before. This has worked so well for me I've started to do this with all other intervals.

 

The one caveat with this technique is that it requires an hour or two to go through all the intervals. This is a very productive and rewarding hour, and I'm not complaining but I'm wondering is it possible to do additional ear training while away from the guitar?

 

For example when I'm exercising or walking is there any value in listening to a recording of me doing an interval session? Is the value of Ear training only come from directly associating the sound with the feel of the instrument? Am I wasting my time singing intervals while I'm doing housework, etc?

 

Are there are any good ear training exercises I can do?

[Jed]

Any exercises you do while singing and off instrument will help train the ear. My ear training consists of singing triad and 7th chord arpeggios of whatever key I'm working in. If you include the inversions and typical guitar voicings for the various chords, you'll get quite a workout.

 

cheers,

[Jasco]

Here's a good eartraining drill. It does require a chord-able instrument - guitar or piano.

 

Play two random notes at the same time.

 

Listen.

 

Then, stop the notes and sing the two pitches, low to high.

 

If you're not sure if you sang the notes correctly, play them one at a time while singing them again. If you find out you were singing wrong notes, correct them.

 

 

Also, do this drill singing high to low.

 

When it gets easy, add more notes, 3 at a time, then 4, ect... Try to keep the notes random, and not just play triads or 7th chords.

[DanSlime]

Singing is definitely not a waste of time. Its the most direct way of telling how your ears are doing.

 

It helps to practice along to a backing track of some sort so you are hearing a relative relationship with what you're playing and the underlying harmony.

 

I also helps to learn chords to a lot of songs and to play the songs over and over again.

 

Repetition and emulation: if you play it enough something is going to stick with you.

 

If you want to try listening to something while exercising, bruce arnold (muse eek publishing) has several ear training cd's that get progressively more difficult.