If you have ever wanted to build your ears but you have no idea how, this video is for you! You'll learn a simple and effective method on how to "DO" ear training. No guesswork and no struggling!
What does ear training mean?
If you have ever met someone who can just sit down and play a song after hearing it once or twice, THAT is ear training. Ear training is the ability to play by ear, to recognize intervals and chords and generally have a deep aural relationship with music.
There is a common misconception that playing by ear is something you are born with. IT IS NOT. I actually learned to play by ear and have taught hundreds of other people to do the same. In this blog, I am going to take you step-by-step through a simple method to actually develop your ears and become a more versatile musician.
To train your ears you must...sing sing sing sing sing
I have found that the quickest road to "good ears" is to sing and sing and sing and sing...
Sing along to your favorite songs, but don't just sing the melody. Experiment with singing:
- The bass line
- The guitar solo
- The saxophone part
- The backup vocals
By singing different parts of the song, you are learning to hear different parts of the musical landscape. This will go a long way to helping you develop a strong pair of ears!
Want to get your voice moving a bit first? Check out this singing video!
"DO" Ear Training Step #1: Find notes on the piano
Practice singing random notes and trying to find them on the piano. This is a good way to get yourself connecting your singing sounds to the world of music theory.
"DO" Ear Training Step #2: Find melodies on the piano
Once you are skilled at finding notes on the piano, trying finding melodies! Try simple melodies like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or Happy Birthday.
See if you can pick out other melodies, like a favorite song or a bass line that you like.
"DO" Ear Training Step #3: Clap the rhythms of a song
To develop a stronger sense of rhythm, practice clapping the rhythm of a favorite song. This will help you to better isolate rhythms and develop a stronger relationship to them. You can also try doing this with a groove too!
"DO" Ear Training Step #4: Train your ears to hear if the chord is major or minor
Even someone with very basic scales can work on this one! Can you hear the difference between major and minor chords? Try using this video lesson to learn how.
Need to learn chords?
Sign up and get my FREE Ultimate Chord Cheat Sheets! Perfect for mastering your chords on piano.
"DO" Ear Training Step #5: Sing major to minor chords
We are back to singing again! Work on sitting down at the piano and singing through major and minor chords. Can you sing major and minor chords away from the piano?
Ear training is a long game!
Take a little time each day to work on your ears and you'll notice a huge payoff. In my course Piano Technique and Ear Training, each week there are technical exercises on the piano coupled with simple ear training exercises that build up to a HUGE musicianship payoff.
Want to level up your musical skills? Strengthen your piano skills, develop your ear training, become a rhythm ninja and learn new skills like jazz and improvisation.
The Versatile Musician is an all-in-one membership that combines video lessons, print material and live support to help you level up your skills and thrive as a musician and music teacher.
To learn more, check out www.theversatilemusician.com and get ready to become the best musician possible!
Iko Iko Piano Tutorial