If you have been a musician for some time now, you most likely have come across the topic of ear training. Are you wondering what ear training is and how you practice ear training? Are you interested in learning more but do not know how to get started? This article will give you more information on ear training and suggestions on how you can practice!
Ear training is a series of exercises mainly focusing on intervals, chords, scales, and other musical elements to improve your musical abilities.
Can I learn on my own, or do I need a teacher?
Learning musical skills is always helpful if you have a teacher for guidance, but there are also many great resources available that can help you learn ear training on your own.
You will find great lessons on Musictheory.net, and new materials are emerging on shedthemusic.com. Apps such as GoodEar and Youtube channels such as Rick Beato can also all be excellent places to explore. There is an ever-growing supply of resources out there to help you improve, but remember to apply what you work on to your own context, otherwise the techniques you work on do not really help as much.
How do I start Ear Training?
The next section of the article will outline helpful topics and exercises including matching pitch, intervals, triads, and scales to help you get started. There are numerous activities you can do when you start ear training. Being able to recognize and become familiar with those topics will help you immensely with ear training, which in turn will help you with other parts of your musical journey.
How often should I practice?
Rotate through different types of activities, and when you feel yourself reaching a plateau (aim for a few minutes per activity), then move on so you do not overwork your ear. You do not need to do every type of activity every day, but you can try to do something every day.
You really do not need to follow a specific timeline, but it is best to be consistent. Even if you spend some time listening to music with the intent of ear training, you can incorporate some of the following strategies. Other activities will require more focus, but it is best to practice in smaller durations without getting frustrated, otherwise the result may be counterproductive.
Matching pitch
Matching pitch refers to when you can hear a musical note sung or played and sing it back correctly. Matching pitch with your voice is an important step when learning music because it means you are listening and hearing something accurately. If you cannot match pitch, you will not be as actively engaged when singing, playing, producing, or other musical activities.
Listen and Sing
Even if you do not consider yourself a good singer, try listening to a song you like and sing along with the main melody. It could be with the lead singer, lead guitar, a melody on piano, or another part in the music you like.
Keep in mind for those that do not consider themselves good singers, the goal is not to sound amazing but to engage your ears and listen. Try to match the pitch or the note you hear with your own voice. If you have not tried this before, you will start to process the music differently and listen in a new way.
Think of it like seeing colors with your eyes before knowing what the colors are called. You still see them, they just do not have names yet. Your ears can hear music, and if you match the music with your voice, you are one step closer to understanding the music on a deeper level.
Intervals
An interval is the distance between two different notes. The notes can be very close together, or they can be very far apart. Even if you do not know what the different intervals are called yet, you can recognize if the two notes sound close to one another, or if you hear larger leaps between the different notes.
Understanding different types of intervals will help you understand the music better and recognize elements of the music faster. Interval knowledge applies to singing, playing instruments, composing, and everything in between. You will also be able to learn songs faster since you will pick up on recurring patterns.
Melodic Ascending
A melodic interval is when two notes happen one after the other. An ascending interval is when a lower note occurs, then a higher sounding note occurs. Hence, it sounds like the two notes are ascending.
If you already play an instrument, you can try playing each type of interval and listen to how it sounds. For example, play an open string on guitar, then work your way up the fretboard listening to how each fret sounds against the open string.
Melodic Descending
A descending interval is when a higher note occurs, then a lower sounding note occurs. Hence, it sounds like the two notes are descending. Melodies are typically made up of ascending and descending intervals.
Harmonic Intervals
Harmonic intervals are when two notes happen at the same time. Once again, intervals can be very close together, where others can be very far apart. Each interval has a different sound and can create tension or resolution in the music depending on how they are used.
Consonance and Dissonance
Consonance is when there are stable, resolved sounds in the music. Dissonance is when you hear notes that clash, build tension, suspense, or feel unresolved. The combination of the two open up interesting possibilities in music.
Some intervals are considered to be consonant intervals where others are considered to be dissonant intervals. Intervals that are considered dissonant can change depending on the time period, genre, and other factors.
Seconds and Sevenths
Seconds and sevenths can be major or minor. When played harmonically, seconds and sevenths are usually considered to be dissonant intervals, though context matters. Especially in jazz, these intervals are used frequently and might be considered consonant intervals that do not resolve to another interval. Using these types of intervals definitely adds unique characteristics to the music.
Thirds and Sixths
Thirds and sixths can be major or minor and are usually considered consonant intervals. Thirds are most commonly used to build harmony and chords. Sixths are used frequently as well; since they are larger intervals, they can sometimes create dissonance depending on how they are used in the music.
Perfect Fourths and Fifths
Perfect fourths and fifths are usually described as hollow or open, generally making them consonant intervals. When playing chords in music, these intervals are generally used when you change the chord voicing, or the order of the notes in the chord.
Unisons and Octaves
The most stable intervals are unisons and octaves. These occur when two parts have the same note. If the note is in the same range, it is considered a unison. If one part is higher and another part is lower but the notes are the same pitch, they are in different “octaves.” Unisons and octaves provide resolution after dissonant intervals.
Practicing Intervals
To give you an idea of ear training with intervals, below is a customized exercise created with musictheory.net to help you practice different types of intervals. You will see two notes on a musical staff.
See if you can identify what type of interval is being shown. After you select a correct answer, you will hear what the interval sounds like. All intervals are in the key of C within one octave of the treble clef.
Exercise provided by musictheory.net
If you felt comfortable with the first customized exercise, you can try this second customized exercise including intervals with different qualities (i.e. major, minor, perfect, and tritone).
Triads
Triads are when three notes are played together at the same time. This means that you have an interval between the first and second note, the second note and third note, as well as the first note to the third note. Each of the three intervals can be consonant intervals or dissonant intervals, which creates different qualities in the music.
The most common types of triads are major, minor, diminished, and augmented triads. These triads can also be called “chords,” however chords can also repeat notes within the triad in different octaves. Major chords and minor chords are the most consonant, stable, and resolved sounding. Diminished and augmented chords have more dissonance or tension, and usually resolve to more consonant sounds.
Being able to recognize the way these chords sound helps you train your ear and understand what is happening in the music. If you are writing your own music, knowing what kind of chord you want to use at a certain time helps you better express yourself through the music you are writing. If you are playing someone else’s music, you will be able to learn the piece better since you will recognize how certain chords should sound.
Major
Major triads are generally the most commonly used chords in music, and it is safe to say there are more songs in major keys than in minor keys. A major chord is when a minor third interval is placed on top of a major third interval (i.e. C-E-G). Major chords are usually described as happy, uplifting, or other positive descriptions.
Minor
Minor triads are the next most commonly used chords in music. A minor chord is when a major third interval is placed on top of a minor third interval (i.e. A-C-E). The tone of minor chords is usually described as more sad than major. Minor chords can also be scary, dark, or other similar descriptions.
Diminished
Diminished triads are not as common, especially in popular styles of music, since they create a great deal of tension and are very dissonant. This means that if they are used, they almost always resolve to another type of chord. Diminished chords are when two minor thirds are stacked on top of each other. This results in a tritone, or a diminished fifth, between the bottom and top note.
Augmented
Augmented triads are the least common triads and occur when two major thirds are stacked on top of each other. This results in an augmented fifth between the bottom and top note. Like diminished chords, this also creates tension, but augmented chords cannot exist within a traditional diatonic scale used in most popular styles of music without the use of an accidental or changing one of the notes in the scale.
The triads shown below are all built off of the note C. In order from left to right, they are C major, C minor, C diminished, and C augmented.
Practicing Triads
To give you an idea of ear training with triads, below is another customized exercise created with musictheory.net to help you practice different types of triads. See if you can identify what type of triad is being played. After you answer correctly, you will hear a new triad. All triads will either be major, minor, diminished, or augmented.
Scale Recognition
Another element of ear training is scale recognition. Scales are sequences of notes moving up or down, usually by step. Each different type of scale has a unique sound and can create different moods in the music. The most common types of scales are major and minor scales. There are three different types of minor scales; natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor.
Major
Major scales are the most commonly used scale in popular styles of music. Major scales use a whole step and half step pattern, or using major and minor seconds. That pattern is whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.
Minor
Minor scales are also used frequently in popular styles of music. There are three primary minor scales, including natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor. Being able to recognize each scale by ear develops your listening ability and can help you learn new songs faster.
Natural Minor
You can easily create a natural minor scale by starting on the sixth note of a major scale. The whole step and half step pattern for a minor scale is whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole. You can also alter a major scale and change it into a minor scale by lowering the third, sixth, and seventh notes a half step.
Harmonic Minor
A harmonic minor scale takes a natural minor scale, then raises the seventh note up a half step. This creates the characteristic augmented second between the sixth and seventh notes. The harmonic minor scale appears in a wide range of musical styles and genres all around the world.
Melodic Minor
Melodic minor scales are a bit unusual because they are the only scales listed in this article that change notes depending on which direction you are moving in the music. When ascending, you raise the sixth and seventh degrees of the natural minor scale. When descending, you lower the sixth and seventh scale degrees, making it a natural minor scale again.
Practicing Scales
To give you an idea of ear training with scales, below is one more customized exercise created with musictheory.net to help you practice different types of scales. See if you can identify what type of scale is being played. After you answer correctly, you will hear a new scale. All scales will either be major, natural minor, harmonic minor, or melodic minor.
Summary
Overall, ear training holds a great deal of significance for any musician. Attempting any type of ear training exercise will engage your ear differently and help you develop your listening ability.
Understanding different aspects of music and having a name for certain sounds is similar to seeing and recognizing a color. This can help with singing, playing an instrument, composing, songwriting, music production, or anything else music related. There are many layers to ear training, and the more you discover, the more you realize how much more there is you can learn.
