| Ahhhhh, that good old subject of "EAR-TRAINING" ! | | | | some ways to go about this and I'd like to address it |
| Can't get enough of it, wouldn't you agree? Actually, | | | | here a little right now : |
| each and every single time we listen to any kind of | | | | The goal is to eventually recognize those intervals |
| music, we're "training" our musical ears in one way or | | | | without giving thought to it. To accomplish this, you |
| another - either passively or actively. What I mean is, | | | | want to expose yourself more and more to trying to |
| when you listen to something, you are thinking about it | | | | create the distinctions between them when applying |
| in some way - either as entertaining or analytically or | | | | yourself. I strongly feel there is much that can be done |
| both. Does that make sense to you? So it's a matter | | | | on your own (especially if you have a resource that |
| of how we choose to listen - now, let's talk a little | | | | you can refer to, such as a private teacher, coach, etc. |
| about training ourselves to recognize intervals. Much | | | | when you most need it) |
| can be gained from being able to recognize intervals. | | | | There are so so many methods that have been |
| I think of "ear training" as "increasing our awareness or | | | | written - which is why I have, up to this point, opted not |
| sensitivity" to certain aspects of what we're listening | | | | to write another book or program about the subject - I |
| to... | | | | think it's been done more than enough - instead, I like to |
| I would like to use a short excerpt from an online | | | | use the personal coaching as a much more |
| coaching session of mine... | | | | personalized tool when it comes to this. The biggest |
| "_______________________ | | | | reason being that no book can become acquainted |
| ..........The concept of "ear training" should be looked at | | | | with the way a particular person is THINKING about |
| closely; here's what I have to say about it: I feel that | | | | the process as he or she proceeds - that's where I |
| most people, who approach "ear training" as a study, | | | | come in and have some fun with my online students. |
| tend to make it more of a job than necessary. Now, I | | | | One thing that can be helpful to you: in my online |
| don't mean that they put too much time into the study | | | | coaching sessions, I like to have you pick one interval |
| of it; rather, the process tends to be "strained." | | | | to start with. For example, the Perfect 5th - we want |
| __" | | | | to be able to sing that interval from any starting point. |
| Although it would be pretty challenging for me to | | | | So, you might start on C (actually play it on the piano) |
| provide as in depth an explanation about the process | | | | and sing G above - then test yourself by playing it and |
| as I am able to in an actual one one of those coaching | | | | see how you did - BEING WILLING TO FULLY |
| sessions (one reason being that I cannot use musical | | | | ACCEPT THE RESULT YOU GET WITHOUT |
| examples here), I can at least touch the surface here. | | | | JUDGEMENT, OKAY? ! Then proceed to C#, etc, until |
| What I was referring to when I said "rather, the | | | | you've covered them all - THEN you'll want to sing |
| process tends to be 'strained.'" was that I feel that the | | | | down the P5th as well - so do another "round" with |
| study of ear training often results in the student | | | | these descending 5ths. A round or two a day can be |
| becoming a bit too judgmental and/or critical toward his | | | | good enough for some - stick with the one interval you |
| or her personal efforts. The way I see it, every | | | | choose (in this case, the P5th) for a week or so - you'll |
| encounter with the ear training process should be | | | | be able to do these in your sleep after a while. Just |
| approached from a perspective of curiosity. It's been | | | | keep this in mind: IT HAS TO BE FUN - the more fun |
| my experience that the ear training exercises often | | | | you make it, the less of a job - the less strain - the |
| lead an individual to becoming too hard on himself or | | | | most benefit. |
| herself - it shouldn't be that way - because this kind of | | | | Remember, a "musical ear" is really the ability to make |
| "opinionated self-evaluation," if you will, gets in the way | | | | sound distinctions - our ears are the vehicle of |
| of the process itself. To me, when you are applying | | | | transportation of the sound, but it's our brain that's |
| the principles of any ear training instructional material, | | | | doing the work - and we want to be empathetic with |
| you need to fully accept that you might not be right | | | | our brain's current ability - be a friend to yourself |
| most of the time - but it's one's ATTITUDE toward this | | | | throughout the whole process; make it a game - that's |
| that will either lend itself to wonderful leaps of progress | | | | the ticket! |
| - or a limited amount of progress - it's very important | | | | Your enthusiasm for learning more and more will get |
| to acknowledge, I feel. Another way of putting it : you | | | | you to the point you want to be - just keep staying |
| can do no wrong - you can only listen and have fun | | | | curious - and MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LEVEL OF |
| making "sound distinctions" - it must be a game that | | | | APPRECIATION FOR WHERE YOU ARE AT - |
| you feel like you are always winning, regardless of | | | | ALWAYS! I'd write that a hundred times here if I knew |
| what kind of results you are getting from your efforts. | | | | you'd read it a hundred times:o) Please read that |
| To keep the ears open, the self-judgment must be | | | | again.... here, I'll make it easy: |
| gone. | | | | MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LEVEL OF APPRECIATION |
| Training yourself to recognize intervals will do a world | | | | FOR WHERE YOU ARE AT - ALWAYS! |
| of good for you - really, it will. In the latter part of my | | | | And, of course... |
| 88 Keys To Learning email program, I touch upon | | | | |