How to play by ear?

[ssbrew7]

I am wondering, how did many of you organists train your ear in order to get familiar with chords in songs.?

[Rjthakid]

Practice.  Experience.  Lather, rinse, repeat.

If you do a certain chord change or progression often enough, and in different songs, you can hear it.

You can listen to a song and actually think "Hm.  This change would fit in here."

I am by no means a GREAT Organist, but you don't have to be great or play for 10 years before you begin to hear changes.

Practice.  Experience.  Lather, rinse, repeat.

[ssbrew7]

is it like the 1-4-5 progression..?

[Rjthakid]

is it like the 1-4-5 progression..?

Right.  Once you've been playing for a while, that 1-4-5, which ALOT of Hymns basically follow, is so easy to hear.

There's the 7-3-6, which often comes right before a 2-5-1 in congregationals.

There's the 7-3-6-2-5-1-4.

There's the 6-5-b5 (I can pick this one up in my sleep)

etc, etc.

play long enough, and learn enough songs and you'll be able to hear them.

[ShawnGuy]

i play for a church but im stuck on the 1-4-5 theory what else can i use

[kdiddy]

try playing with your eyes first...then your ears will follow. hope this helps

[under13]

try playing with your eyes first...then your ears will follow. hope this helps

Can you explain that? the eyes part.