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Author Topic: Ear Training  (Read 1464 times)

Offline Torch7

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Ear Training
« on: November 08, 2005, 02:17:03 PM »
Does anyone have insight or resources to pass along to learn by ear...
I am trying to be a sponge...any Tips, Tricks, or reference to resources are welcome... Thanks..

Oh... I saw this online... anyone hear of it?
Complete Bass Guitar by Ear....
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0976291746/102-9285728-3009721?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance

Offline pnguin1979

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Ear Training
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2005, 08:08:05 PM »
"learning by ear"   it really depends what you mean by that.  If you mean being able to listen to a song and instantly be able to play along "learning by ear"  then you still need to have a strong knowledge of music theory. no way around that.  even the guys that have no formal training and can do this still know their way around the fretboard and how chord progressions work.

I think when most people say they learned by ear it means they taught themselves how to play with no formal instruction by picking out notes till they got something that sounded right.  
This is definitely the hard way and I would avoid it at all costs.  Get yourself a teacher or a good book and do it right.  I pretty much taught myself in the beginning and wasted several years figuring out stuff that a good teacher could have shown me in a few minutes.

Take it for what its worth, but I would say use a teacher.  

On the ear note, having a good ear is definitely a great asset, BUTTTTTTTT it doesn't matter what your ear can do if your mind doesn't know what its listening to.

Offline MikeGee

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Ear Training
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2005, 05:35:24 AM »
very interesting, well put.... i like that

Offline Torch7

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Ear Training
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2005, 02:34:38 PM »
Been Learning theory... got a couple of books and a DVD.

Teacher's around here seem to be overpriced... and plus the only free time I have because of my schedule is usually after hours...

Thanks for the insight though... I will continue to plug away at the resources I currently have.

Offline NewBass

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Books...
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2005, 08:07:55 PM »
Torch7,

Just curious... What books are you using?
<>< Psalm 119:144 <><

Offline funkinater

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Ear Training
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2005, 08:29:18 PM »
Learning by ear just takes time and lots of practice.
My definition of learning to play by ear is...
Learning to play a song without reading chord charts or sheet music.
Whether you can hear the changes in your mind or have to pick them out note by note that's what I consider by ear.
Hearing progressions takes time but after a while it will come natural.
There is only so many patterns a progression can take.  Once you train your ear to those patterns you can learn a song without ever picking up your instrument.  I remember when I first started playing, how hard it was to pick out notes.  Now I can hear a cool lick and think " I know exactly what that cat is doing"  When I started working on hearing by ear, I would sit down and write out using the numbers system what I thought the progression was.  For instance,  the chorus may go 1 3 4 6 2 5 1....
Then I would pick up my bass and play, and see if I was right.  If not I would learn the sound of the notes I didn't know.
This really comes in handy if you have to play for someone else and you don't know the material.  I guess some people think if you play.... that you should be able to play any song on the fly.  Sometimes its just not that easy.
Peace
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Offline Torch7

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Ear Training
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2005, 12:29:12 PM »
Thanks Funkinator;

That is what I was meaning as well, being able to differentiate between the notes and progressions, by listening.  My Brother plays the keyboard, and he usually plays the bass lines on the keys and then dictates to me what he is playing.  I write it down, and then try to keep up.

However, often he is not avaliable, and I was wanting to know a bassists perspective of being able to hear what is being played.

I found a site online called perfect pitch... that is a pitch training course, I think I am going to look into that or... a CD set I found called "Complete Bass by Ear"  

Thanks again for you post Funkinator, it was encouraging...to know that with time and effort it can be achieved.
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