Teleclass #1: How to effectively train your ear to play by ear (part 1)

Skill level: Beginner/Intermediate

A note about the teleclass #1 recordings

This was our very first class on the teleclass system. The call got as large as 48 students. During the interactive mode when I unmuted all lines!" there was one #articular caller with loud $ackground noise/static. This resulted in me staying in lecture mode where only I can $e heard and no one else!. I%ve edited most #arts of the recordings where there is loud $ackground noise so you won%t hear it on these recordings. &fter consulting with my teleclass advisor" he told me that I could have easily dialed '( for the o#erator and they can actually mute individual lines with e)cessively loud $ackground noise which is an answer to my #rayer!. So in the future, this will not be a problem. I%ve even em#loyed $ack u# #lans where the o#erator can #ut #eo#le in a waiting *ueue and each #erson can talk with me individually as other #artici#ants listen instead of unmuting all 48 lines and having to deal with $ackground noise!. So" I sim#ly wanted to u#date all students that were on call +, or listening to the recordings $elow.

-ecordings: .art ,: &##ro) /( minutes Download #art , as an m#/

Chord References: 0 ma1or triad: 0 2 3 2 4 0 minor triad: 0 2 3$ 2 4 0 diminished triad: 0 2 3$ 2 4$

.art 5: &##ro) /( minutes Download #art 5 as an m#/

0 dominant seventh: 0 2 3 2 4 2 B$ 0 minor seventh: 0 2 3$ 2 4 2 B$ 0 ma1or seventh: 0 2 3 2 4 2 B

.art /: &##ro) 56 minutes Download #art / as an m#/

0 diminished seventh: 0 2 3$ 2 4$ 2 & 0 ma1 add :!: 0 2 ! 2 3 2 4 same as 0 ma1 triad with an added 8D8 note!

.art 4: &##ro) 6 minutes closing! Download #art 4 as an m#/

nstructions: 7ou can either listen to the audio online $y #ressing the 8#lay8 $utton or download the each #art $y right9clicking on the download links a$ove choose 8save target as8 to!.

Introduction:

The goal of session +, is to give you a ste#9$y9ste# #lan to $uilding your ear9skills. The ultimate goal is to $e a$le to determine and recogni;e melodic and harmonic intervals as well as the interval $etween chords in #rogressions.

,. "nderstanding scales and how they help you to play by ear a. ,5 ma1or scales: i. 0 ma1 < 0 D 3 = 4 & B 0 ii. = ma1 < = 4 & B$ 0 D 3 = iii. B$ ma1 < B$ 0 D 3$ = 4 & B$ iv. 3$ ma1 < 3$ = 4 &$ B$ 0 D 3$ v. &$ ma1 < &$ B$ 0 D$ 3$ = 4 &$ vi. D$ ma1 < D$ 3$ = 4$ &$ B$ 0 D$ vii. 4$ ma1 < 4$ &$ B$ 0$ D$ 3$ = 4$ viii. B ma1 < B 0+ D+ 3 =+ 4+ &+ B i). 3 ma1 < 3 =+ 4+ & B 0+ D+ 3 ). & ma1 < & B 0+ D 3 =+ 4+ & )i. D ma1 < D 3 =+ 4 & B 0+ D )ii. 4 ma1 < 4 & B 0 D 3 =+ 4

$. 0onvert each scale to num$ers i. 3)am#le: 0 ma1or > 0, D5 3/ =4 46 &? B@ 08 or 0,!

c. These num$ers have multi#le uses: i. They establish a universal language outside of a #articular ma1or key. 3)am#le: Athe third of a keyB can $e a##lied to &C7 key" not 1ust one key like saying A3B is the third of 0 ma1or!. In ear9 training" learning the A$igB #icture like this is more advantageous $ecause if you learn to recogni;e how a ma1or third interval sounds" you should then $e a$le to a##ly that understanding to &C7 key whether youDre #laying the ma1or third of &$ or the ma1or third of 0 ma1or!.

ii. They define har#onic intervals$ =or e)am#le" when you #lay the ,st tone of any ma1or key and any other key a$ove it" the highest key esta$lishes what ty#e of interval youDre #laying. In 0 ma1or" if I hold down 0 and #lay an 3" since 3 is the /rd tone in the 0 ma1or scale" I am #laying a ma1or third interval. En the other hand" if I hold down a 0 and #lay the A&B a$ove it" IDm #laying a ma1or si)th interval. So num$ers are im#ortant in that regard.

iii. They define chord progressions like A5969,B and A,94B and A,9 6B. Fhen someone says" A#lay a 5969,"B that means #lay the A5B chord of a key usually minor! to a A6B chord usually dominant! to a A,B chord usually ma1or!. By knowing num$ers" you can a##ly this to any key. So itDs $etter to understand the A$ig #ictureB as a##lying a A5969,B to any key will $e very sim#le if: ,. 7ou know your ma1or scales 5. 7ou know the A5B" A6B" and A,B of any key /. 7ou know the chords involved like all ,5 ma1or chords" all ,5 minor chords" all ,5 dominant chords" all ,5 GGGGGGG chord!.

d$

ntervals:

Distance $etween two notes

i. =rom , to ,: .erfect unison ii. =rom , to 5: Ha1or second iii. =rom , to /: Ha1or third iv. =rom , to 4: .erfect fourth v. =rom , to 6: .erfect fifth vi. =rom , to ?: Ha1or si)th

vii. =rom , to @: Ha1or seventh

viii. =rom , to $5: Hinor second i). =rom , to $/: Hinor third ). =rom , to $6: Diminished fifth )i. , to $?: Hinor si)th )ii. , to $@: Hinor seventh

4oal: To $e a$le to recogni;e these intervals in melodies when notes are #layed se#arately one after the other! and chords harmonic intervalsI notes #layed together at the same time!

e. Since intervals create chords" $eing a$le to recogni;e intervals is very im#ortant i. =ocus on: ,. Ha1or third 5. Hinor third /. Ha1or seventh 4. Hinor seventh 6. These intervals create #a%or triads & #inor triads & #a%or seventh & #inor seventh & do#inant seventh chords$

ii. Two main goals: ,. 7ou want to $e a$le to recogni;e what ty#e of chord is $eing #layed ma1or" minor" diminished" etc!

5. 7ou want to $e a$le to recogni;e the keynote of the chord keynote is the note the chord is $ased onJ for e)am#le: the key note of a 0ma1 chord is A0B!.

f$ Recogni'ing distances between chords i. .rimary chords ,. I 999 IK 999 K a. -ecogni;ing the distance $etween ,94 and ,96 is the easiest.

$. 3)am#le: The ,st tone of the 0 ma1or scale is 0. The 4th tone is =. The 6th tone is 4. c. & ,94 #rogression is: 0ma1 to =ma1

d. & ,96 #rogression is: 0ma1 to 4ma1 i. BETL &-3 K3-7 0EHHEC though the chord may $e more com#le)ed like =ma1@ or =ma1:" etc!. ii. Ether chords ,. These are common #rogressions in songs: a. 5969,

$. ,9?9596 c. 596

d. /9?95969,

iii. Building your relative #itch will allow you to hear when a A0ma1B chord" for e)am#le" is going to an A&minB chord. Since 0 is the ,st tone of the 0 ma1or scale and & is the ?th tone of the scale" this relationshi# is known as a ,9? #rogression.

g$ Circle of (ifths & Circle of (ourths i. De#ending on how you look at the circle" it can $e la$eled as Acircle of fourthsB or Acircle of fifthsB. ,. Hany #rogressions move in fourth and fifth intervals: a. 5969, in 0 ma1or is: ADB to A4B to A0B notice that the relationshi# $etween D and 4 is a fourth interval and the relationshi# $etween 4 and 0 is a fourth interval!.

$. Cotice" also" that D < 4 < 0 are neigh$ors on the circle of fifths chart. Host #rogression move in this same way.

h$ )*ercises to build ear+s,ills i. .laying the first note of a ma1or scale and singing any other note of the scale without using the #iano.

ii. .laying any note on the #iano and singing the note right a$ove it.

iii. Laving someone else #lay the first note of a ma1or scale and any other note from that scale 0 ma1or is easiest $ecause you can have a son or daughter #lay any white note and that note will $e a #art of the scale!.

i$ -hone e*ercises i$ IDll #lay the first note of a scale and any random second note and the #artici#ant will try to determine the note.

ii$ I will #lay the first note of a scale followed $y two notes" one after the other and the #artici#ant will try to determine the two notes.

iii$ Msing only ma1or and minor chords" I will #lay the first ma1or chord of the scale 0 ma1! and another chord" and the #artici#ant will try to determine the second chord.