Harmonic Ear Training

sareston · #1 06-20-2009, 04:19 PM

Hi Todd,

could you suggest some eartraining exercises to be done with or without the bass to help us develop our harmonic eartraing and our sensitivity to the the different harmonic colours provided by each type of chord?

I mean, to improvise and to play well any style, we need to get our ears together in order to be able to create musically within the harmonic framework of a song. I'm pretty sure this has to do with listening to the inner voices of the harmony and being able to recall the sound of the chords in your mind, so could you give us a hand on that? What kind of work should we do to get it to a high level?

Thanks for all the music and cheers from Brazil,

Sá Reston

sareston · #2 07-11-2009, 07:50 PM

Still waiting!

Thanks,

Ricardo

Ed Fuqua · #3 07-11-2009, 10:23 PM

Todd may be gigging, who knows? Check his website see if the last coupla days are tour dates.

Anyway, what kind of ear training are you doing currently? What other exercises for improvisation are you doing?

sareston · #4 07-11-2009, 10:32 PM

I practice singing scales and arpeggios over chords of songs (that I play on piano). That's basically what I do.

Ed Fuqua · #5 07-11-2009, 11:00 PM

It might seem like a bit of a step backwards, but you might want to think about being a little more "regimented" if you will, with your approach. There's a methodology that I work on with my teacher that, when you reach the last set of exercises, you are pretty much hearing polytonal function. I outline the procedure a couple of places here on the site if you want to check them out.
There's also an improvisational exercise I outline in a thread called REALLY LEARNING A TUNE that might be helpful.

I don't think it's as much " hearing the inner voices of the harmony" or "recalling" the sound of the chords as it is having the harmonic framework suggest certain things to your "mind's ear"; you hear a chord and a melodic response is triggered. Getting outside of or transcending the harmony is sometimes more a matter of following the line, hearing it with enough clarity at the same time you're hearing the melody and the harmony that you can get everybody else hearing where you're going, how the framework has "changed" for you.

Nice stuff on your myspace page, by the way...

sareston · #6 07-11-2009, 11:04 PM

Thanks Ed!!

I'll surely look at the thread you mentioned and will get back to you on it!

That's what I'm strieving for, to be more discplined and focused with my eartraining.

Thanks also for the kind words, what myspace did you listen to?

Cheers from Rio,

Sá Reston

Ed Fuqua · #7 07-12-2009, 11:44 AM

sarestonbr...

JayfromDeeKay · #8 07-12-2009, 12:01 PM

I use this software, and I can heartily recommend it, it's great for developing your ear:

http://www.earmaster.com/?gclid=CMKH...FcIWzAodc0rkJg

It will slowly progress you through hearing simple intervals, then intervals in context, then chords, etc. Very, very good. Try out the demo-version first, if you like.

jweiss · #9 07-12-2009, 12:17 PM

Great advice from Ed as usual.

Here is an excellent free software package that I have been using for a while:

http://www.solfege.org/

I really like that it tracks my progress.

Since you are specifically interested in harmonic ear training, try these exercises:

Intervals --> Harmonic Intervals --> Second to Decim
Chords --> Chords in Root Position --> all exercises
Chords --> Inversions of Chords --> all excercises

However, you should probably first make sure you can do these exercises:

Intervals --> Melodic Intervals --> Second to Decim

Cheers,

Jeff

sareston · #10 07-12-2009, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

There's a methodology that I work on with my teacher that, when you reach the last set of exercises, you are pretty much hearing polytonal function. I outline the procedure a couple of places here on the site if you want to check them out.

Hi Ed, I looked for it and didn't find it here on Talk Bass... Could you point me the threads?

The page you visited is the one with some of my works as sideman, thanks a lot for the words!

And thank you all for the software suggestions...

Cheers,

Sá Reston

TheFrogPrince · #11 07-12-2009, 05:48 PM

The Gary Willis ear training book is good for ear training. It starts from intervals and works up to diads, triads, four-note chords and a whole bunch of other goodies. It's very methodical, working from the ground-up.

Also Ed Fuqua makes an excellent point when he's talking about hearing the chords and internalizing them. When I'm playing at my (inexperienced thus far) best, I will almost fall into a trance and just react to hearing things in tunes that trigger certain responses. One chord goes to another and sounds good when you connect it in certain ways.

Ed Fuqua · #12 07-12-2009, 11:39 PM

It's on the DB side, MUSIC THEORY forum, thread is called HEARING INVERSIONS, it's post #8.

sareston · #13 07-12-2009, 11:56 PM

Thanks Ed,

this is exactly what I was looking for... Gonna really get myself into it! Must find a way to do this on the road, cause I'll be on tour for more than a month soon :--)

And I'm gonna keep an eye on the DB side more often from now on!

Cheers and thanks,

Sá Reston

Ed Fuqua · #14 07-13-2009, 10:51 AM

Oh and here's REALLY LEARNING A TUNE

Todd Johnson · #15 07-15-2009, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sareston

Hi Todd,

could you suggest some eartraining exercises to be done with or without the bass to help us develop our harmonic eartraing and our sensitivity to the the different harmonic colours provided by each type of chord?

I mean, to improvise and to play well any style, we need to get our ears together in order to be able to create musically within the harmonic framework of a song. I'm pretty sure this has to do with listening to the inner voices of the harmony and being able to recall the sound of the chords in your mind, so could you give us a hand on that? What kind of work should we do to get it to a high level?

Thanks for all the music and cheers from Brazil,

Sá Reston

Sa!!

Man, sorry about missing your post.....I just didn't see it for some reason?? My sincerest apology....

The Good news is that it looks like Ed and others gave you some great information!!

The only thing I would add is this....If you wan't to learn to hear chords....then play them!!

As soon as my ability to PLAY chords etc. grew....So did my ability to HEAR them. It's really that simple.

So....learn to play them on the bass. (My new "Fishin for Grips" book is an excellent resource!) or....learn to play some piano etc.

Add this to the excellent information you've already received and you're all set!!

Thanks for your patience!!

sareston · #16 07-16-2009, 04:37 PM

Thanks Todd!!

I will be on tour for 45 days soon, and will spend a great part of my free time working on my eartraing, getting the basics really down... Wish I get a grasp out of it!

Cheers,

Ricardo

buddyro57 · #17 07-20-2009, 09:24 AM

Hi Ricardo,
I checked out your acuri site on myspace, its really nice music. I think its quite sophisticated harmonically- you can't help but grow in your ability to hear harmonically when you are immersed in that kind of music....it just happens by osmosis if you are receptive.
I would ask how much piano you play? That opened me up tremendously, it is good to get away from the fingerboard sometimes I think. Lastly, maybe listen to non-jazz sources- I listen to alot of late romantic and 20th century classical music. It surely can't hurt to hear what Mahler, Strauss, Debussy,Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Hindemith, Copland, Takemitsu etc. have to say on the subject.

Best of luck-

Ed Fuqua · #18 07-20-2009, 11:02 AM

Yeah, it's nice, right?

sareston · #19 07-20-2009, 02:40 PM

Hi buddyro57!

Thanks for the compliments about the music!! In fact, they are all my compositions and arrangements. I play piano (I use it to compose and arrange), and till this day, playing and "living with" the chords had been my main harmonic eartraining practice, and for some months now I started singing scales, intervals and voicings to practice. Then I came to the forum to ask for some advice! :-)

Thanks for you answer and your help!

Cheers from Rio,

Sá Reston