Quote:
Originally Posted by loungesurfer  - the articles only mentions or uses the major scale as an example with no mention of having to apply the techniques to other keys. This implies to me that since the intervals are the same for all keys of the major scale that learning the sound and intervals by singing you only have to learn to sing (set the relative pitch) for one set of tones and apply it equally to all the keys regardless of where they are played.
This wouldn't apply to minor scales since there are different flavors of minors and you'd have to learn each minor scale, but not all the keys of each minor since again the intervals would be the same.
Is that correct?
- I've read the articles again to understand the purpose of the technique and concluded that it has two purposes - internalizing the sound of each note and the interval between each degree. Of course from that comes better understanding of the fretboard and how to apply it. |
these are great questions. let me see if i can shine a little more light on this.
in my lessons posted online, i use the major scale to demonstrate the approach to ear training, because most of us are already intimately familiar with its sound and construction. as i have mentioned before, you really want to work this same ear training regimen through ANY and EVERY component (scale, arpeggio, etc) that you are already familiar with on the bass for starters. after that, you want to explore these same exercises with shapes and sounds that are completely unfamiliar, as well.
you are somewhat on the right track in assuming that the intervals and relative distances covered by the major scale will carry over into other modal fingerings, as well. if we are dealing with the _diatonic_ application of the modes in which we are only working the connected patterns in a _single_ key center, we are going to have a pretty easy time hearing the intervals naturally because we are dealing with the same seven notes in the scale. for this reason, you don't necessarily have to re-train your ears and mind to recognize what a minor 3rd or a major 6th or a perfect 5th sounds like all over again each time you play using a different mode within the key center.
(keep in mind that the individual chords and modes that are found in the harmonization of the major scale do not represent different 'keys', as you stated in your post... they are all diatonic components of a single key center, defined by where the 'root' scale degree is found. just wanted to make sure you weren't confused.)
HOWEVER, you still have to ear train each of the other modes containing those same re-ordered intervals because of how our minds and ears effectively recognize those same intervals that are being played over DIFFERENT chord types. this is especially important when you are discussing the _chromatic_ application of modes. (i.e. playing each of the modes starting from the exact same root note.)
to state this another way, just because you have successfully ear-trained the ionian mode (major scale), that doesn't mean that you will find the same level of comfort in improvising and ear training using the phrygian or aeolian mode, instead, especially when they are being used over a minor 7 chord (their compatible chord type). this is because our ears are being conditioned to hearing the root placed under another tonality, as well as all of the intervals that are relative to it. relative pitch skill depends on your being able to hear and see these intervals over any tonality or harmonic situation, and that is going to be harder for some players that others right off the bat.
as for minor scales, there really is no difference in the approach as compared to the modes of the major scale. in fact, if you are dealing with the pure minor scale (also referred to natural minor or aeolian), it is simply one of the scales already found in the modes of the major scale, so it shouldn't be a bigger challenge.
in the case of melodic minor or harmonic minor or any other derived minor scale, you are still only going to be dealing with scales constructed using the same familiar intervallic components (whole steps, half steps, minor 3rds, major 3rds...) subsequently, the ear training approach and ultimate strategy is identical to that of the major scale. the only perceived 'extra' challenge in ear training these scales would really only result from experiencing a greater level of unfamiliarity with their sounds. some of us might not automatically hear the sequence of notes in harmonic minor in our heads without having learned the shape on an instrument first, so it might take a little bit more time to get accustomed to the new sounds... regardless, you can still derive 'modal fingerings' from any of those scales, just as you would with the major scale. the only difference will be the order of intervals you are dealing with. thusly, you would still ear train each of those individual modes, as well over each of their respective compatible chord types.
i hope that helps! thanks for the great post-
adam
Clarification Question on Ear Training 
