Advices on starting to train ear?

Demon · #1 07-20-2006, 03:36 PM

Hey guys, i feel like i wanna try some ear training, ive been playing for about 3-4 months, my goal is to be able to get things from my head into the bass and to be able to play something i hear fairly well w some time so ican write songs later. So how i start off? i play Fretless btw.

Torch7 · #2 07-20-2006, 03:59 PM

Random things you can practice:

1.) Hum or sing a note, and then find it on the bass, move up or down in tone and find that note.

2.) Hum familiar bass lines maybe use simple songs from TV show intro's, or songs like Happy Birthday. Then try to replicate what you are hummin' on the bass. The first song I played by ear is the theme to "I dream of Jeannie" It took me a while, to get it.

3.)Learn to listen for which direction the notes are moving, from the first note to the second, is it going up or down.

4.)Learn your intervals positions on the neck from the root, in both directions up and down.

Hope these help.

morf · #3 07-20-2006, 04:29 PM

Thats all good advice there. Listen to all the music you can also.

Wespe · #4 07-20-2006, 04:47 PM

I know alot of people will advise against it, but if you're just starting ear training, the absolute easiest melodies to figure out are the one's in popular rap songs. They use very basic intervals, and it might be good to try to figure them out in your head while you're listening to the radio or whatever.

I really, really hate the stuff they play on the radio, but I work in a warehouse with radios in both work areas and I can't help but hear it all the time, and it's a good distraction from the content of the music to try to figure out what's going on with the melody, no matter how basic it is.

paintballjunkie · #5 07-20-2006, 09:02 PM

there's various ear training software out there you could buy.
i'd recommend earmaster pro. you can download a trial version from their website www.earmaster.com.

SundanceChile · #6 07-20-2006, 09:06 PM

Solfeggio. 'Nuff said.

Correlli · #7 07-21-2006, 02:40 AM

Sight Singing

adisu · #8 07-23-2006, 07:57 AM

Hi Demon!!!

First of all train all the time any song you have in your mind go to your bass guitar and try to play it. Don't try to find only the Bass lines but also the melodies of the singer.
Start with easy stuff like kids songs and move forward to harder stuff once you feel you can get the easy stuff easily.

Second. try This Website It's good for all theory stuff but it also have Ear trainer for Intervals , Scales and chords, this can help you a lot on your way to have good musical hearing.

Good luck.
Salute
Adi.