How often should I do Ear Training?

Matthew_84 · #1 05-26-2012, 06:08 PM

Hello all,

I do two various ear training exercises: The Functional Ear Trainer program found at http://www.miles.be, and then I do some interval training with a keyboard, as Ed Fuqua instructs here.

My question is how often should I do these exercises?

The Functional Ear Trainer recommends doing its program for about 10 minutes every other day, and I recall it saying somewhere that that was very healthy and will give the ear proper time to develop. So I was thinking of doing this for 10 minutes a day every other day, and interval training with a keyboard for 10 minutes a day on the days in between. Does this sound adequate, or is maybe not enough?

Thanks,

Matthew

FretlessMainly · #2 05-26-2012, 07:28 PM

While 10 minutes of each every other day doesn't sound like much, if you stick to that long-term I think you should be commended. Sure, you could always do more, but if the website recommends 10 minutes every other day, stick with that and supplement however much you like with intervals on your keyboard.

You can also use:

http://www.musictheory.net/exercises/ear-interval

and/or

http://www.good-ear.com/index.html

This second one gets into the muck with Dom7(#9b13) in the jazz chord section. It's not all that hard, however.

JimmyM · #3 05-27-2012, 01:21 AM

Every second you're hearing music, you should be ear training

Not formally, of course, but keep 'em open and always strive to hear what you've learned from your formal training.

vstvst2 · #4 05-27-2012, 01:22 AM

Hey Matthew,

I use Reel Ear at reelear.com. In their FAQ´s they also talk about 10 minutes a day, but I think that those 10 minutes a day don´t have anything to do with ear training. I think most web site talk about ten minutes a day to help people start developing a new practice habit. To me ear training is like exercise. If you have never done it before, you should do it

1. regularly
2. just a little bit each day

but then you work your way into shape and you do more and more. I try and get in at least a half hour everyday, because it has such a positive impact on my playing.

-vstvst2