I need some help with ear training/transcribing

[mfratt]

Hey guys, I've been mostly a lurker on these boards for a while, but I need some help/advice.

I've been playing bass for about a year and a half, with absolutely zero musical background before that. I haven't taken any formal lessons yet (I'm actually getting set up with a Berklee grad/music instructor this summer -- looking forward to that), but given my situation I feel I've come quite far on my own.

The thing that really bothers me - and what I feel is my biggest obstacle at this point is my complete tone-deafness I feel held back from being able to transcribe something I hear -- or from being able to turn a tune in my head into music from my instrument.

I've tried transcribing, and usually get completely frustrated with it because I don't even know where to begin -- I've read several guides outlining methods for beginner transcribers, both here and on other sites like cyberfretbass.com and nothing's really helped me. I've spent some time in front of my keyboard (crappy little Yamaha thing but it works lol) playing a C major scale and humming along (poorly, having to modulate my voice constantly to get it right), then I'll hum what I think is a C and it turns out to be an F# or something

The closest I've come is on a few Porcupine Tree songs...first being Hatesong, which I "figured out" the intro convinced he was playing a major 2nd, sounded absolutely right to me. Looked it up, and it was a perfect 4th, played that and BAM it hit me right in the face. I think I've got a good chunk of Strip the Soul...but I'm afraid to look up tabs for it because I'm probably way off mark.

Can anyone offer me any advice, links, or anything? Maybe some good songs to try to transcribe (that I won't get frustrated with like I do when I try to transcribe Rush or Metallica )

I *really* want to take my bass playing to the next level, get out there, join a band, and start making music for real -- and this obstacle seems like Mount Everest to me! I envy you guys for whom it comes naturally! I'm 20 now -- if only I could go back and meet my 12 year old self and give myself a bass guitar -- HERE learn this!

Thanks for your help in advance.

[With Lime]

Originally Posted by mfratt

I envy you guys for whom it comes naturally! I'm 20 now -- if only I could go back and meet my 12 year old self and give myself a bass guitar -- HERE learn this!

Me too man, me too. I chose drama instead of band. D'oh!

[onlyclave]

I've transcribed most of Porcupine Trees material and while the basslines are not difficult to play they are sometimes difficult to hear and internalize which is the first step in transcribing.

When you learned to swim, did the instructor throw you off of the high dive and tell you to paddle back to the ladder? No, you started much easier.

If you want to learn how to transcribe you can start with things that are stupidly easy but you've heard them a million times and you KNOW what they sound like. Transcribe Christmas tunes. It looks like you're from Boston so I'm going to assume that you've been in the USA for a while. I bet you know exactly how Jingle Bells sounds with no question of hearing the intervals incorrectly.

Once you get your Christmas carols out of the way move onto easier pop tunes like Another One Bites the Dust, Whip It, My Charona, etc.

[mfratt]

Originally Posted by onlyclave

I've transcribed most of Porcupine Trees material and while the basslines are not difficult to play they are sometimes difficult to hear and internalize which is the first step in transcribing.

When you learned to swim, did the instructor throw you off of the high dive and tell you to paddle back to the ladder? No, you started much easier.

If you want to learn how to transcribe you can start with things that are stupidly easy but you've heard them a million times and you KNOW what they sound like. Transcribe Christmas tunes. It looks like you're from Boston so I'm going to assume that you've been in the USA for a while. I bet you know exactly how Jingle Bells sounds with no question of hearing the intervals incorrectly.

Once you get your Christmas carols out of the way move onto easier pop tunes like Another One Bites the Dust, Whip It, My Charona, etc.

Thanks!
I just tried the first bit of Jingle Bells and this is what I got:

Jin - gle - bells Jing - gle - bells Jing - gle - all - the - way
G----G----G----G---- G---G----G-----A--D--- F#---G

Took me about ten minutes to get that sounds pretty close though. I was really tied up between F and F#, but I made the assumption that it was in the key of G, so making F sharp... though I wouldn't be surprised if I'm way off anyway.

I'll keep working on that and some other melodies I know by heart already...thanks for the advice!

[mrkreuzschlitz]

You just gotta sit yourself down, listen to a song on an iPod and try to figure it out. If you make yourself figure it out, you'll do it, worked for me.

[kr0n]

You might wanna try Earmaster software from

www.earmaster.com/

or similar. There's plenty of guided practices, step by step. I'm currently going through it myself and while the beginning seemed way too easy I suddenly hit a wall in my progress so I guess it's on to something.

I did notice improvement after only a few lessons with that piece of software tho. It also helps you out with music theory during the course.

I suggest a pair of decent headphones for it or rather good set of monitor speakers.

I myself am a noobie in both transcribing and music (played for 5 years, mostly by myself, I have tendency towards perfectionism and not realizing how well I actually play, no musical background before).

Bass is in my opinion the hardest instrument to hear properly, especially when going to low end with small intervallic changes. Practice, practice and practice. I hear singing is a good way to learn aswell but I fear my old music teachers made me think I suck at it and should never open my mouth to sing.

Hope this helps.

[JTE]

Well, let's see here. When you practice, do you sing what you're playing? If you're practicing scales or arpeggios, sing the note BEFORE you play it. That helps your ear and fingers learn how to work together.

And don't start with bass lines unless you KNOW the line cold. So, start with melodies that you know. That's why "Jingle Bells" and "Happy Birthday" are good ones to start with. You're on the right track with "Jingle Bells".

The process is exactly the same whether it's "Happy Birthday" or it's "Teen Town" or "Bernadette". Find the first note. Now, sing the firt two notes and listen real close. The second note is only one of three choices. It's the same as the first note, it's higher, or it's lower. So decide which way to go from the first one and try a note. Is it right? If so, then write those first two notes down (the point here is to learn ear-training, not to memorize it at the same time you're trying to figure it out, so write 'em down). If it's not right, then figure out if the one you tested is too high or too low, then try another note.

Repeat. No, seriously, repeat. Do this over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.

It'll get easier and faster the more (and the more often- if you don't use this skill regularly it's scary how fast it drops off!!) you do it. Start with easy stuff, and work up to more complicated stuff.

And don't forget to have fun!!!. Steal licks from TV commercial, TV themes (my boys were more impressed when I played "Sesame Street" for them than playing "White Room"), bits of melodies, etc. It's all the same prcess.

jte

jte

[Stumbo]

You might want to check these out:
http://www.good-ear.com/
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...lineScreen.swf Test your ear
http://www.miles.be/ Free downloadable ear trainer (basic/advanced) Solfege.
http://www.teoria.com/ Trainers/tutorials. Music theory, ear training, read music, chords, intervals, etc.

The miles.be free downloadable software is really cool for hearing/listening to notes within chords.

[Shawman]

Originally Posted by onlyclave

When you learned to swim, did the instructor throw you off of the high dive and tell you to paddle back to the ladder? No, you started much easier.

i wish i went to your school