Improving my ear !!

Microbass · #1 01-03-2003, 08:15 PM

OK, thats it! There is just simply not enough Who tabs on this site!!!

I'm going to practise listening to my bass book's CD and try and pick out the notes without looking at the music, but that's cheating, really.. hehe..

So I need some easy songs to try and learn - what do you suggest?

Oh - and if ANYONE suggests somethin' by JT, I'll slap you

Thanks again.

godoze · #2 01-03-2003, 09:21 PM

not cheating really, ear training is an integral part on musicianship training. Learn you intervals if you do not already know them and memorize the sounds of the various intervals- you'll be halfway there !

bassist4ever · #3 01-03-2003, 09:50 PM

you want songs that are easy to learn by ear?

Silver connection 'Fly Robin Fly'
Blues Brothers 'Soul Man'
Rage Against the Machine 'Know Your Enemy'
Wild Cherry 'Play That Funky Music'
ZZ Top 'Bad To THe Bone'
Survivor 'Eye of the Tiger'

thats all i've learned in a 2 month period. realatively easy stuff...

jazzbo · #4 01-04-2003, 03:33 AM

Do you ever listen to the blues?

moley · #5 01-04-2003, 05:41 AM

The Beatles. Listen to anything and everything by The Beatles, and transcribe all the basslines. Transcribe the chords too. It's good for your ear.

cassanova · #6 01-04-2003, 10:45 PM

I like what Jazzbo had to say about if you listen to the blues or not.

The blues is fairly easy but will be a bit challanging at 1st but it will help you to identify intervals, progressions etc. As always thats just IMO

**embellisher** · #7 01-04-2003, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bassist4ever

ZZ Top 'Bad To THe Bone'

That is George Thorogood & the Destroyers.

Microbass · #8 01-05-2003, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jazzbo
Do you ever listen to the blues?

Hey, I listen to everything, but I don't know if I'm such a big fan of the blues.. Give me some numbers though, whether I like it or not, I'll still try.

Thanks all !

Wrong Robot · #9 01-05-2003, 04:08 AM

this is just me, but sometimes I like to set myself a seemingly impossible goal, then I try it a couple times before going back to step one and building my way up to that point....make sense?

like take a crazy fast complex song like donna lee or chromatic fantasy, listen to it, get daunted and scared, attempt it a few times then go back to simpler things keeping in mind that your goal is to master chromatic fantasy(or whatever)

I don't know if this is particularly good advice, but I do it sometimes, and it makes getting to that point of completion even more satisfying.

Microbass · #10 01-05-2003, 04:16 AM

WR - I totally agree, but, I have tried this, so I reckon I should have a good understanding of the notes.

I tried to figure out Peanut's Theme by Stu Hamm.

Oh yes, I had that one done in 5 mins...

oh yes. yes. so do you want the truth..? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!

jazzbo · #11 01-05-2003, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Microbass

Hey, I listen to everything, but I don't know if I'm such a big fan of the blues.. Give me some numbers though, whether I like it or not, I'll still try.

Thanks all !

The blues are a wonderful way to start training your ear. You've typically got a very common chord progression, I-IV-V. All that's left for you is to figure out the key, and then the individual notes. Plus it really helps your ear learn to identify the change from I to IV and from V to I.

Check out BB King, Taj Mahal, John Lee Hooker.