STILL can't do ear-training!

Fassa Albrecht · #1 01-22-2009, 01:52 PM

Seriously, this is starting to wind me RIGHT up! For the last year I've been trying to learn by ear, using pretty much all the books/tapes/CDs I can find.

Problem? I STILL can't do it! I can't even pick up simple basslines and I'm getting frustrated.

Does anyone know what I can try now? It's getting annoying.

sevenyearsdown · #2 01-22-2009, 01:57 PM

Don't get so frustrated. It takes some time, and it's different with everyone. Some styles I'm good at doing this, and others might as well be foreign language. It's all about recognizing common paterns IMO.

Fassa Albrecht · #3 01-22-2009, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sevenyearsdown

Don't get so frustrated. It takes some time, and it's different with everyone. Some styles I'm good at doing this, and others might as well be foreign language. It's all about recognizing common paterns IMO.

Yes, but after a year I can't even identify single notes, yet alone basslines.

TL5 · #4 01-22-2009, 01:59 PM

Here's a drill that I do regularly that has improved my ear.

When you are watching TV, have an unplugged guitar or bass with you. Try to match pitch, or find the key/tonal center of the music you hear. (This is less annoying to other family members if you limit it to commercial breaks)
At first, just finding a note can be difficult before the track changes. After a while, you can almost instinctively go to the right spot on the neck, within a half step either way.

sevenyearsdown · #5 01-22-2009, 02:16 PM

If you've only been playing for a little over a year then I wouldn't expect you to be able to play a lot of songs by ear. Just be patient, practice, and keep learning. Things will click for you eventually. A year really isn't a long time on any instrument though.

Fassa Albrecht · #6 01-22-2009, 02:23 PM

Should add I've been playing almost 3 years too.

mambo4 · #7 01-22-2009, 02:56 PM

One thing that helped me learn a lot of bass lines by ear was learning a lot of bass lines in other ways. The more bass lines I knew, the more I recognized what was going on in new ones I heard.

Not that I am a perfect ear player by any stretch.

another tactic i use is to begin soloing along in a specific key or pentatonic scale until I can be reasonably sure I am in or close to the key of the song. That way my note choices become more limited and potentially accurate.

and finally, learning the sound of common chord progressions and listening to the harmonic shape of the song goes along way towards providing clues about what the bass might be doing.

Zombbg4 · #8 01-22-2009, 03:13 PM

Singing is super important. Another thing, when im going to bed or on the bus I will play a bass line in my head while imagining fret positions. It seriously helps.

Deacon_Blues · #9 01-22-2009, 03:19 PM

Start to play the melody of simple child songs like twinkle twinkle on your bass. Just imagine the song in your head first, then find the starting note. When you're done, play the melody by ear until you have it nailed down correctly.

I say "simple child songs" because they have simple melodies that are easy to remember. Psalms or other songs with easy, well-defined melodies that you remember well might work as well. When you can do this well enough, move on to more advanced melodies.

Btw, how well do you know your music theory? (scales, chord progressions etc)

Fassa Albrecht · #10 01-22-2009, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

Btw, how well do you know your music theory? (scales, chord progressions etc)

I know my theory reasonably well, although chords I'm not too sure about. I can play triads/dyads well though.

MagnaKen · #11 01-22-2009, 05:09 PM

Check out this website, www.musictheory.net

There are some great utilities and trainers and they are free. They can help you nail intervals, but it takes time

rakirksey · #12 01-22-2009, 05:12 PM

You might actually try transcribing songs ... simple at first and then as you get better more difficult songs.

The more stuff I transcribe I find my ears get better as a side effect. That's the bonus.

HelloJerk · #13 01-22-2009, 05:17 PM

I like the TV drill myself. I also recommend figuring out songs in other ways (sheet music, or the dreaded tabs) to develop your ear. Practice with and without the music on in the background.

Fassa Albrecht · #14 01-22-2009, 05:19 PM

I think I'm going slowly deaf...

Phil Smith · #15 01-23-2009, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

I think I'm going slowly deaf...

Nah, I think you just don't have the ability to recognize what you're hearing. You can hear but you can't identify what you've heard. I'm willing to bet there you have favorite songs that you can hear in your head and also play them back in your head. You can take these melodies that you can playback in your head and play them on the bass. It's a tedious process but it does get easier the more you do it, you just haven't done it enough.

GeneralElectric · #16 01-23-2009, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

I think I'm going slowly deaf...

Ask your private audiologist.

I mean, in 2 hours, you managed to go to his office, confirm your home diagnosis, and come back to TB to post the findings.

Ear training isn't hard, but honestly, not everyone can do it. Not everyone has an ear for music you know.

Fergie Fulton · #17 01-23-2009, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

Ear training isn't hard, but honestly, not everyone can do it. Not everyone has an ear for music you know.

I have reletive pitch not perfect pitch. It was identified when i was younger by my music teachers. In all ear training exercises i done, i always got a note played, told what it was and then asked to identify other notes, chords, or intervals from it. Forty years on it has served me good with not a problem and if you play a note to me without a reference note i would still not be able to identify it.

**Vorago** · #18 01-23-2009, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

Yes, but after a year I can't even identify single notes, yet alone basslines.

Try identifying intervals, unless you have perfect hearing identifying single notes probably won't be possible, and whole basslines might be to difficult to start with.

**Mark Wilson** · #19 01-23-2009, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

Should add I've been playing almost 3 years too.

I've been doing ear training for 3 years and I still suck at it.

It'll take time.

basscheez · #20 01-23-2009, 09:18 AM

I use "interval mnemonics" to remember intervals. Play 2 notes, and think of a song that starts with that interval.

i.e. Here comes the bride - Perfect 4th
Maria (West Side Story) - Maj 7
NBC tones - Maj 6

Sorry to be so US-centric, but those are the ones I use.