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How do you learn by ear?

#7
jrklmx(Andrew) said:
Solfege
If the chord sounds Sad, it's not going to be major.
Pick some of your favorite songs, try singing them!
You'll know how it sounds in your head, play the same notes on your bass, guitar, piano, whistle etc
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Which sounds sadder, a Cmaj6 or an Amin7?
 
#9
Rudreax said:
Above all else, learn to recognize intervals. All music is just a bunch of intervals, and knowing them will help you learn music faster because you can just know what's being played through intervals.
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This. The first thing I learned in my journy to become a competent bassist were scales (I started with the Major and the modes and then went with Harmonic Minor and it´s modes too). The most important thing I have learned with scales was to reconigse the intervals (althrought the pratice of scales really helped my chops, the ear training was the most usefull thing I got from it).

I think that if you pratice the Major scale and it´s modes correctly (not just playing it linearly one octave up and then down. By the way, this Pacman´s post about the pratice of scales is very usefull in that aspect, read it. --> http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50170 ) you can begin to familierise your mind/ear/inner voice in the recognition of intervals. (I know theres some lousy grammar on that sentence but I only know some english and a lot of engrish).

Soo, too make my point, I think the only advice I can give you is: - pratice scales in the way Pacman told us about in his post above and start singing some thing (anything, any piece of crap melody is good enough for that matter) into a recorder and try to play it.

I hope that is of use to you or someone :)

PS: Ed Fuqua --> Nice one, nothing like a good porcion of pwnage mixed with a little food for thought ;)

ALSO: Check out "Ultimate Ear Training For Guitar & Bass" by Gary Willis, I started studying it a some time ago and I find it very helpfull. I recomend it.
 
#10
v1paul said:
I've been playing bass for a while now and I'm seeing improvements but I'm still really really struggling to transcribe things by ear. Has anybody got any good methods of learning by ear?
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This tool is super
http://www.seventhstring.com/

For myself, I find that its useful to learn some songs by tab as well (either other songs or the "answer" to your transcription). There are times when after I read the tab, I find that I was playing the wrong octave, or I was playing extra notes (especially funk), and I corrected myself and it helped me to transcribe the next song.
 
#14
You might want to check out the following threads for some excellent software/websites that can help improve your ear.
~Ear training
Goodear.com
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Free downloadable ear trainer (basic/advanced) Solfege. Great program
Free downloadable sing and learn treble/bass clef program
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Discussion of Solfege
Bassist's guide to singing
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Also check out the following software BestPractice-free, easy to use, ,slow downer/pitch shifter/looper(can record/loop modified section)/vocal remover/karoake,isolate bass/treble(bass backing track maker).

It can help you pick out the bass lines much easier.

Combining the ear training, intervals, singing and using Best Practice, you will improve your skills that allow you to "play by ear". Also, play melodies from various songs that you already know: Star Spangled Banner, kid songs, TV theme songs, etc.

It takes time and practice to improve, but it's doable.

Good luck.
 
#17
Alot of practice. It's a good idea, although not imparative, to have a good knowledge of theory. If you can determine the key of the song, it makes it much easier. Just take 1 note at a time. Listen to the song and find the firt note on your bass. Just go one note at a time until you have the entire line,
 

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