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A fun ear training method for a lazy Sunday morning


Pernax

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I just had a nice hour's worth of ear training that didn't even seem like training at all - Playing along side with "Atlantic Soul Radio" on iTunes. The station's list consists mostly of Motown and soul stuff, some of which I've heard several times, but most of which I've never heard before.

 

I have a big cup of coffee handy so when a new song starts I'll take a sip and listen to what the bass player is doing and then jump right in.

 

For the most part, the songs are quite simple in structure so it doesn't take too long to get the notes and feel right, and it's really fun to anticipate the chords and changes on stuff you've never heard - a bit like a controlled jam.

 

Anyone else train like this?

 

-P

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Great idea! Nice way to spend your morning. I usually play along on YouTube with whatever song pops up, but I seem to gravitate toward Stevie Wonder songs to have fun... Why not play along with all of Motown! Going to try it with Pandora this week.
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I do this sometimes either after practice or when I don't feel like reading music or lessons. It is a cool way to mess around and actually learn at the same time.

"Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, yet you cannot play upon me.'-Hamlet

 

Guitar solos last 30 seconds, the bass line lasts for the whole song.

 

 

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I need to do this, thanks, before my bass gets sold - I hope not to have to, but need the bucks, LOL while crying! Seriously, I can also learn the bass lines on the low four strings of the guitar, and I have Standing In The Shadow of Motown re James Jamerson - of course, that's not EAR TRAINING, LOL!

Where I REALLY need ear training is jazz chords and bass lines - though I can usually nab the melodies right away on guitar and improvise over the simple® chord progressions. Any suggestions, apart from "play along with records" and "listen a lot"??

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I believe that reading music can help develop ones ear. When you learn something through reading you hear it when playing it and then can use that experience to just listening to something if it is similar to what you have learned by reading. I hope I'm making sense since I'm not sure I've put how I feel about this into the words here.

 

Wally

I have basses to play, places to be and good music to make!
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Yes, you have to internalize it, and listening while reading is great. Sometimes the transcription is not accurate; it might be a different version of the tune, etc. etc. There are even variant manuscripts for Bach pieces (and the BIBLE, LOL).....

 

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