Do Not Think Intervals When Doing Ear Training

Do Not Think Intervals When Doing Ear Training

Q: I still have one simple question. You say to listen to the CD with all of the notes. So, should I just put the cd in and listen from the beginning straight through for fifteen minutes or so? It sounds like you recommend this mostly, but I still believe that it might overwhelm me, that I won’t have any way that my mind can start to really distinguish the different intervals. So, is this the way that you designed the course to be practiced, or is it also necessary to focus in on some particular intervals in the beginning?

A: First remember “Do Not Think Intervals When Doing Ear Training” you are not thinking intervals you are listening for the unique sound of each note within the key. Interval denotes a distance. You are not trying to hear the distance of one note to another or the distance of the notes from the tonic. Second you can make special tapes or CDs of certain notes you can also put your CD into a computer CD drive or a high end CD player and program which tracks the CD player will play. You should also just listen to the CD in shuffle play each day so you hear all notes. Remember at the beginning –and I mean the first couple of months– you shouldn’t worry about how many notes you get correct as you listen, you should just listen and try to remember sound. This will happen naturally if you listen to the CD 4 to 5 times a day for 10 minutes. Also remember not to miss a day. At the beginning it is extremely important to listen every day. You might want to get the 25 Ear Training Tips Video Course that will give you a good background and answer many of the common questions I get. Hopefully you are also working out of either the Contextual Ear Training or Fanatic’s Guide to Ear Training and Sight Singing which will greatly improve your progress with this method. Also don’t forget about the Ear Training Direct Application courses once you get up to 50% with the Ear Training One Note Complete

Hope that helps

Bruce

It is also recommended that you read Bruce Arnold’s Blog at his artist site. It contains more discussion of the musical topics found in these FAQs as well as other subjects of interest. You will also find the “Music Education Genealogy Chart” located here which shows you the historic significance of the music education products found on the Muse Eek Publishing Company Website.