Connecting Ear Training to Arpeggios
Connecting Ear Training to Arpeggios
Goal Two:
Connecting Ear Training to Arpeggios is the next goal with practicing ear training as you practice on your instrument. The first step is to apply singing to some common exercises. A typical exercise students do is to play arpeggios, so let’s look at getting some ear training going with arpeggios. Two initial exercises are a good place to start. Again, use a C MetroDrone® set at 50 BPM and play two notes of each arpeggio for each beat of the MetroDrone®. Again watch your technique so that you have ergonomic movement. Now try to sing the arpeggio. If it was a C Major 7 arpeggio you would sing Do, Me, So and Ti. Initially you want to learn 9 arpeggios all in C:
- C Major 7 = 1, 3, 5, 7
- C Minor 7 = 1, b3, 5, 7
- C Dominant = 1, 3, 5, b7
- C7sus4 = 1, 4, 5, b7
- C-7b5 = 1, b3, b5, b7
- C Dim7 = 1,b3, b5, bb7
- C-Major 7 = 1, b3, 5 7
- C Major 7#5 = 1, 3, #5, 7
- C7#5 = 1, 3, #5, b7
I would tackle one new arpeggio each week in the key of C. The ultimate goal is to play all of these arpeggios in all twelve keys. I would move cycle 5 i.e. C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, B, E, A, D to learn them in all keys. This will really help with connecting ear training to arpeggios
Another exercise you can do as you are adding arpeggios in C each week, is playing and singing roots of a chord progression. Let’s take a classic progression in C. I, vi, ii, V I . In C that would be C, A-, D-, G7, C. We are only going to play and then sing the roots of every chord. First find C, A, D, G and C roots on your instrument. Put on a C MetroDrone® at 50 BPM so that you hear all of these notes in the key of C. Play one note for every sound of the MetroDrone®. Once you have completed that, it’s time to sing these notes. Again, try out of time first, then with the C MetroDrone® sounding try to first sing the note “C” call it “Do” and then check if you are right on your instrument. Then move to “A” or “La, then “D” or “Re” and finally “G” or “So.” Continue doing this every day until you build up the ability to start singing the notes in time with the MetroDrone®.
The next step in connecting ear training to arpeggios is to sing the root and 5th of each chord of the C. I, vi, ii, V I progression. So for C, the notes would be “C” or “Do” and “G” or “So.” Next, the A minor chord will be “A” or “La” and “E” or “Me.” Then the D minor chord which will be “D” or “Re” and “A” or “La” and finally G7 will be “G” or “So” and “D” or “Re.” That will take time to master and sing and play in time but you have 9 arpeggios to learn in the meantime so by the time you are done with those you should be able to sing through a C, A-, D-, G7, C singing the roots and 5th of each chord in the key center and in time.
The Historic Precedents Of This Kind Of Music Education
You might enjoy checking out the “Music Education Genealogy Chart” located on my artist’s site. You will clearly see the historic progression of pedagogy that is the basis for Muse Eek Publishing Products. Great musicians throughout history have been studying the ideas presented by Muse-eek.com which derives its content from a a lineage that stretches back to Scarlatti!
