Adding Notes One at a Time with Ear Training
Adding Notes One at a Time with Ear Training
Adding Notes One at a Time with Ear Training
Q:Thanks for answering my questions so promptly — it shows that you care. As I mentioned, I’ve been working with your Ear Training One Note Complete training course for about 2 weeks now. At first, it was pretty overwhelming — all those notes! And I had very few correct guesses. To minimize the frustration, I decided to make a CD with only the tonic, third and fifth on it. The other day I added the flat 7. In one of your raps, you mention that this is OK to do but I don’t recall you mentioning which elements it would be best to start off with. Was I correct about choosing 1,3,5,7? If so, is there any particular order of scale degrees I should add next?
A:I don’t really have an order for adding tones. I also can’t say I totally recommend starting with notes and adding on. I find that it helps some students and not others. I think this is based on how people learn and everyone learns a little differently. If you feel it is helping then continue adding tones in any order you feel is appropriate. I have found that the real thing to help you improve with the ear training CD is working out of the Fanatic’s Guide to Ear Training and Sight Singing. The singing will not only help you get the notes on the CD faster but will also help you apply this technique to real music. Overall I’d have to recommend patience. You are programming or in some cases reprogramming the way you hear sound. This is no small matter. The important thing is to keep a positive attitude and believe in yourself. Everyone who works hard at this method gets it and it makes a major difference in your musical ability.
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.