Listening for Notes in a Scale as Opposed to Intervals

Listening for Notes in a Scale as Opposed to Intervals

Q: I just picked up my guitar tonight for the first time since starting Ear Training One Note Complete. I tuned the low E string with a tuner. I usually tune the remaining strings by ear by thinking “ok find a perfect fourth up to get the A, then another fourth up for a D, etc. (usually playing two adjacent strings at the same time). This time, inspired by Ear Training One Note Complete I decided to tune the strings in random order by thinking “ok, the low E is in my head, now what does a G sound like?”, then “what does the high E sound like? the D” etc. and playing only that string until it sounded right.

I’ll be damned – I tuned the guitar that way with no problem, just trying to hear to the notes in my head out of thin air – not thinking or listening for intervals. I don’t know how this relates to finding the notes relative to a key, but at any rate it feels more like what I am doing in Ear Training One Note Complete.

A: That’s great news. In the book Fanatic’s Guide to Ear Training and Sight Singing I talk a lot about prehearing sounds in your head to help you memorize the sound of each note within a key center. You just got a taste of how it can be used and the power of such a tool.

Best Regards,

Bruce

Weird. I really would never, ever have thought I could do that by listening in my head. At last I have hopes that eventually the training wheels will finally come off my musical bike after all these decades.

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.