Turning Off Interval Training for Ear Training
Turning Off Interval Training for Ear Training
Turning Off Interval Training for Ear Training
Q: I purchased the Ear Training One Note Complete, and have been working with it for about a month by limiting the exercises to only the diatonic major scale. I have never seriously done ear training before, and have been pleased with my progress in note recognition in a relatively short time. The root, second and seventh in particular have characteristic sounds that I can detect. Despite this, the middle intervals are still a little hard to distinguish for me. I was considering also doing some interval training at the same time, particularly harmonic interval training; however, I am a little concerned about this, having read that you essentially had to unlearn interval training for the one-note method to take seed. How does interval training interfere with this method? Can it not simply be turned on and off? What about harmonic interval recognition? Is this what is addressed in the Two-Note and higher methods?
A: I wouldn't recommend working on more than one ear training technique at once. It is my belief that once you are able to do my ear training technique you will not be in need of any other. If you are concerned about improving quickly I would recommend first recommend you work from the Ear Training One Note Complete and Fanatic's Guide to Sight Singing or Contextual Ear Training Course 10 times a day for each book for 10 minutes. Second as soon as you are getting 50% with the Ear Training One Note I would branch off to the Direct Application books so that you could apply the
"one note" method to real music. Also if you are practicing an instrument I would recommend working with the MetroDrone and the Jam Tracks Volume One. Both of these will help you to hear everything you are practicing in a key center.
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.