How to Develop A Good Musical Ear
What Do We Mean By Having A Good Ear?
We can mean several things. When we say someone has a good ear, they should be able to do the following:
- identify, using note name, pitches they hear, and sing back pitches in tune
- identify chords by name
- identify instruments in a musical work.
Having a good ear is something most musicians should strive for. Having a bad ear means that you can’t identify the music you are hearing which is an important ability for performers or composers.
The Importance Of Having A Good Musical Ear
Songwriters-having a good ear is vital because the best way to improve your songwriting craft is to listen to the music of the professionals. But if you can’t really identify what you are hearing, you’re missing out on opportunities to improve.
Music Teachers-Music teachers often report that there is a close relationship between ear training ability and music theory knowledge. They say they can usually tell how well a student is doing in one area by looking at their progress in the other. Furthermore, teachers can predict if there is a deficiency in one area but progress in the other, the skills will equalize over time. They also report the most important thing a music student can do is to improve their music theory skills first. This helps your ear have a guide for understanding what they are hearing.
Other Suggestions For Improving Your Musical Ear
- Check out the ear training websites out there. Search for “online ear training” for additional resources
- Purchase some ear training software. It’s a great way to build your skills at your own pace.
Practicing your instrument is definitely important to becoming a better musician. Just make sure not to neglect your ear training.
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