Ear training tips anyone ??

aniss1001 · #1 12-13-2011, 12:09 AM

Hi all,

I seem to be stuck with my ear training / transcribing and I would ver much apreciate any tips I can get.

I have been playing guitar for some years but I'm still rather new to jazz. I would really like to begin doing some serious (solo) transcribing but I simple can't =(

What can I do:
* Make out basic melodies. That is hearing a melody and making out the notes in my head and singing them.
* Make out basic chords.
* Once I got a melody in my head I can usually play it directly on the guitar.
* Recognize intervals (been using some software for this and I'm getting pretty good at it).

What CAN'T I do:
* Make out fast frases.
* Make out frases using chromatism or other "weird" stuff like diminished frases.
* Make out complex chords ("weird" inversions / extensions, slash chords, etc).

So I have sort of hit a wall. I simple haven't been able to transcribe an entire solo so far. There is always some point where I just can't make out the notes no matter how many times I hear a frase. Often I can make out the general "sound" (eg. dorian or diminished) and play something that sounds like it. But that's it.

Does anyone have a tip as to how I can get over this problem ?

Bill C · #2 12-13-2011, 12:39 AM

are you using software - eg Transcribe! - to help with transcribing the fast lines?

aniss1001 · #3 12-13-2011, 12:58 AM

I have been using AIMP2 which is just a player. But it can slow down the speed to half pace but that's often not enough. I will try to check out the software you mentioned. But still it's not just that. For instance I have been transcribing some Bach for solo chello which I found quite easy. It's all based on basic scales/chords, the rythm is slow and steady, no other instruments/sounds interfere, every note is well articulated, etc.. But once I but on a jazz tune there are several instruments, the bass is not always playing the base note of the chords, the chords are not always derived from the church modes and are not stacks of thirds, they use notes in between the scales (passing notes/chromatism), etc.. It's just to much for my ear and it simple can't cope :/ Anyway thanks for the reply

Drumbler · #4 12-13-2011, 06:47 AM

Ear training:

Sing (scat) everything you play.

Scat the melody, your solo, scat the root note of your chords.

Transcribing:

Use a slow down program. Transcribe can slow down to 5% of normal. I use it or I'd never figure out the lines some people play. Too fast.

fep · #5 12-13-2011, 11:31 AM

It seems to me that you've made good progress on your ear training but you are now trying to skip ahead a few steps. As if you've done steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and now your trying to skip ahead to step 10, skipping steps 6, 7, 8, & 9.

How about choosing simpler jazz tunes and progress step by step from there? (That seems so obvious, so I guess I should apologize for stating the obvious)

aniss1001 · #6 12-13-2011, 07:24 PM

Hey thanks a lot for the replies

Keep 'em comin'

My problem with singing is that I don't sing very well. I have a VERY small register (around 1 1/2 octave I think) and I find it really exhausting. So singing along with what I play (in particular when imporvising) is simply TOO limiting. I just can't play anything like that. However I often do sing along with frases in solos I hear. And the strange thing is that when I'm not concious about it I think I get it right, but once I start thinking about it it all goes out the window. I also did try to find some very simple tunes like eg. So What but even that one I had to give up at some point. Yes I know .. it's as simple as they get

I also noticed that either I pretty much get a frase right away or I just don't get it no matter how many times I repeat it. There is no middle ground. Either it's easy or simple imposible. I can't help thinking that my problem is somehow a MENTAL one ?! Thanks again for the replies

aniss1001 · #7 12-13-2011, 07:27 PM

Hmm.. don't know why this forum is eating my line breaks? You guys seem to have no problem putting line breaks in your posts?!

backliner · #8 12-13-2011, 07:30 PM

When I was in College music, I found taking a Choir class really helped my sight-singing, which is the reverse process.

Made lots of music problems easier to connect to in a visual (staff) way, when away from the piano.

As far as line breaks, I do two and start a new paragraph.

aniss1001 · #9 12-14-2011, 08:53 PM

Thanks for all the replies. I have downloaded this Transcribe! software and will check it out ASAP. I guess most frases will be audible once slowed down enough. So that takes care of single note lines.

I'll also try singing more than I do. I really hate singing but I guess there is no way around it

But one more question: Like I said I can pretty much recognize all intervals all of the time. Using eartraining software I went from 0 % to nearly 100 % correct in the last months. But I just don't find that useful. What do I do next? Anyone can recommend exercices or software or whatever that will help me recognize CHORDS?

aniss1001 · #10 02-08-2012, 11:20 PM

Sorry for reviving this old thread (my 1st on this forum). Just wanna say that thanks to the advice and not least this Transcribe! software I finally started being able to transcribe some more advanced stuff. I even transcribed an entire Scofield solo recently

I still have problems with harmonies / chords. I just can't pick them out. I seem to only hear the top note properly and I don't quite know how to beat that so any advice here is still welcome.

Anyway thanks guys

raylinds · #11 02-09-2012, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aniss1001

Sorry for reviving this old thread (my 1st on this forum). Just wanna say that thanks to the advice and not least this Transcribe! software I finally started being able to transcribe some more advanced stuff. I even transcribed an entire Scofield solo recently

I still have problems with harmonies / chords. I just can't pick them out. I seem to only hear the top note properly and I don't quite know how to beat that so any advice here is still welcome.

Anyway thanks guys

Congratulations, and keep it up. One of the things I find about playing jazz (applies to all music, but especially jazz IMHO), there are going to be times when you hit a wall and can't seem to make progress (I'm there right now ), and you want to throw your hands up and move on to something else, BUT, if you do the opposite and apply yourself a little harder, you will break through it.

eddy b. · #12 02-15-2012, 10:29 AM

Sing everything that you cant hear ie. diminished scales, arpeggio's, chord voicing's, bop heads sing sing sing. The chords are hard to hear until you REALLY know guitar chord voicings ala George Van Epps. You can do it just try not to be in a hurry and get yourself all frustrated your ear will come together. Good Luck!!!

JazzHifi · #13 04-23-2012, 03:55 PM

Quote:

I still have problems with harmonies / chords. I just can't pick them out. I seem to only hear the top note properly I don't quite know how to beat that so any advice here is still welcome.

me too....also with basic melodies :-(

I'm very motivated even though my results are poor.
Especially hearing chords, changes and finding a note on the fretboard after hearing it.....

Therefor i'm looking for a construtive ear training.

Actually i do this:

20 min Intervall Training with EarMaster
20 min IWasDoingAllRight - Jazz Blog, Ear Training, Jazz Trumpet, Atlanta Jazz - Intervalls and finding the notes on the fretboard
20 min transcripe a solo with Transcripe

Maybe you have a better ear training program?!
How would you organize such an ear training?