| Playing by ear is the ability to play a piece of music (or, | | | | is the same as learning a language; it's acquired by |
| eventually, learn an instrument) by simply listening to it | | | | years of hearing it, eventually coupled with formal |
| repeatedly. The majority of self-taught musicians | | | | training. Just like we pick up our language by listening to |
| began their education this way; they picked up their | | | | our parents and subsequently attending school, we can |
| instrument and began playing an easy melody from a | | | | learn music by playing by ear and later taking formal |
| well-known song, slowly picking out the notes as they | | | | lessons. |
| went along. And even after these musicians master | | | | So can the average person ever hope to play their |
| their instruments or a particular song, playing by ear still | | | | piano by ear? Maybe not to the degree that some |
| plays a large role. | | | | extremely talented musicians do, but anyone can learn |
| Many pop and rock bands don't play or write their | | | | enough about the basics of playing by ear if they learn |
| songs based on sheet music, they figure the songs out | | | | the following skills: |
| by playing by ear. It's even common among | | | | Being able to hear a tune and have a general sense |
| non-musicians. Ever sit down a piano and mindlessly | | | | of the contour of the melody -- when the tune moves |
| pick out the tune to "Mary Had a Little Lamb"? What | | | | higher or lower as the song progresses. |
| about grabbing a guitar and suddenly finding yourself | | | | Learning to chart that melody contour either on paper |
| playing the opening licks to "Smoke on the Water"? | | | | or in their memory. |
| That's playing by ear. You're able to play part of the | | | | Learning to match the melody to appropriate chords. |
| song just because you've heard it so often. | | | | Playing by ear is really a combination of of three |
| Playing by ear is a valuable technique for many | | | | factors: |
| musicians; learning songs based solely on hearing them | | | | 1. Using your tonal memory to recall music you have |
| is a great way to understand song and chord | | | | heard: |
| structure. In fact, a great number of rock and pop | | | | 2. Using your ears and fingers to help you reproduce |
| musicians learned to play their instruments this way. | | | | what you recall; |
| Instead of picking up a book or taking lessons, they | | | | 3. Using "melody contour" (the "shape" of the tune), |
| concentrated on figuring out the notes and rhythms to | | | | "chord structure" (how to form the chords on the |
| a song until it was mastered. Then they moved on to | | | | keyboard to match the tune), and "chord progressions" |
| another song. And another. Gradually, they learned | | | | (the path chords take as they move through a song). |
| their instrument just by playing by ear -- and in the | | | | Obviously, the first 2 steps you can take more or less |
| process learned how to effectively structure a song in | | | | by yourself -- you can mentally rehearse recalling a |
| that particular genre. | | | | particular tune; you can sit at the piano for hours and |
| Playing by ear is also beneficial in helping a musician | | | | through trial and error pick out tunes, chords, and |
| develop his or her own style; sure, they'll at first mimic | | | | rhythms. But the real key to playing by ear is learning |
| the style of the song they're imitating, but the | | | | how to chart the shape of a tune, learn how to |
| amalgamation of the music that they're playing by ear | | | | construct chords, and then determine the likelihood of |
| will help them create something distinctive, something | | | | chord progressions -- in other words, which chord |
| indicative of them only. | | | | comes next. |
| Though classical musicians are generally educated | | | | When you get an understanding of step three, you will |
| based on tons of music theory and sight reading, some | | | | be in a MUCH better position to understand and profit |
| methods rely on playing by ear. The Suzuki method of | | | | from steps one and two! |
| musical training, for instance, claims that learning music | | | | |