Ear Training/singing audio books? Books or Beato Ear Training

dean111music · October 2020

Hi

One of my students asked if i would recommend any material to improve his ear training/singing.

He would love to be at the point where he can listen to a song and know what the chords are, play melodies for ear etc Improvise etc. I think I have inspired him to start focussing on this as Technically he is efficient.

He travels to work by car and its 1 hour commute so he was hoping to use this time to focus on ear training or singing.

Is there any programmes, audio books anyone would recommend where he can do this while he drives? Don't know if that sounds dangerous to you

Or is it best for his to study when he is at home with something like an app (Beato Ear Training) Or just use a book i have recommended?

viz · October 2020

Honestly, I think the best way is to listen to music, actively. Choose music that is really harmonious and melodic, such as some or some rock ballads, or Ella Fitzgerald, or even some Christmas Carols, and just LISTEN, really concentrate on what the music is actually doing. Hum along, at times focusing on the melody, at other times imagining he's the bass player, singing the root of each chord.

Interspersed with those car journeys he can read up about theory, or go to some chord sheets and check whether what he's sung adds up to what he's reading.

nickp · November 2020

I have tried/am trying the beato app

stuck on third quiz - harmonic (ie a chord) identifying the major vs minor 3rd played as two notes (root and 3rd). It's not that impressive as far as I can tell so far.

bit pissed off as there is a short video clip then a test. all for too much money although in fairness I haven't got far. Had quite a few goes at it but it's not improving

I can tell a major vs minor if played onw after another same chord as it were but not random ones. I could probably have a sporting chance if it was single notes played one after another and practiced singing the interval, but chords - na struggling

monquixote · November 2020

My buddy Chris runs this site which is very focussed towards ear training and has a number of apps etc: https://www.musical-u.com/learn/topic/ear-training/

viz · November 2020

nickp said:

I have tried/am trying the beato app

stuck on third quiz - harmonic (ie a chord) identifying the major vs minor 3rd played as two notes (root and 3rd). It's not that impressive as far as I can tell so far.

bit pissed off as there is a short video clip then a test. all for too much money although in fairness I haven't got far. Had quite a few goes at it but it's not improving

I can tell a major vs minor if played onw after another same chord as it were but not random ones. I could probably have a sporting chance if it was single notes played one after another and practiced singing the interval, but chords - na struggling

There is no way other than to keep practising, and keep in mind this goal: if you can manage to identify the 1 chord, and whether it’s major or minor, correctly, every time, then you are at the start of a journey that ends with you getting a distinction in grade 8 theory. Just keep going!

viz · November 2020

viz said:

nickp said:

I have tried/am trying the beato app

stuck on third quiz - harmonic (ie a chord) identifying the major vs minor 3rd played as two notes (root and 3rd). It's not that impressive as far as I can tell so far.

bit pissed off as there is a short video clip then a test. all for too much money although in fairness I haven't got far. Had quite a few goes at it but it's not improving

I can tell a major vs minor if played onw after another same chord as it were but not random ones. I could probably have a sporting chance if it was single notes played one after another and practiced singing the interval, but chords - na struggling

There is no way other than to keep practising, and keep in mind this goal: if you can manage to identify the 1 chord, and whether it’s major or minor, correctly, every time, then you are at the start of a journey that ends with you getting a distinction in grade 8 theory. Just keep going!

Tell you what; listen to this a few times. Kabalevsky plays around with the major and minor, alternating between the two.

The two sounds should become completely unconfusable with each other after a bit.

https://youtu.be/iD2aAFuNauY

nickp · November 2020

thanks @viz i will have a go

kelpbeds · November 2020

Use the app Functional Ear Trainer - it is superb. Way better than all the other apps. And you can use it while driving on 'listen' mode. I do this a lot!

roman_sub · November 2020

+1 functional ear trainer

guitarmangler · November 2020

roman_sub said:

+1 functional ear trainer

+2

octatonic · November 2020

Just transcribe songs.

You get the same skill set over time and you get context, plus a vocabulary.

dean111music · November 2020

kelpbeds said:

Use the app Functional Ear Trainer - it is superb. Way better than all the other apps. And you can use it while driving on 'listen' mode. I do this a lot!

thank you! Just downloaded it but couldn't find the "listen mode" ? where would this be?

So you just learn intervals?

Blueingreen · November 2020

octatonic said:

Just transcribe songs.
You get the same skill set over time and you get context, plus a vocabulary.

Don't think I agree with this. I'd been transcribing songs for quite a long time before I tried doing specific ear training exercises, but I still got a noticeable improvement from doing them.

Greatape · November 2020

I got lots of the basics down through teaching myself nursery rhymes by ear. Sounds daft, but they are usually well composed and keep to the main intervals..

Cranky · December 2020

nickp said:

I have tried/am trying the beato app

stuck on third quiz - harmonic (ie a chord) identifying the major vs minor 3rd played as two notes (root and 3rd). It's not that impressive as far as I can tell so far.

bit pissed off as there is a short video clip then a test. all for too much money although in fairness I haven't got far. Had quite a few goes at it but it's not improving

I can tell a major vs minor if played onw after another same chord as it were but not random ones. I could probably have a sporting chance if it was single notes played one after another and practiced singing the interval, but chords - na struggling

I just started today and am baffled by the first "intervals" section on distinguishing between major and minor 2nds. It's like you said, I can tell the difference if you play them next to each other, but out of the blue I'm just guessing. The tones are totally blending together, I can't even pick out which is the root. I keep going over to the piano to play the intervals to myself, and I've been trying to sing "do re mi" but with a flattened "re," it's totally foreign to my lazy western ears.

Cranky · December 2020

Cranky said:

nickp said:

I have tried/am trying the beato app

stuck on third quiz - harmonic (ie a chord) identifying the major vs minor 3rd played as two notes (root and 3rd). It's not that impressive as far as I can tell so far.

bit pissed off as there is a short video clip then a test. all for too much money although in fairness I haven't got far. Had quite a few goes at it but it's not improving

I can tell a major vs minor if played onw after another same chord as it were but not random ones. I could probably have a sporting chance if it was single notes played one after another and practiced singing the interval, but chords - na struggling

I just started today and am baffled by the first "intervals" section on distinguishing between major and minor 2nds. It's like you said, I can tell the difference if you play them next to each other, but out of the blue I'm just guessing. The tones are totally blending together, I can't even pick out which is the root. I keep going over to the piano to play the intervals to myself, and I've been trying to sing "do re mi" but with a flattened "re," it's totally foreign to my lazy western ears.

Okay, definitely worth putting in the time. I went from being totally clueless on harmonic minor/major 2nd to getting a 92% after about 30+ minutes of practicing. It really helps to hum along with the notes and hum the interval, gets to be pretty visceral after a while.

Thanks to @kelpbeds for the Functional Ear Training app recommendation. Something productive to do on the phone now other than mindlessly browse gear whilst pretending that I'm about to open the Kindle app.

bwets · December 2020

Cranky said:

nickp said:

I have tried/am trying the beato app

stuck on third quiz - harmonic (ie a chord) identifying the major vs minor 3rd played as two notes (root and 3rd). It's not that impressive as far as I can tell so far.

bit pissed off as there is a short video clip then a test. all for too much money although in fairness I haven't got far. Had quite a few goes at it but it's not improving

I can tell a major vs minor if played onw after another same chord as it were but not random ones. I could probably have a sporting chance if it was single notes played one after another and practiced singing the interval, but chords - na struggling

I just started today and am baffled by the first "intervals" section on distinguishing between major and minor 2nds. It's like you said, I can tell the difference if you play them next to each other, but out of the blue I'm just guessing. The tones are totally blending together, I can't even pick out which is the root. I keep going over to the piano to play the intervals to myself, and I've been trying to sing "do re mi" but with a flattened "re," it's totally foreign to my lazy western ears.

Eventually you just learn to recognise them but I find it easier to hear them with reference to a song. For minor second I use Jaws and for a major second I use the major scale.This website has plenty of examples:

https://www.earmaster.com/products/free-tools/interval-song-chart-generator.html

Blueingreen · December 2020

There's a free and fairly comprehensive set of exercises available here. It's a more traditional approach than functional ear trainer but the two would complement one another.

https://tonedear.com/

eog · December 2020

I've recently started using an app called Earpeggio, which looks promising. Have also heard good things about Functional Ear Trainer

Rowby1 · February 2021

Been using the Functional app for a few weeks now (following the recommendations on this thread). I’m not sure if it’s making a difference yet but I’m really quite enjoying the challenge. I’m doing 10-15mins a day with the odd day off.

allen · July 2021

dean111music said:

kelpbeds said:

Use the app Functional Ear Trainer - it is superb. Way better than all the other apps. And you can use it while driving on 'listen' mode. I do this a lot!

thank you! Just downloaded it but couldn't find the "listen mode" ? where would this be?

So you just learn intervals?

The listen mode doesn't work on an iphone, only on android. I contacted the developer, but they have no current plans to add the function to the iphone version (they said maybe in about a year).

wizbit81 · July 2021

Do NOT do any ear training stuff in the car would be my suggestion. It requires focus and even when you are pretty advanced and recognise most stuff instantly there's a microsecond where you are listening and thinking and not concentrating on what you are doing. After about 30 mins of it I need a nap as well because of how much concentration it's taken, so another reason not to do it while driving. Just as dangerous as looking at your phone I reckon.
As for home stuff, I've said it before and I'll say it again.... Functional ear training app for melodic dictation and key retention ear training, but Beato for recognition of sounds. Complimentary and both excellent and anyone slagging either of them doesn't know what they are talking about.

tabano · October 2021

Cranky said:

I just started today and am baffled by the first "intervals" section on distinguishing between major and minor 2nds. It's like you said, I can tell the difference if you play them next to each other, but out of the blue I'm just guessing. The tones are totally blending together, I can't even pick out which is the root. I keep going over to the piano to play the intervals to myself, and I've been trying to sing "do re mi" but with a flattened "re," it's totally foreign to my lazy western

If you are trying to sing a C major triad (CEG) , try ignoring the G at the beginning, concentrate on travelling from C to E,
if you struggle to jump from C to E practice C to D, it will make you aware of what a whole tone interval is,
then you can try again and if still doesn’t happen try singing from D to E ,
by then you’d have divided the transition from
C to E in 2 steps and it should give your a better understanding of what you are aiming to hear. You will be aware of what a whole tone is and how does it sound,
then try to find the middle spot within a whole tone so for instance, if you are trying to sing C minor ( CEbG ) concentrate on travelling from D to E AND stopping half way through, the best is to “ slide” the D to the E when you sing it so you get to go through everything between those 2 notes,
in my opinion doing this with every interval in a triad is much more beneficial than the whole Do Re Mi.. scale at the beginning ( and possibly always is..),

viz · October 2021

And think of songs that you really know well, to help you with the intervals.

Minor second: the jaws cello theme. Daaa..dum. Daaaaaa..dum

Major second: you already know Do-Re. Mine is Kabelwsky’s Clowns.

Minor 3rd: green sleeves

Major 3rd: while shepherds watch ..

Etc.

Don’t look on google (or my post) for examples. Sing the interval repeatedly until a tune you know pops into your head. Then you’ll know you’ve got it.

Brad · October 2021

What did people do before audio books and apps etc?

They used their instrument and their voice.

Sometimes the old ways are still the best.

It’s sounds like your student isn’t at the place where he should be doing this stuff without giving it his full attention, so I’d recommend doing it at home until these things get in his ears.

He should just sing the intervals whilst playing them on the guitar. Only sing them, then use the guitar to check to see if he’s right. Play a chord and sing specific intervals. Sing roots (then other intervals) during a chord progression. There are loads if exercises along these lines that will help. The important thing is to sing them. All the apps in the world will only get people so far if the sound and resonance isn’t inside. It can’t be half arsed.

That made a HUGE difference to my ear. From there, transcribing became much easier with more difficult things. But as others have said, even transcribing nursery rhymes is brilliant to start with.

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Ear Training/singing audio books? Books or Beato Ear Training

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