how do you learn to play by the ear?

Question

i can sight read reasonably the piano and play after preparation most pieces. however i want to learn to playing by the ear , externalisation and eventually composition. where/how do i begin.

Answer 1

Get close to someone that can. They can get you started.

Best to study music.

The ones I know that can play by ear can also read music and play as well.

Answer 2

You can learn to make this connection. Most people don't realize that music is not just an art, but a science too. If you don't know the names of the note's letters (the keys of the piano), you will need to learn these. Once you do that, you will need to learn what notes make up chords. Playing by ear is about learning the relationships between notes- the distances between them. If you can take a sightsinging class at a local music studio or a college, I would recommend that. I took piano for a very long time (over 10 years), but I could not play by ear at all.... then I took some sightsinging classes. Sightsinging teaches you to sing a piece of music that you've never seen before, and it does that because you learn to analyze the piece by the key that it begins, and then you keep going up or down each note, and you get better with practice (It's easier than it sounds) How does this relate to playing? Even if you are not a singer, those skills that you learn in a sightsinging class- what a song sounds like, how to analyze what key it is in, etc.- that will help you play by ear. Just trying to play with the radio to learn - you can try that, but believe me, it will take forever, and it isn't the quickest way to learn how to play. If you don't have access to a class, you can go to your local music store, tell them you want to learn how to play by ear, and they will probably show you some software to teach you sightsinging (aka "aural skills"- aural meaning ears). Yes, some people are born with the ability to play by ear, but everyone can learn how to do it. Not everyone will be as great at it, but with time, effort, and practice you can learn it. If any of this is unclear, or if you don't understand what I've written, go to your local music store, and ask a staff member- they can clear up the confusion! Good luck!

Answer 3

The easiest way to begin playing by ear is to play along with a piece that you are familiar with but don't have sheet music for. Try recording a short segment of this piece & playing along, continuing after the segmenet ends. You could also try adding a piano part to a composition that doesn't contain one.

Answer 4

I have just gone through a learning stage on playing by ear... Even if its called playing by ear you have know chord and scale theory a little and memorize all notes and their locations on the keyboard... of course you can get this only by playing a lot. Start simple... for example start by basic chords an scales. This may be far below your level but I have started with the Am chord with Am pentatonic for example and over time added other notes and varied the base line. This was too bluesy and very basic but once I started going into jazz chord progressions the possibilites increased enormously. Once you get a feel for it and have the basic technical knowledge, than you PLAY BY EAR.
Note: I did it on guitar but I am sure it will be the same with the piano.

Answer 5

Listen and copy the sounds.
I have no real interest in composition but I did used to have to transpose music from many keys into 'C' for the instruments that were used in our folk group.
Also, learn a little guitar. Then, write your own simple chords to go with the rest of the music.
My Auntie couldn't read too much music, but she played the piano very well - simple tune with right hand and 'vamp' with left hand.
It is a gift - but it needs a bit of practise!
Compose your tune with your right hand and add your base chords afterwards!
Studying music will give you some insight but will probably only leave you with someone else's ideas - keep your composition fresh and clean - it belongs to you! Good luck!

Answer 6

It’s all about aural perception and chord structure. Listen to a track; pay special attention to the bass-line, work out what key it’s in by finding the tonic note. Try to follow the chord changes. As a rule most song/tunes will use chords I, IV, V, in it’s chord progression.
Start simple; over time you can train your ear to hear most changes.
Good luck

Answer 7

Get good at an instrument, then listen to the song you want to learn and try to mimic exactly what you hear. You will have to listen to the song over and over again and keep hitting notes on the instrument until you notice you have found the same note, and work it this way. After a while you won't have to hit random notes, you will know what note is what.

Answer 8

A good start is knowing your scales,` cos then
you know your chords, and then
you can put it all together.

Choose a major and a minor scale that you like and start there.

Most songs have really simple chord combos that repeat themselves over & over.Good luck.

Answer 9

I learned to play by ear at my grandmother's knee.

She had very musical knees.

Answer 10

It's inherited or a gift that you received when you was born, like so many other things that you inherited when you was born from your family member, present and past.

Thanks,

Beverly Smith