Platinum Author
When I started playing guitar there were always stories being passed around that absolutely terrified me, things like: 'you either got it or you ain't'; or 'some people are just plain 'tone deaf' or they have a 'tin ear'.
For as long as I can remember I have always loved music and the thought that I might be one of those unfortunate individuals who fell into one of these categories was unthinkable; of course I latter learned that these stories were just that 'stories' or more accurately, old wives tales passed down by for generations
by musically ignorant people.
How do I know this? I know this because I personally overcame the classic 'tone deaf' diagnosis; at school a visiting educational music expert gave the entire school a musical aptitude test... the result being I managed to score the second lowest mark of the entire school, boy, was I glad the other guy was there that day, at least I didn't get the lowest mark!
Long story short, after I overcome the devastation my determination kicked in and I became obsessed with finding a way to prove them wrong, and I did, I've spent my entire adult life as a professional musician playing with some of the best musicians in the most prestigious studios in the country.
Here's how I did it!
By learning how to recognize musical intervals and associate those intervals with sonic shapes (designs) on the guitar fingerboard. Most significantly, I have found that anyone who practices these intervals in the same way as I am presenting them here will miraculously overcome their 'tone deafness' in the same way that I overcame mine (as many of my students have already
proven).
Step 1: locate middle 'C' on the guitar fingerboard as your reference point for your ear training
middle 'C' = third string; fifth fret
-------
-------
--5----
-------
-------
-------
Step 2: Learn to recognize the major third (ascending) interval.
The best way to learn to recognize an interval is by associating that interval with a song that you already know.
Important: playing by ear is really a matter of playing from your memory; what we need to do is develop the ability to recall sound and identify the location of that pitch on the fretboard.
Here is how we practice the major third (ascending) interval
(a) play middle 'C'
-------
-------
--5----
-------
-------
-------
(b) play the note 'E' on the second string; fifth fret
-------
--5----
-------
-------
-------
-------
Listen to the 'space' between these two notes carefully, this is crucial as we want to be able to instantly recognize this musical interval when we hear it again in music.
Repeat the above exercise again, play middle 'C' followed by the 'E' on the second string, play everything s-l-o-w-l-y.
Now try hearing the major third interval when the two notes are played simultaneously; strum the two notes together like a mini- chord.
Play both notes as a chord
-------
--5----
--5----
-------
-------
-------
Here are a few simple examples of songs that begin with the interval of a major (ascending), in each of these songs the first two notes of the melody (tune) is an interval of a major third (ascending); I keep mentioning that the interval is a major third ascending because there is an interval called a major third descending which is an entirely different sound for you to remember and recall, more of that latter..
Tunes that begin with a major third (ascending) interval
1. Oh, When The Saints Go Marching In
2 Morning Has Broken
3. Michael Row The Boat Ashore
4. Kumbaya
5. Four Seasons: Spring (Vivaldi)
6. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks At Night
7. I Can't Get Started
and many more...
A great idea is to keep your ear listening for other songs that begin with the same interval when you spot them add them to your list it seems like a lot of hard work but it will rapidly accelerate your ability to play music 'by ear' on the guitar.
About this Author
And now I'd like to invite you to get free access to my "How To Remember 1,000 Songs" eCourse. You can download the course for free at: http://www.guitarcoaching.com
You'll learn about hit song templates, easy chords, simple scales, red hot rhythms, and successful practice strategies in text, audio and video.
From Mike Hayes - The Guitar Coaching Guy & the Express Guitar System
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_P_Hayes
