If you’re into music, you’ve probably noticed some information online, or heard from other musicians, about ear training. Those who have had him invariably rave about the good he has done for his musicianship. So what is ear training, what is its purpose and who needs it?
Relative pitch is any process by which a person can gain the ability to understand, replicate, and respond to the basic elements of a given piece of music, including rhythms, note intervals, and chords. There are countless methods of training the ear, but most generally involve exercises to recognize different intervals, the ultimate goal of which is the development of relative pitch, the ability to identify the intervals between different notes. Anyone can achieve relative pitch through practice.
Who needs listening skills? The long answer is that any musician who intends to play with others would benefit greatly from having the skills he promotes. Good listening skills will allow you to identify and respond to what your bandmates are doing musically. It’s not just jazz musicians who need to be able to keep up without stopping to ask, “Wait, what key are we in right now?” or “What chord is that?” Once you’ve had ear training, you’ll know. (Of course, if you play jazz, you already know how crucial listening skills, like relative pitch, are to improvisation.) Also, having a relative pitch will let you know if you are in tune or not. There’s more to music than just reading sheets, and ear training can unlock just about everything.
Relative pitch is especially important for singers. In order to sight read vocal music, relative pitch is essential as it will allow you to accurately sing the notes you are looking at. Composers also rely on auditory skills: with auditory training, they can create melodies and harmonies in their minds and then play them back on paper or on the instrument of their choice. If you are a student looking to enter a music program, you will be required to undertake extensive listening exercises, such is its importance.
Even music fans will find it worthwhile to train their ears. Listening skills are essential for anyone who wants to play by ear or transcribe melodies, chord progressions, or rhythms for future reference. Have you ever wondered how a certain artist gets that sound? Good listening skills will help you understand.
So who needs good throwing skills? The short answer is: all musicians. The benefits of training your ear are such that no matter what kind of musician you are or what instrument you play, there is much to be gained.
