The ability to learn music by ear is a highly sought after skill and of indispensable value when you finally get it. So, I’m sitting here working out the music to Deep Purple’s Lazy from the Machine Head album. I won’t tell you how old I was when I first heard this album but I will tell you it was from my older brother’s collection. Clearly above my puny guitar abilities at the time 😀
Ever since hearing Phil X tackle Highway Star (see my post You Can), I have been drawn back to this album and this particular song – a favorite for many years. Learning music by ear is something you can do. However, you may be missing valuable opportunities to sharpen your ear now. For example, how do you tune your guitar? Pull out the trusty tuner and go through the strings, right? When was the last time you used the ol’ frets method or even harmonics? You may be missing a golden opportunity to start training your ear using something you do naturally and almost every time you pick up your guitar.
Tuning the old fashioned way
For now, put down the tuner. You may use it to get the E string tuned but then shut it off and go old school. If you have a piano handy, locate E on the keyboard and use that instead. You may have an app on your phone that will play the note for you so you can get away from the easy button.
Why would you do such a thing? Your goal is to learn how to match the notes by listening carefully. Get them in your head. Forcing yourself to really listen and determine whether the next string is too high or too low as the tones get closer will sharpen your ability to discern the notes. You may be surprised after a time how you will suddenly start to hear those notes and know whether they are in tune or not.
At some point, you may be able to hear how the strings should sound in relation to each other and not even need to fret the notes. The low E and high E are good candidates to begin trying this. Two octaves away is a good interval to force your ear to really listen.
Sing to learn music by ear
As you tune, sing the notes – out loud. Yes, I said out loud. I know so many guitar players who claim they cannot sing. Maybe they don’t sound like Pavarotti but that is no excuse for dodging an important skill. There is no better way to train your ear than to hear your own voice singing the note. An added benefit is that you will become a better singer if even just when singing along. Doing this has tightened up many a vocalist as they have built up relative pitch.
Never heard of relative pitch? That is the ability to recognize one note in relation to another – a valuable skill that will come with time.
Chords next
You will find the next step, chords, to begin to creep in seemingly without effort. While you are listening to the notes on the bass strings, you are hearing many of the root notes of common chords. Realizing that, you can use them to get in the ballpark of the chords of your favorite songs. Crank the bass on your music a bit and try matching the notes on your guitar. Go with a slow moving song at first and one that does not have a walking bass line. Once your skill improves, the walking bass lines will not be a hindrance but take it slow at first.
Use what you have already and build from there. The old school way still may have something to teach you 😉