https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 15:04:41 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/paged/2/#post-382747 Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:23:01 +0000 Opinions and Polls fleaaaaaa https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/paged/2/#post-382747 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/paged/2/#post-382623 Thu, 30 May 2013 09:38:24 +0000 Opinions and Polls Anonymous https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/paged/2/#post-382623 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382505 Wed, 15 May 2013 11:31:51 +0000
However advice here on working out chords - the slow downer thing is okay, I have a software like that but I don't use it for that purpose (just to change keys for my lessons with students to avoid capos and tunings - a half step up or down) but here it is:
Instead of slowing it down, do this: You could listen to the whole thing and play along, but you might not initially be sharp enough to instantly play along. Listen to the first chord of the song - sing that note (okay maybe you can't sing? I don't know - but get the note in your head) try and find it on the guitar. Single notes first, if you lose the note play the track again and find it on your guitar. Now determine whether its major, minor, then worry about extensions later - if there are any. This is a slow process but its how I started - I played bass initially - it helps to write it down when you work it out - eventually you can do it "on the fly" like others do but it has taken me years of practice. It is always the thing I practiced from day one - I just always wanted that skill.]]> Opinions and Polls fleaaaaaa https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382505 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382504 Wed, 15 May 2013 07:17:22 +0000 Opinions and Polls jwmartin https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382504 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382501 Tue, 14 May 2013 22:09:08 +0000
You might be surprised how quickly it comes together if you keep after it. I was surprised.]]> Opinions and Polls Crow https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382501 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382498 Tue, 14 May 2013 20:40:49 +0000
Gotdablues I'm not sure what I think about the slow downer thing although I have tried it years ago. That's similar to having to have the music I don't really consider that playing by ear although I guess technically it is.

When I say playing by ear I'm talking about what Crow mentioned turn on the radio and work it out in real time although using the slow downer may be a good place to start.

Maybe when I am out of work in a couple months and if I don't find a job right away I will attempt to start the process but by the time I'd be any good at it I won't be playing in any bands so it would be a moot point.]]> Opinions and Polls cnev https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382498 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382483 Mon, 13 May 2013 19:16:51 +0000 But as far as using a slow down program to learn a song by ear, well there is no better way to learn a song thoroughly IMO. Of course the price is time, and a tax on your patience. Yeah I've learned dozens of songs by TAB or some guy on youtube, which is all good but once you go the route of learning a song by ear, you'll hear the difference.
And it's been said but the more you do it....]]> Opinions and Polls Gotdablues https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382483 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382291 Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:52:24 +0000
I'm not quite that anal about it. It doesn't have to be tabbed out in the same fingerings as the original and sometimes as you mentioned those aren't even the most efficient fingerings in the first place.]]> Opinions and Polls cnev https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382291 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382284 Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:52:18 +0000
Anyway, I digress a bit.

Music is a language. If you don't speak a language, everything sounds the same. It's the subtle differences in sound that make "carp" different from "cart" or "carb". So the thing to do is to start developing a vocabulary. Listen closely as you play a scale. Play parts of the scale... C, D, E, then C-E. Try to remember what that sounds like. Repeat with C, D, E, F and then C-F. Get a few intervals in your head, and then try to guess the space between two notes. Sing the differences - that will help a lot! You'll get better at it in time.

In the 70s I thought my ears were terrible, and I dreaded college ear training classes. But I kept working at it (and still do, daily), and now I'm often accused of having perfect pitch - I don't. But I've learned the language a bit better than the folks who think I do... so I don't confuse carp with carb very often anymore.

As long as you can hear that two pitches are not the same, you can improve the discrimination of your hearing. And in my entire life I've only met one person who was truly "tone deaf".]]> Opinions and Polls NoteBoat https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382284 https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382278 Thu, 25 Apr 2013 01:01:47 +0000 positions for the chords. Now you're ready for the details. Don't give up. Put your tuner on a good classic-rock station, plug in, and go for it.
Again I am only playing in a rock cover band so this is technically very difficult and there hundreds maybe thousands of bands out there how are all of these people learnng the songs, do the all play by ear? Depends on what you mean by "by ear." My lead sheets for my band are just lyrics with chords over them, because I'm not a just-like-the-record kind of guy (as you know). Paul Shaffer's band on the Letterman show got a cassette of the required songs a day in advance & learned from that; I've learned a lot of material that way. Is that "by ear"?
In my limited experience I haven't really met anyone that can work out a song exactly note for note other than my instructor and obviously there are plenty of people that can do it but I've never met any. To play anything exactly note for note, you need not only the original artist's finger positions, but also his string gauges, guitar, amp, effects, and (arguably) his experiences as a human being. I urge you to drop that requirement. NOBODY plays ANYTHING exactly note for note. Let it go.]]> Opinions and Polls Crow https://guitarnoise.forum/opinions-and-polls/bad-ears-then-what/#post-382278