Ear Training Challenge Update #3
Here’s this week’s update on my ear training progress. I’ve been working with Ear Master Pro again this week. Read on to find out how I did and learn about my experience using a guitar to enter answers directly.
This Week’s Progress
This week I scored 100% for the descending major and minor 2nds intervals exercise. This is a big improvement on my 46% two and a half weeks ago, and I’m pretty pleased about it.
But what pleases me most is the change in the way I hear those intervals that occurred this week. For the first time I recognized instantly the sound of each interval.
Rather than humming back the notes to myself to try to figure out the interval, I simply recognized their sound as soon as I heard them. This is a clear sign that Ear Master is developing my ear skills.
Chord Identification
Ear Master’s standard tutor includes chord identification exercises that I tried out this week.
The first few exercises play major, minor, augmented and diminished triads. You respond by entering the three notes played on the music staff, guitar fretboard or piano. I used the guitar fretboard and found it’s also a useful way to revise notes on the fretboard.
After a couple of exercises I noticed that the name of the triad played is shown in the music staff. This made it rather easy to identify the triad!
I couldn’t find a way to turn off the display of the triad name, and it’s hard not to notice it on the screen. I found a workaround by removing the staff to show only the fretboard on screen.
Guitar Input
As I mentioned in my Ear Master Pro review, answers can be entered by singing or playing an instrument into a microphone. I tried this by plugging my electro-acoustic guitar into the computer.
The microphone setup wizard was easy to use and got the microphone levels adjusted for my guitar. I made almost no change to the default settings.
I tested guitar input with interval identification exercises. When Ear Master plays the interval it shows the bottom note on the screen. It took me a few questions to realize that I only had to play the second note, not both notes of the interval.
Once I’d figured this out though the system worked well. You simply play the note to identify the interval and press the ctrl key to select it. The note Ear Master hears is shown on the fretboard or on the music staff while you play it.
I think that playing the notes directly on an instrument is a great way to reinforce the ear training and help associate the sounds you hear to notes that you play. I plan to use this more in the future.
That wraps up this week’s progress report. I’ll be back with another next week. If you want to follow my progress sign-up for the Ear Guitar RSS feed.
Learn more about Ear Master Pro ear training software and download a free 21 day trial at Ear Master.
