![]() I didn’t think much of it at the time, I wasn’t really interested in Ace of Base-or music in general for that matter-as a kid, but when I started to learn guitar in 1999 I realised how what he did took skill and practice. Probably Ace of Base or something (it was 1993 after all). ![]() ![]() He would keep plugging away until he got the keyboard playing the exact same melody to some song that was on the radio at the time. He would simply noodle around pressing keys, trying to work out the melody to a song he knew. This exercise was wonderful in helping him, and me, develop as a musician. ![]() No one taught him any chords, or scales, or songs, but he would instead do something that has stuck with me to this day. At least, not in the conventional sense anyway. Thing is though, he didn’t know how to play anything properly. Personally, I wanted to play football or play fight or something at that age, but Ian enjoyed just playing the keyboard sometimes. He would grab a keyboard here and there (belonging to one of our sisters) and would sit there playing a game on it for what seemed to be, to me, hours on end. He had not had proper music lessons but he had always been keen about it. Ian was two years younger than me, and like my little brother. Although he wasn’t a formally taught musician, he used to play this game that at the time I thought was a bit silly but, as a full-time musician nowadays, I know now is incredibly useful. Recently, I was thinking about an old friend I had back when I was a kid. However, being able to tell what you’re listening to in music is one of the traits that separates the greats from the averages.Paul, George & John by Omroepvereniging VARA, licensed under (CC BY-SA 3.0 NL) Ear training is often neglected by many musicians, as it is not as sexy as playing a fast guitar solo or a killer distorted line. Take the time to deliberately practice these exercises consistently and you will feel the change. Understanding what you are playing or what is being played is one of the strongest assets musicians can have. These 4 ways to develop relative pitch will make a big difference in your musicianship. This will make both of you develop a keen relative pitch. Do the same for chord qualities and chord progressions. Ask them to play intervals on the guitar or piano, and you have to recognize them. Obviously, it would be better if this friend is also a musician. Once you do that, the best way and most fun way to test it is to use the help of a friend. You can practice all of the above by yourself to help you develop a good relative ear. For instance, the I V vi IV progression has been used in countless hits over the years. Third, you will learn songs, parts and even chord solos at a faster rate. Second, you will be able to hear and discern what is being played much faster. First, you won’t have to think of chords only as completely separate units. Learning to recognize these four or five highly used progressions will help you understand music better. There are certain chord progressions that are used endlessly in popular music. Start thinking about and recognizing chord progressions Do this daily and soon you will be able to tell the difference between chord qualities. Just play different qualities of chords and listen carefully to what they sound like. What do you hear? Does one feel sadder or more melancholic than the other? Does one spark joy? Answer these questions for yourself, as the abstract feel of each chord type is very subjective. Really listen to its sound, then try playing an A minor chord. Take your guitar and play an A major chord. This is not hard to do and will yield great benefits. Learn to recognize chord qualitiesĬan you tell the difference between a major and minor chord? How about a dominant seventh and major. Take time to learn all intervals and practice them all over the fretboard. That means that the distance between the very first note and the second note of that melody is a perfect fourth apart. For instance, the classic “Amazing Grace” starts with a perfect fourth interval. Learn all of the intervals and a reference song that starts with them. For instance, between C and D there is an interval of a major second. Intervals are the distance there is between two notes and the building blocks of melodies. Here are 4 ways to develop relative pitch. So make sure your instrument is in tune and let’s go. Simply said, a good relative ear will make you a better musician. You will be able to understand songs better, feel more “inside the music”, and your understanding of harmony and melody will be better. These tips will help you develop a strong relative ear that will make a huge difference in your playing. Like most things music related, all it takes is practice and dedication. The 4 ways to develop relative pitch are quite easy to apply.
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