One element of the Let's Play Music program that definitely stands out is our inclusion of activities and games that focus on ear training.
Ear training isn’t a quick fix or a remedy for hearing loss. It’s a vital practice for making the most of your hearing and improving your musical skills. Ear training, music theory, and instrument learning together create the musical trifecta—a set of skills that complement each other. Mastering all three is key to becoming a great musician. Programs like Let’s Play Music integrate ear training into their curriculum, benefiting musicians at all levels, from beginners to experts. Regular ear training can greatly enhance your musical growth and proficiency.
What is Ear Training All About?
Ear training is fundamentally about enhancing your ability to hear more clearly and with greater sophistication, which in turn helps you become a more refined musician. It involves developing a deeper understanding of the sounds you hear, allowing you to play more freely, compose, improvise, and perform by ear.
Additionally, ear training bridges the gap between what you hear, what you think, and what you play, creating a seamless connection between your ear, mind, and instrument.
By definition, ear training is anything a person does to improve their ear for music and sound.
Despite its name, ear training isn’t about improving the ear itself but rather training the brain. These exercises help the brain interpret and understand what the ear hears, transforming sounds into meaningful concepts. Over time, you’ll move from simply recognizing notes to identifying complex musical elements, like an ascending harmonic minor scale with specific chords underneath. This skill, often demonstrated by great musicians and audio professionals, is something you can develop through practice.
The Slow Way or the Active Way?
Anyone who sings, plays an instrument, or works with sound naturally improves their hearing over time, but this process is slow and passive. Ear training speeds up improvement by actively developing these skills. For example, while we easily learn to distinguish voices and accents over time, focused ear training helps us quickly recognize and label different musical elements, such as instruments, notes, and chords.
Ear training involves two key steps:
Identifying different classes of sounds (e.g., instruments, notes, chords).
Learning to label these classes accurately (e.g., major, minor, oboe, flute).
Although some distinctions, like major vs. minor chords, might come easily, knowing the correct terms enhances communication with other musicians and provides a structured framework for faster learning. This is why courses like Let’s Play Music use solfège to aid in this process.
Hear More at Once
Ear training isn't just about identifying sounds; it also improves your ability to process multiple pieces of information at once. Just as a child gradually learns to focus on one voice in a noisy room, ear training helps with the following:
Hear individual notes within chords and harmonies,
Identify how different instruments blend to create the overall sound, and
Follow multiple instrument parts simultaneously.
This makes music clearer and more rewarding, turning what might seem like a noisy mess into a rich experience.
Why do Ear Training?
The skills you develop are essential for musicians, music fans, and music parents alike. Many people assume these skills improve automatically from regular practice, but actively working on them through ear training can lead to much faster progress and reveal new musical talents.
For musicians, ear training enhances your musicianship.
For music fans, it deepens your understanding and appreciation of music.
For music parents, it helps you better support and guide your child’s musical development.
Enrolling in programs like Let’s Play Music, which incorporate ear training, can significantly boost your progress and enjoyment.
Ready to start your child's musical journey? Find a teacher near you and begin their ear training today!
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