Ear trainer
Intervals, chord qualities, scales and dominant colours, generated from the course engine and played with Web Audio.
Untick items to narrow the drill while you are learning. The space bar repeats the sound.
How to practise ear training
- Start narrow. Two or three items at a time (for example major 3rd vs. minor 3rd vs. perfect 5th). Add one item when you hit 90 % over twenty questions.
- Sing before you answer. Sing the lower note, then the upper note; for chords, sing the root and then arpeggiate. The voice is what connects the ear to the fretboard.
- Use reference songs for intervals (the first two notes of a melody you know), but aim to outgrow them: eventually the interval should simply sound like itself.
- Chord qualities matter more than intervals for jazz. Being able to hear maj7 vs. 7 vs. m7 vs. m7b5 on the bandstand is a professional skill.
- Dominant colours (7, 7b9, 7#9, 7alt, 13, 7#11) are the sounds you will choose between when comping and soloing; learn to hear them.
- Do five minutes a day, not an hour on Sunday.