Ear training tips and tricks?
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Hi ya'll! I'm am VERY new to the trumpet. How do you improve your ears? I'm taking relative pitch, chord progression recognition, recognizing sharp/flat, etc. Let me know your favorite exercises or resources.
So far I have just been using this web app (not that I'm looking for another app to use-- more just looking for tips and tricks) for ear training called ToneScholar (https://tonescholar.com) and it seems quite good. It’s intuitive and it’s really improved my relative pitch, but is not specifically the trumpet. In fact it's all voice-based, so probably better for singers. If anyone has excercises similar to the ones that app uses, I'd be super thankful.
I would appreciate it!
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@austinmckenzie Apps can be very helpful indeed; but why don't you try some good, old-fashioned choir singing as well? That is just as effective, and fun as well.
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Transcribe musician solos then play them in every key.
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My tip is to use "drones". Single bass notes that can be generated with a keyboard or PC. For instance, you create a low concert Bb (bass clef) drone and just let that note play. Then you slowly play a C scale on your trumpet - recognizing the effects of each note compared to the drone. After a short while, your ear/brain guides you to the most favorable relationships. Then you create a low F drone and play the same C scale - learning to savor each relationship. Then you follow up with Eb, C, D and others! After a while (a month or so) a B natural drone with a C scale on the trumpet becomes enjoyable (to you).
Ear training is developing habits. It is best to slowly develop habits. That way there is no artificial "pressure" mentally or mechanically! -
The best thing you can do is listen to music and then try to replicate the tunes on the piano or trumpet. You'll make progress very, very quickly. If you have a computer you can use it to slow down the music to make it easier.
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Done properly, mouthpiece buzzing can not only be good for our chops, but for ear-training as well. A keyboard can be useful for matching pitches.
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@rowuk said in Ear training tips and tricks?:
My tip is to use "drones". Single bass notes that can be generated with a keyboard or PC. For instance, you create a low concert Bb (bass clef) drone and just let that note play. Then you slowly play a C scale on your trumpet - recognizing the effects of each note compared to the drone. After a short while, your ear/brain guides you to the most favorable relationships. Then you create a low F drone and play the same C scale - learning to savor each relationship. Then you follow up with Eb, C, D and others! After a while (a month or so) a B natural drone with a C scale on the trumpet becomes enjoyable (to you).
Ear training is developing habits. It is best to slowly develop habits. That way there is no artificial "pressure" mentally or mechanically!I have done the above and can attest to its benefits. It helps immensely to learn how to play in tune.
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@barliman2001 Thank youuuuu!!! I came across an article about functional ear training while exploring the ToneScholar app I've been using. Do you believe this approach is as effective as the one you recommended? You can find the article here: https://tonescholar.com/blog/functional-ear-training-explained
