Learn to Play Songs by Ear: Free Ear Trainer

Learn to play any simple melody by ear with my Free Ear Training software below. No prior knowledge of ear training is required, see the picture based guide on how it works. See the youtube video to learn how playing by ear works. Updated July/1/09 See changelog and todo list

New: [Video] How to use the ear trainer and apply it, watch fullscreen

Free Ear Trainer

The Ear Trainer is Right Above

Click here for full screen. If you don't see it please wait for it to load, it's only ~300KB. If it doesn't load try updating your flash version. Flash 9+ is required. You may be using an older cached version so click refresh every few days for possible updates.

Reference to Songs

Choose songs that you personally know well or you feel are catchy enough to easily associate. Listen mode in the first drop down can help you associate the songs while not actively using the program.

Song NameIntervalReference
Beatles: YesterdayM2 DescendingYoutube
Beatles: Hey Judem3 DescendingYoutube
Guy Beart: L'eau viveM3 DescendingYoutube
Low Riderm3 AscendingYoutube
Chrono Cross: Galdovem3 DescendingYoutube
Cat Stevens: Morning has BrokenM3 AscendingYoutube
Xenogears: Valley where...m3 AscendingYoutube
Swing Low, Sweet ChariotM3 DescendingYoutube
West Side Story: MariaTritone AscendingYoutube
Megaman 2. Dr. Wiley's CastleTritone AscendingYoutube
Chrono Cross: (Blah, generic)Tritone AscendingYoutube
Blue SevenTritone DescendingYoutube
Saga Frontier 2: ThemaPerfect FifthYoutube
Bach: Little FuguePerfect FifthYoutube
Back to The Future ThemePerfect FifthYoutube
Saga Frontier: Asellusm6 AscendingYoutube
Morning of the Carnivalm6 AscendingYoutube
Chopin Nocturne Op.9 No.2M6 AscendingYoutube
Chrono Cross: Home Arni (aruni?)M6 AscendingYoutube
1942: Vangelism6 AscendingYoutube
Super Mario World ThemeM6 AscendingYoutube
FF7 Tifa's ThemeM6 AscendingPiano, Guitar
Phantom.. Opera: Music of the NightM6 DescendingYoutube
Il etait un petit navireM6 DescendingYoutube
Maman les petits bateauxm7 AscendingYoutube
Star Trekm7 AscendingYoutube
Pure ImaginationM7 AscendingYoutube
SupermanM7 AscendingYoutube
Bali Ha'iM7 AscendingYoutube
FF7 Vincent's themeM7 AscendingYoutube, Original
FF3 CelesM7 DescendingMidi, YT, Piano
Nada Surf: PopularM7 AscendingYoutube
Zanarkand8 DescendingYoutube

Songs not in the program

These songs can also be associated with the interval, but due to limitations of the program, it's hard to make the song association seem obvious.

Song NameIntervalReference
Interval Song - Django BatesAll of them (lol)Youtube
Another Interval song*Youtube
Bulls on ParadeOctave DescendingYoutube
Doogie Howser MD ThemeOctave DescendingYoutube
YYZTritone DescendingYoutube
ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRAPerfect FifthYoutube
Jaws Themem2 AscendingYoutube
Take me OnM7 AscendingYoutube

More Song Associations

  1. Wikipedia: Ear Training - Interval Recognition
  2. Wikibooks: Scales and Intervals - Mnemonic Memorization Examples
  3. Virginia Commonwealth Univeristy
  4. Earmaster forums
  5. Justinguitar
  6. Aebersold interval chart (disgusting pdf)

Isn't guessing and checking faster than thinking in intervals?

Some argue that guessing and checking over and over on a song is a much faster way to get the song's notes than thinking in intervals. This is very true for them, because they're slow and bad at intervals. Train until you master it and it'll be like comparing a toddler reading to an adult. Guess and check is still a form of interval identification practice, but you'll get better much faster with my ear trainer because it's done in a very coordinated and efficient way. You can visualize and understand your mistakes and customize your way to mastering it rather than rely on how often certain intervals occur on the song you chose.

Is associating a song bad thing in the long run?

Absolutely not. Even when you've mastered intervals it's impossible to avoid having a song, or many songs, come to mind that are related to the chord or interval being heard. This does not damage your ability for identification at all. Associating a song especially helps when you need to sing or recreate the sound in your head. It does not mean that every time you hear an interval you have to cross reference the song in your head. You will instantly start thinking the interval name without the song eventually. Associating a song gives you a reference with which you can check your answer when you're uncertain.

Vocabulary

Note that the program's way of abbreviating isn't a standardized form.

NameAbbreviationDistance Between Notes (Half steps)
Minor Secondm21
Major SecondM22
Minor Thirdm33
Major ThirdM34
Perfect Fourthp45
TritoneTri / Dim 5 / Aug 46
Perfect Fifthp57
Minor Sixthm68
Major SixthM79
Minor Seventhm710
Major SeventhM711
Octave812

Help!

See the picture guide.



Tags: ear training, eartraining, play songs by ear, free ear training software, music theory online, learn music theory, music theory, online education, ocw, interval song examples, song that starts with, minor, major, ascending, descending, interval recognition, interval song associations, memorize intervals free software, mnemonic memorization, memorize musical intervals

Posted on Thursday, August 7 2008

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