As the title of this page implies, the following discussion is about conditioning our ear to be sensitive to the different aural colors we commonly find in American music. Sensitive in what ways? Well, to be able to identify and label the musical elements used to create the music we are listening to and make record of it, either through writing it down, memorization or playing it back to the source. In most academic ear training sessions, writing the music out in standard notation is the most popular format.
So, all we are trying to do is to hear some music and write down what we hear? Yep. If it is a melody line? Simply notate the pitches and the rhythm of the melodic idea on the musical staff. If it is a chord or a series of chords? Notate either a numerical representation or the voicing of the chord. Cool with the numbers and have an ability to use music notation symbols? That's pretty much all we need, plus our ears of course.
Author's note. I always remember my second day in college when the instructor Mr. Matlock asked us to "jot this idea down." I opened a note book and made ready to write. Well, low and behold, at the piano he sat to play the melodic idea which we were to "jot" down. Oh oh I thought, this was going to be one long day. As a mostly self taught blues / rock guitarist up to that point, my ability to read musical notation was basically nill ... let alone write it. Getting to college a semester late and having to start in "theory 2" in the spring semester didn't help either. Perhaps needless to say, I had a bit of catching up to do.
Part 1. Anyway, everyone has to start somewhere eh? Back to our ear training. Got a piece of manuscript?
Starting from the edge, click the start button and determine whether the music sounded is written in a major or minor key. Example 1.
| major or minor | |
How about the major / minor quality of this idea? Example 2.
| major or minor | |
Using Roman numerals, jot down the following chord progression. Example 3.
| chord progression | |
Now, write down the melody line of the same idea. Example 3a.
| melody line | |
Again using Roman numerals, jot down the following chord progression. Example 4.
| chord progression | |
Now, write down the melody line of the same idea. Example 4a.
| melody line | |
Using Roman numerals, identify the type of chord cadence in the following idea. Notate the voicings if you can. Example 5.
| cadential motion | |
Again using Roman numerals, identify the type of chord cadence in the following idea. Notate the voicings if you can. Example 6.
| cadential motion | |
Again using Roman numerals, identify the type of chord cadence in the following idea. Notate the voicings if you can. Example 7.
| cadential motion | |
Jot down the following melodic ideas in treble clef. Example 8.
| melodic idea | |
Again, jot down the following melodic idea. Example 9.
| melodic idea | |
Write out the following melody in treble clef. Example 10.
| melodic idea | |
Part 2. Working with the melodic resources.
Identify and label the group of pitches which is used to create the following melodic idea. Write it out on treble clef if you are so inclined. Example 1.
| melodic idea | |
Identify and label the first group of pitches which is used to create the following melodic idea. Write it out on treble clef is so inclined. What musical style is this next idea written in? Example 2.
| melodic idea | |
Identify and label the group of pitches which is used to creates the following melodic idea. Write it out on treble clef is so inclined. What American style is predominant in the idea? Can you determine the musical form of the music? Example 3.
| melodic idea | |
Identify and label the group of pitches which is used to creates the following melodic idea. Write it out on treble clef is so inclined. Perhaps you know the title to this song and from whence it comes? Example 4.
| melodic idea | |
What tonality is the following idea created? Can you identify the group of pitches? Try to write out the idea in standard musical notation. Example 5.
| melodic idea | |
Which of the church modes is used to create the following melodic idea? Example 6.
| melodic idea | |
How about the modal quality of this idea? Example 7.
| melodic idea | |
Which mode is used to create this idea. Example 8.
| melodic idea | |
Recognize this old time American melody? Know it's title? What modal group creates this unique and important sound? Example 9.
| melodic idea | |
Write out the following melody in treble clef. Identify the modal color. How else is this color defined within equal temper? Example 10.
| melodic idea | |
What unique relationship between pitches exists in the following musical idea? From which of of our melodic resources does it come from? Example 11.
| melodic idea | |
What dominant chord color is used in the following idea? Write out the following melody in treble clef. Example 12.
| melodic idea | |
Write out the following melody in treble clef. Can you recognize the parent scale color of the melody. Example 13.
| melodic idea | |
Write out the following melody in treble clef. Example 14.
| melodic idea | |
Write out the following melody in treble clef. Example 15.
| melodic idea | |
Write out the following melody in treble clef. Example 16.
| melodic idea | |
Part 3. Working with the harmonic resources.
Identify the color sequence of the triads in the following idea. Example 1.
| melodic idea | |
Write out the following melody in treble clef. What is the principle musical component of the melodic idea? Example 2.
| melodic idea | |
Write out the following melody in treble clef. Example 3.
| melodic idea | |
Write out the following melody in treble clef. Example 4.
| melodic idea | |
Write out the following melody in treble clef. Example 5.
| melodic idea | |
Write out the following melody in treble clef. Use Roman numerals beneath the staff to identify the harmony. Example 6.
| melodic idea | |
Write out the following melody in treble clef. Again, use Roman numerals beneath the staff to identify the harmony. Example 7.
| melodic idea | |
Identify the chord progression in the following idea. Write out the line on treble clef. Example 8.
| melodic idea | |
Identify the chord progression in the following idea. Write out the line on treble clef. Example 9.
| melodic idea | |
Identify the chord progression in the following idea. Write out the line on treble clef. Example 10.
| melodic idea | |
Identify the chord progression in the following idea. Write out the melodic line on treble clef. Example 11.
| melodic idea | |
Identify the chord progression in the following idea. Write out the melodic line on treble clef Example 12.
| melodic idea | |
Identify the chord progression in the following idea. Write out the melodic line on treble clef Example 13.
| melodic idea | |
Identify the chord progression in the following idea. Write out the melodic line on treble clef Example 14.
| melodic idea | |
Identify the chord progression and quality of each chord in the following idea. Write out the melodic line on treble clef. Example 15.
| melodic idea | |
Part 4. Working with the improvisation / tonal convergence ideas.
Identify the melodic filter used in creating the next idea. Example 1.
| musical idea | |
Identify the musical form used in creating the next idea. Example 2.
| musical idea | |
What parent scale creates the following melodic idea. Example 3.
| musical idea | |
Can you name the two melodic colors in the following idea? Example 4.
| musical idea | |
What melodic structure is used in creating the following idea. Example 5.
| musical idea | |
Identify the interval sequence in the following arpeggio. Example 6.
| musical idea | |
Can you name the two melodic colors in the following idea? Example 7.
| musical idea | |
Can you name the intervals used in harmonizing the following melodic idea? Example 8.
| musical idea | |
What artistic technique is used in the following idea? Identify the chord progression and quality of each chord in the following idea. Write out the melodic line on treble clef. Example 9.
| musical idea | |
What type of melodic enhancement is used to embellish the following idea? Example 10.
| musical idea | |
Which of the popular chord substitutions is used in the following idea? Write out the line and chord changes. Example 11.
| musical idea | |
In this next idea, how are we thinking? Write out the melodic line on treble clef. Example 12.
| musical idea | |
Please identify the chord progression and quality of each chord in the following idea. In what way are we focusing in the line? Write out the melodic line on treble clef. Example 13.
| musical idea | |
Can you identify the lick quoted at the close of this next idea? Write out the melodic line on treble clef. Example 14.
| musical idea | |
In what way is the following idea permutated? Write out the melodic line on treble clef. Example 15.
| musical idea | |
What melodic color do we use in the following idea? Where does it lead us? Write out the melodic line on treble clef. Example 16.
| musical idea | |
Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art. Charlie Parker