Should You Develop Your Ear as a Musician?
Once upon a time, I believed you had to be born with a great ear and natural creativity to be an excellent guitarist. The truth is, these are skills that are learned and developed over time. A great musician has a great ear—they can anticipate chord progressions, play thoughtful melodies, and transcribe music they hear in their head or from other artists.
This skill will help you with all aspects of being a musician. It’s important to take just 5 minutes of your practice time each day to develop it. Here are some easy, actionable steps you can take to improve your ear.
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A Simple 5-Minute Ear Training Exercise
Here’s how to apply and practice training your ear:
- Pick a simple melody. Think of easy tunes like "Baby Shark," "Scooby-Doo," or jingles from your favorite TV shows or commercials.
- Listen and sing it. Internalize the melody line by singing it to yourself. This is a crucial step.
- Transcribe the melody. Without cheating, try to figure out the melody on your guitar. Don't worry about the key; just find the notes that sound right.
- Analyze and adjust. Once you have a version written out or memorized, play it back and compare it to the original. Listen for any differences and make adjustments until it's correct.
Your results won’t be perfect at first. You’ll have some wrong notes, but with consistent practice, it will get easier. This method of practice is why we limit it to just 5 minutes—to avoid burnout while still making progress.
Level Up: Transcribing Solos
After some time, simple melodies will become easy. Now it's time to target your favorite solos.
- Break the solo into small sections. This makes it easier to focus on smaller portions.
- Start with the slower sections first. Sing each small phrase in your head to internalize it.
- Figure out the notes. Using the same process as before, find the notes on your fretboard.
- Play and compare. Play your transcribed melody and compare it to the original solo, adjusting until it matches.
Conclusion
These two applications will dramatically improve your skill set as a guitar player and a musician. Don’t beat yourself up during this process. It takes time to develop from the beginning, so be patient and consistent. You will start to see results over time as you transform what you hear into what you play.