[Here's a question that recently came in through email.]
“Hey Kenny,
I know from the telewebinars that applying Effortless Mastery to ear training
is not something you have had to deal with, but in trying to incorporate
Effortless Mastery into this kind of practice I have encountered bit of a road block.
An example of what I am practicing is hearing a cadence followed by a single note
and identifying that tension in relation to the chord set up by the cadence.
The thing I am unsure of is how much concentration I should putting in,
as I obviously want to be able to identify any note automatically without thought
but at the same time keeping in mind that practice is a left brain activity that requires concentration.
What I have started doing is listening to a few examples staring into space (or breathing etc)
and trying to identify them instinctively (not focusing on the task i suppose), stopping
and getting up “dropping the hands” as soon as I start to try and figure out the tension
rather than to just let my ears identify it.
The problem I (or perhaps more accurately my ego) is having with this is
the thought that by not concentrating on the task whether I will make any progress.
So if you are able to shed any light on this subject for me it would be much appreciated.”
Thanks
Sam C.
letting recognition come to you. In all other practices, I can comment that we usually lose patience
when it doesn’t come in the time we think, or our ego thinks it should have come.
we get a perfect result. We stay out of the way and allow muscle memory to establish itself.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
There are no easy short cuts for this but having done an ear training class for a year and discussing it within our group we came to the conclusion that: you definitely have to get out of the way and let your ears RELAX and take in the sound. The harder you TRY to hear an interval, chord progression etc the less likely you are to be able to hear and identify it. Also some times it all works much better than at other times – being able to do it is affected by your mood, how tired or stressed you are and all kinds of other things. Finally, practice makes all the difference. You will get better at it the more you do it. Those were our conclusions!
Hey Kenny,
I relate to your comments about getting with the 11 v 1 progression as a fundamental study.
I’m good with my “rootless left hand voicing s that I learned from Jamey Abersols 11 v 1 book. I’m not getting the point of learning the two hand voicing s as prescribed in the book.
Since I vice the chord in the right hand based on keeping the melody on top and playing either a 1,3 or 1,7 shell in the left hand. Is this a good way to do it in general or I’m I missing something ?
I also find the Abersol book overwhelming with a lot of extraneous information .Any comment on the his 11 v 1 book ?
many Thanks
For those of us without “instant ears”, there may not be many shortcuts. Learning to recognize the sounds of the various chords, one by one, and their inversions, requires training for most of us. Have the chord played, listen to it, and identify it: this is the process. Once we have learned to recognize a chord, it becomes easier to pick out of an arrangement. Most musicians can and will improve upon their grasp of this stuff to the degree that we work on it!
Mr. Werner simply put I want to learn to play the piano but I have no idea how to get started. I have finally purchased a 61 key keyboard and have figured out the basics, but I don’t know should I employ a piano teacher in a formal setting or just buy a bunch of books and practice until my fingers ache. Please help My dream is to become a working musician as a second career after 25 yrs in the military I’ve had to figure out what else to do with my life and I’ve alway loved music specifically jazz ( I’m related to Ella Fitzgerald via My grandmother they’re first cousins) so I’ve always had a deep abiding love for music . Any advice you can provide would greatly appreciated. Thanks and God Bless.