Playing by Ear

Dean Salisbury · From: New York, USA

I think playing by ear really is a misunderstood term! Most people I think believe that the term playing by ear means a person just can listen to a song and 1, 2, 3, pick up any instrument and can play it automatically. The fact is in my opinion there are those but a very low percentage of people that really can do that. However, 99% of others cannot. I would hope that this topic will induce others to give their techniques of how they do it, "play by ear" May be then others will be able to find playing more fun and excite them in being able to do it with a little bit more fun.

I have not been able to do this with the steel guitar, but I do it playing a piano and also a standard guitar. So I am positive that my technique will work for the steel ONCE I GET TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE STEEL A LOT BETTER!

As far as the steel goes. I just started 3 weeks ago and I play a 6 string non peddle tuned to at the moment C6

What I find that people first must have a little understanding of the many "keys" that songs are played in, then they have to have an idea of what chords should be played in the keys.

I don't know anything really about theory, so I may be wrong. But I believe that there are twelve (12) different keys: A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#, Ab, A,

Each Key will have there own chords as well. To figure out what chords to be played, you first have to know the scale of each Key! Once you know the scale of each Key, then to figure out what would be the chords that are generally played it would be the 1st, 4th, 5th note and sometimes the 6th note of the scale.

I have found in most cases the Key that the music is in is the first or last note/chord of a song. So the first thing you have to do is play the song and if you do not have a good ear, play the chords until you find which chord sounds the best for the beginning of the song, then you hopefully will have the write KEY the song is being played in!

Once you have found the KEY of the song, next find the scale of that particular KEY! For example: Lets say that the song you want to play is being played in the KEY of C, the scale of C is: The C major scale is: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C you will note that C major scale has NO sharps or flats so this Key is probably the easiest to work with. But they are all the same once you know the scale of each key.

Now the chords for the Key of C major can be figured out by the 1st, 4th and 5th notes of the scale. so count the notes of the scale (any scale) finding out what notes are the first, fourth and the fifth notes. In this case it would be C, F, and G! Now in some progressions a minor may be used in the key of C that would generally be the Am (the sixth (6) note of the scale, but make it a minor!!!!!

I will add more, but this is how I start off trying to figure out a song.

1. find the key the song is being played in
2. find the scale of the particular KEY
3. Count and to find the 1st, 4th, 5th, and 6th note of the scale, this will be the chords that are most likely played in that song. Remember that the 6th note probably be the minor chord if a minor chord is being used in the song!

Also remember there are always alternatives that song writers come up with from what is the normal progressions. Then of course it may be harder to find the exact chord, but then you just have to play around a bit to figure out what other chords may be being played.

hope this helps and I hope better players then I will give their techniques on how they do it! Hopefully they will be eaiser then the way I do it!

I'll add more if it appears that this topic will help beginners like me a better understanding of how to play by ear!!!!

Just pick a favorite but easy song that you want to learn how to play and give it a try! It does take a lot of time, well it does for me anyway!

Dean from S.i. NY
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Tamara James · Posted 27 Nov 2007 8:18 am

HUH?

I'm not clear on how one would apply this wonderful knowledge. Ear training is proving to be my toughest wall to climb.

Dean Salisbury · From: New York, USA

Many people reading the above 1st article, may think that I have all these Keys and scales memorized. I DON'T! However, I have them all written down and are in my practice binder. So, when I am trying to figure out a song, I go to my practice binder where I have all the keys and chords written out. Being I'm slow. I start out with the A and just move up until I finally find the Chord that I believe sounds like the first chord (the Key).

Let me add 1 more thing that I do to make it easier for me and not be so time consuming in playing the song and then to rewind/play back and doing that a million times. I play the song in Audio Audition and I cut out and copy may be the first couple of bars, then once I get just the beginning of the song, I then copy and past that over and over again about 10 times then loop the song! This way I just hear the beginning part over and over then I can play a few chords at a time working up in order to find the key! Saves me a lot of time from replaying it!

I do this also when I am trying to tab out a song. I just get the part I want to learn a few bars at a time, then record them into 1 track over and over about 10 times then save that, and then play it trying to find the notes! once I get one portion figured out then I move on and get another portion.

Time consuming? it drives me nutz! I sure hope others will have a better technique than I! thats for sure!

I said in the first article "my technique" well I didn't come up with it, my grandmother years and years ago when she was teaching me the piano taught this to me and I just never forgot it! But I do know in talking to many guitar and piano players they also use this same technique guess it really is a part of music theory! Which I don't know!

Dean from S.I. ny
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Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

The way I understand the term "playing by ear" is that you let your ears guide your playing instead of your eyes. To say it another way: A piano player who plays by the notes in front of him(her). This is not one who is playing by ear.

This again means that all us steel players play by ear. When we are practicing tab we play by "notes" or sight. But our usual setting, be it band stand or practice, is playing by ear. We listen to the chord progression of a song. We pre-load our mind to that progression and away we go. The speed at which we pick up the nuances to that progression, and how tastefully we apply it has nothing to do with the term playing by ear. Rather, that has to do with practice and persistence.

Dean Salisbury · From: New York, USA

Playing by ear is tuff! My ears are not that good, in fact after all the years that I have been playing. I still could not tell you if your playing a C, F, G, B or for that manner any of the particular notes! lolol

For me, trying to figure out a particular song takes days, weeks and months!

However, by knowing the principle(s) that I stated should give you a better idea of how to figure out what chords are being played in a song. By knowing the what key the song is being played in and by knowing the scale of that key then by finding out by counting the notes the first, fourth, fifth and the sixth notes, that will give you the chords that should be most often used in that key, therefore that particular song!

So hare is another example: A song that is being played in the key of G lets say! The scale for G is:
G A B C D E F# G
1 4 5 6
Note there is 1 sharp in this scale!!!

So first thing is to find out the first, fourth, 5th notes which are: G C D. a song in the key of G the chords are more likely to be G,C,D and sometimes if a minor is being used that would be Em (the 6th note)

Some songs in fact a lot of them will have more then just 3-4 chords. I am trying to figure out a way to explain finding those! I can do it just don't know how to explain it by writing it! But I'm working on that.

Dean from S.I. NY
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Calvin Walley · From: colorado city colorado, USA

Dean

one thing you left out is that you have to be able to "hear" when and where the changes are
Jeff Newman puts out a course called " play what you hear" and on the cd its hard to pick out some of the changes .it starts out easy then gets progressivly harder in order to train your ear
it should be a must have for any beginer thats a non musican

good thread
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Guitars that i have owned in order are :
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Dean Salisbury · From: New York, USA

Well you are both absolutely correct! However, both of you obviously have good ears and knowledge which it really takes. However, for the beginner who really has no clue really is totally over whelmed not having any idea of really what to do. Im just trying to give them some where to start where they will gain some knowledge of what I do and how I do it when I am trying to figure out a song!

I find that in talking to many people who have tried to learn to play any instrument quit because no one really gives them a starting point. At least I hope I in some way am giving them a starting point. Most beginners don't know how to read music or know how to read tab! I can do both does it help me play the guitar? NO lolol I know where all the notes are on a key board, but have no clue where they are on a guitar even though I've played guitar since I was about 16. Just never really took the time to learn and memorize them. Now at 60 I am working on that as well.

Of course you can buy courses or take lessons! but most beginners don't do either! I have purchased two different courses from two different steel players and they have been very helpful. However, there are so many of them out there, who really knows which ones to buy?

So I hope in my effort here, will at least get the beginner something he or she can crasp and if they can figure out how to play one of their favorite songs that will excite them enough to continue playing and hopefully then to either take some lessons or buy some courses to further their abilities!

That is what really kept me going learning how to play piano and then in school when I played the trumpet and sax! My grandmother never started me out with the regular beginning songs whatever they were. She asked me what my favorite song was at the time, and then I started by learning out how to play it on the piano.

That seemed to take forever, but day by day I was finding one note at at time, then learning a little about chords finding out what chords were being played. When I could finally play that one song, I was hooked! 50 years later I am still tyring to figure out my next favorite tunes! Now starting to figure them out playing a steel. Not making any head way yet on the steel. But at least in 3 short weeks I now know the major and minor chords so I am progressing! But not fast enough! but it all takes times.

Dean from S.I. NY
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Dale Gray · From: Colorado, USA

I thought about taking piano lessons just to learn something about music, and reading music then applying that to the steel, I figured middle C was only in one place on the piano and that was a sight aid. On a pedal steel what sight aid do you have, and could it be changed? I think too a lot of p/s instruction starts out thinking you already have a good music knowledge. Stiil trying to learn, Dale
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Wayne Franco · From: silverdale, WA. USA

"when you play by ear, you better know what you are listening to"....

Good advice!

David Doggett · Posted 27 Nov 2007 9:46 am

You may be making this too hard. In learning to play guitar and steel guitar, chords are more important than scales at first. For many simple songs, you only need to know three or four chords: I, IV, V, VIm (in the number system, notes of the scale are 1,2,3, etc., and the corresponding chords with roots on those scale notes are I, II, III, etc.).

Most steel tunings are open tunings that play a chord if you hit the right strings at the right fret. At first you don't really need to know the notes of the scale that make up the chords. The main thing is to learn to visualize the fret intervals between the common chords.

First you learn how to find the I chord (also called the tonic) for the key; for example C chord in the key of C, G chord in the key of G, etc. The IV chord is always 5 frets above that, or 7 frets below it. The V chord is two frets above the IV chord, or 5 frets below the I. You can play tons of songs with those three chords. Forget the 8 notes of the scale, or the 12 notes of the chromatic scale. You only have three chord positions to learn.

If there is a minor chord, it is usually the relative minor (VIm), so learn to play that also. If there is another minor chord, it is usually the IIm. Some songs will have additional major chords. A II leading to a V is common; also a III leading to a IV. If your tuning allows, you may want to get a little more elaborate and learn to add a 7th or a 6th to a chord. But these are usually not essential in chording along with a song.

For playing melodies, you will want to learn to play scale and chromatic notes from your basic chord positions. Eventually you will want to learn to play harmonized scales. But everything starts with those three or four basic chord positions. Learn to hear them in songs, and learn how to get to them when you hear them.

Dave Stagner · From: Minnesota, USA

Everything David said is right on. For most forms of western popular music (country, rock, swing, etc), harmony follows highly predictable and simple rules. Once you learn how chords work in the context of typical songs, "playing by ear" is pretty easy.

I often play lap steel in jam situations. Most of the time, all I need to know is what key the song is in (which I determine either by watching some guitarist's hands, or experimentally by hitting a couple of notes and listening for intervals). Unless the song has decidedly "weird" changes, I can just play right along, following the chord changes because I understand the rules, and because I know the neck. I'm sure I'll be able to do the same with pedal steel, once I know the neck better!

The things that cause problems are "weird" chords, and modulations. Even the songs with "weird" chords usually only have one or two, and I can either figure them out, or work around them. And typical modulations like I-II or I-IV, I can just hear.
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James R. Cole · From: Texas, USA

What I do when a song has "wierd" chords or a modulation is take advantage of the volume pedal. I keep my heel down, the toes up and grin real big.

Dean Salisbury · From: New York, USA

Well I really thing we are saying the same thing However, I do think my explanation is essier for the really true beginner as I think I have tried to explain how the chords of a particular Key is found. You state I, IV, V, etc. to a person just starting out what the heck does I, IV, V mean. Or you just thought people already knew that these numbers were the count of the particular scale.

Just starting out playing guitar any type of guitar most people don't even know how to read tabs or find tabs on the internet. Even if they do, most tabs that I am finding are incorrect even the chords tabbed are incorrect! When I say incorrect I mean they are not the way the original song was played when recorded! They are right to the person who made the tab and his/her own way of playing. But if you play that along with the original recording it sounds like well not too good!

However, I think most of the replies being made don't get my point. That is, well what I had hoped the pros or more experienced players would give their own techniques of how they figure out a new song by ear not knowing tabs or notes!

I agree that notes are really not that important. Knowing scales or I should say having access to them will help the beginner to figure out what chords are being played in a song that they want to learn. I don't know any of the scales by heart/memory! but I have them all written down and what chords are usually played in that particular key!

now after 40 some years of playing only rythem guitar and not caring about playing lead at all. Now I am attempting to learn the notes and octives of a guitar. Don't ask me why because I will never get them. I will be lucky if I will be able to memorize them in the first position! lolol

but back to the Keys. A lot of songs are played in the key of F; so to know the chords that are most likely to be played are:

First find the F scale:
F, G, A, B, C, Db, E, F
1 4 5 6
I IV V VI

So the chords would be F, B, C and in some cases the minor if used would be Dbm

If you are a beginner, write down the keys and the chords that I will or others might list and put them in your practice binder for future ref it will save you time.

Dean from S.I. NY
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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I'm a good ear-player. I've achieved this by training my ears to instantly recognize the intervals between notes. Therefore I can pick up any instrument (at least those which I'm physically capable of playing, anyway!!!) and play a tune that I've just heard. If you know your fretboard, then doing this on steel guitar is no different to any other instrument - intervals are intervals. Know all the scales in all positions and you've cracked it.

The key's not important - you establish that by identifying the root, or picking a new key that suits the situation, then off you go. The rules are the same whatever the key - learning to hear 'intervals' is the answer to it all.

I should stress that this is nothing to do with so-called 'perfect pitch' - that's a different animal.

....or maybe I didn't understand the original post!!! Whoa!

RR

Calvin Walley · From: colorado city colorado, USA

Roger

by intervals do you mean the note spacing or are you talking about hearing the melody
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Guitars that i have owned in order are :
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Sho-Bud Mavrick

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Yes, Calvin - note-spacing.

'Three Blind Mice' starts with 3-2-1 of the scale, but the same principal applies to any melody regardless of its complexity. The trick - if it is a trick - is to have your ear automatically defining those intervals.

I was able to do this within a week or two of getting my first guitar in 1957 - I thought I'd found the Holy Grail of music, but it was just the first fundamental that I acquired.

RR

Lee Gustafson · From: Mohawk Michigan, USA

Thank you Dean for starting this topic, thank you David for your input. I understand a six string guitar neck well enough to know that once you get away from the chords near the nut and move up the neck, everything falls into place. If the singer's voice doesn't work well in a certain key, just move a few frets in either direction and your chords will still be in in positions David described. Can David or anyone else enlighten us beginners on any hints on how you tie the I, IV,V or any other chords together? How do you walk yourself up or down to the next chord?

mtulbert · From: Plano, Texas 75023

Hi Dean,

This is an interesting topic.. However you do not have the right notes for the key of F.

They are F G A Bb C D E F

Therefore a 6 Minor chord is D minor.

The key to good steel playing IMHO is moving and using passing chords to get from one chord to another.

For example from a IV to a I you can go IV IIIminor IIminor I.

So you are passing through some tones to get from the IV to the I.

Playing by ear to me means hearing the relative changes. I could not begin to tell you what key a particular song is in but I know the changes through the number system.

Hope this helps. It is hard to put into words.

Mark T.
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Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

Mark T
Thanks for the example on a IV to I walk.
More please! and please know that I am grateful to you and whomever contributes.

Am I remembering correctly when I quote Jeff Newman as saying this: Lots of times you can play an A pedal instead of a no pedal chord. and you can also play a BC pedal chord instead of a AB pedal chord. But the trick is to keep moving, don't linger. This seems to work for me. As long as it sounds good, play it. (Another Jeff quote)

Dean, great subject you hit upon here!

John Roche · From: England

Another neat trick is to go on the internet and search for the song your trying to learn . there are lots of stuff out there with the the chords to any song you need . saves lot of time..

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Get the chord-changes from the internet - much better than working them out for yourself.

RR

Calvin Walley · From: colorado city colorado, USA

i think that this is turning into one of the best threads we have had in a long time

amd thanks Roger for clearing that up for me
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proud parent of a sailor

Mullen SD-10 /nashville 400
gotta love a Mullen!!!

Guitars that i have owned in order are :
Mullen SD-10,Simmons SD-10,Mullen SD-10,Zum stage one,Carter starter,
Sho-Bud Mavrick

Dean Salisbury · From: New York, USA

First, hopefully someone who plays peddles will address the pedal question as I have no clue! lolol

and of course, one can look on the internet to get the same stuff I am putting on here. However, I was a criminal investigator for over 30 years and also a certified paralegal, so personally I know how to do searches. However, many people don't know how to search. so I hope if they read this topic it will save them a lot of time! Some people like spending time. I personally do not if there is an eaiser way to obtain the information!

Iv'e done the Keys of C, A and F So let me do a few more keys.

Ab MAJOR KEY

The Ab major scale is:

Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, G, Ab
1..........4...5,,,6
I..........IV..V..VI

Chords would be: Ab, Db, Eb, and when a minor use
Am

For song played in the Key of D, the scale is:
D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#,
1.........4..5..6
I........IV..V..VI

So the chords would most likely be: D, G, B and sometimes C#m More to come concerning the keys

Lets talk about chord changes which I agree with those that mentioned it. A chord change is when within a song, the chord or tune changes sounds. Sometimes this is very obvious if you listen to the
song. Sometimes it isn't that obvious! Don't worry about those times that it is not so obvious!

Hopefully you will be catching on depending upon what Key a song is played and what ever key the song is being played you will have a better shot in picking the chords that are being played. So the next step then become listening to the changes!

Im not going to go into a big deal here. But only to give you an idea of a simple song to check out and listen for the chord changes. Im sure there are easier songs to do this with, the song that came into my mind is House of the Rising Sun by the animals! The key is Am, the song starts out in Am, listen to the song for the change from Am to C, Then listen again, it will go from a C to a D then from a D to an F back to an Am then change to a C then to an E!

There is of course more to the song. This is not to teach you the chords. But to listen for the chord changes. For those that have some back ground this will be 1, 2, 3! but for those that no nothing take the time out to get the house of the rising sun and listen to it. Get any song for that matter and just listen and see if you can tell the differences when changes are made!

Dean From S.I. NY
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Dean Salisbury · From: New York, USA

Thanks for the correction if your correct which you probably are. I hven't check The scale out again sinceI read your reply but clearly will do. And thanking you anyway for the correction because you obviouslly have more experience.

See it all really comes from whomever one was taught by. You use the numbering system I, II, III, IV, V, VI and so on. I never really seen this used before until I popped on this forum, but the system I was taught by was 1, 2, 3, 4 etc. So I had a clue what was being meant.

But beginners in most cases have no clue what they stand for! That is my point. by numerous replies, things are getting explained one way or another so sooner or later the beginner will finally get his question(s) answered! Or in way or or another a light may be turned on and understanding will become a reality!

Those that have the knowledge forget about how confusing they were in the beginning! And that is not just in the music world. It could welding, carpentry, swimming, basket ball, you name it. When I am being asked any question. I first think back if I knew the answer anyway. Is where was I at and what did I know or understand in the very beginning. Where is the persons head that is asking the question. I always remember what a law professor that I worked with told me one time. To be a good teacher you have to put things into an 8th grade level of understanding! Now this was years ago but the generation before me more then likely only went through the 8th grade. Not like today at least today most kids do graduate, but millions also drop out before!

SO my point is when I try to teach anyone anything. I conclude that they are at the same point I was when trying to learn and that is knowing absolutely NOTHING and that includes the terms!

Now let me go check my F scale I think it was.

Dean from NY
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Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

For me, it's definitely in the intervals.
Basic ear training on piano is done that way.
On steel, I try to know the sound that two strings will make--their interval--and then what that interval changes into with a pedal or lever.

What's happening visually on a piano is not so clear on steel, but it's there to be learned.
It's good to take it as basically as possible, with the I, IV, V, and the intervals they share with the IIm, VIm, etc.
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