Ear Training and the Nashville Number System

Jonathan Shacklock · From: London, UK

Can you hear the changes? Recognise intervals and chords relative to the key? I must admit my ears could be a lot better â€“ I go through phases of trying to train myself to hear intervals (which I can more or less do, although not instantly, by tagging each interval to the opening notes of a well known tune). Hearing a songâ€™s chord changes reliably can be a real challenge though, especially in real time. Iâ€™ve given up many times in frustration but itâ€™s one of those skills that I deeply envy in my fellow musicians so I keep coming back to it.

My latest go at this is trying to transcribe songs as nashville number charts and compare them to published charts. It used to be very hard to find these but a couple of newly published resources are Chas Williamsâ€™ Gigbook (249 charts): http://www.nashvillenumbersystem.com/NNS_GB.html
and The NNS Fake Book (200 charts)
https://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.action?itemid=143189

(Iâ€™d also really recommend the iBook version of â€œSong Charting Made Easyâ€ by Jim Riley which has lots of play along versions of example charts with different parts removed so you can really hear whatâ€™s going on. These are original songs, mostly rock, but a really good method for learning Nashville Numbers.)

For me, transcribing to numbers in this way makes a lot of sense when applied to pedal steel, where Iâ€™m sure most of us tend to think of intervals and relative positions over note names. Itâ€™s a painstaking process though and misidentifying a single chord can lead you entirely astray. A simple chord inversion can often throw me right off the scent. Iâ€™m hoping that doing this over and over will help me see and hear more common patterns in chord progressions and the whole process will become much more predictable, quick, and one day, incredibly useful!

Iâ€™d love to know if other forumites have successfully trained themselves to the point where they can accurately hear whatâ€™s going on moment by moment. It seems to be the younger you start with ear training the easier it is but maybe thereâ€™s also hope out there for those of us with more ambition than natural talent? What resources, books, apps or methods have you found helpful?

Jonathan

Al Evans · From: Austin, Texas, USA

John McClung · From: Olympia WA, USA

Jonathan, the book my lessons records show you didn't pick up, probably due to exorbitant shipping costs, "How to Play By Ear" by Jack Hatfield is still the one I require most students pick up to help train their ears. Amazingly great training book. Maybe you can find it on Amazon? There are probably good sites online that can do much the same thing, do a bit of research into that.

Hearing the bass line accurately can turn into hearing the melody line very easily, and that's my teaching approach using the book. It's helped many students quite a lot. How's you're playing coming along, mate? I'm still here for "special studies" if you need more personal coaching.
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Jerry Dragon · From: Gate City Va.

after playing guitar for fifty years I can usually pick out the chord progression in most songs that are not real complicated. I an always tell a minor from a major or a 7th from a major 7th or a diminished 7th etc.

Jonathan Shacklock · From: London, UK

Hi John, I did get hold of that book in the end, I think I got it second hand because Jack refused to ship to the UK at the time. It's definitely helped me a lot, along with your guidance, and I'll keep returning to the exercises. There's essential stuff in there on hearing descending intervals.

I've tried some of Bruce Arnold's ear training courses too as well as various ear training apps. I'm getting better at recognising individual intervals but of course songs have so much more movement going on. I guess my recognition isn't solid or quick enough to hear through all the distractions. My rate of progress is disappointing, I've been trying for years now.

I find most of the audio clues do come from the bass but alternating lines and slash chords can throw me completely. Even simple 4 chords can trip me up and sound like something else at times. Maybe I need to learn some bass guitar rudiments?? I can't help feeling I'm missing something or it should be easier.

Other than that the playing's coming along quite well, thanks for asking! Always a lot to improve so I'm sure I'll be back for more lessons. Cool

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Get a good teacher who can help you understand basic diatonic harmony, how to hear the difference between major and minor triads, how to count measures and beats, find the root note even if itâ€™s not there, how to hear the tonic of the key and find it on your instrument, how the bass line helps define a song rhythmically and harmonically, how to lay out a chart of a simple pop tune...

There is a lot that can be said about learning a song by ear and playing by feel, but none of it does any good without a defined path toward that end. There is nothing wrong with you. I learned on my own 50 years ago and continue to learn more, but I wish I had had a teacher who could have accelerated the process. It didnâ€™t come naturally to me or anyone. Even Mozart had to practice with guidance.

Jonathan Shacklock · From: London, UK

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Having an understanding of theory is a big help. If you can already read and play through a chord chart along with a metronome or backing track, thatâ€™s big too. Try playing through without reading the chart, after you have read through a couple times.

One thing I did with my students - turn my back to them, play a chord, have them play it back. Start with one, then two, then add rhythms, then on to sections of songs, add moving bass lines and see if they can still pick out the chord changes. There may be an app that does that, I donâ€™t know. I like that one that does the number chart that you linked.

If there is a part of a song that is riff-based, it can be a challenge figuring out what the underlying chord is. I would stay away from those, unless the riff just happens to come to you and you can transition out of the chord progression and back into it without losing the beat.

See what I mean? This can be talked about forever. Indeed, books have been written on it. Practice time, yes. But it has to be methodical, have a focus, not be an obsession, and not consume all of your time. The more you play, the more you learn, the more you will hear in your head, and the more you will be able to play back what you hear.

Bob Bestor · From: Ashland, OR

My ear is probably the greatest of my musical shortcomings. Oh to be able to hear the changes and pick out the melody in real time. After years (decades really) of ignoring it, I've started to devote more time to ear training. Right now I am using the Functional Ear Trainer.

Here is a link to a review:
https://advancingmusician.com/functional-ear-training

And here is a link to the actual app:
http://www.miles.be/

I've been using it for a couple of months now. I am still in the introductory section, but I really like the way the program presents chord sequences and tones. I am fairly solid on the major scale, but when the program advances to include what it calls the chromatic tones (all the non-major scale notes) I struggle. It's to the point where I even struggle to identify the major scale notes that I am solid on when the chromatics are introduced.

It's my hope that improving my ear will help the light bulb go on and make me a better steel player and better overall musician. We'll see. Gotta get past those chromatics first.
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Landon Johnson · From: Washington, USA

First two notes = major fourth.Downward it's the first two notes from some classical piece I can't remember the title of.

Imperial Margarine 1st 2 notes is a perfect 5th going up.
"Feelings" by Morris Albert 1st 2 notes is a 5th going down.

This is how I learned to recognize intervals. I don't need it anymore, but when I am working out a song those little ditties come into my head.

Jonathan Shacklock · From: London, UK

On the subject of "memory pegging" songs to intervals here's a useful page for creating a personalised chart for every interval, ascending and descending.

https://www.earmaster.com/products/free-tools/interval-song-chart-generator.html

This definitely helps in the beginning but it's slow. Ideally I believe you reach the stage where you just can hear all of the intervals with no external comparison.

I'm pretty solid at identifying b2, 2, 3, 5, 6, b7, and the octave but under certain circumstances I can't distinguish a b6 from a b3 or sometimes a b5 from a 7. More frustratingly a perfect 4th sometimes sounds so consonant to me it almost disappears, even thought I can hear it pulling down to the 3 and the root and I have various song pegs memorised, it can be very elusive. Evidently I need more practice.

Thanks for the app links Bob, looks good and I like the idea that it's training you to recognise notes in context, not just compare to known intervals. I'm sure there are some people who find this an easy skill to acquire but for some of us it's a long road. Keep at it!

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

You asked about hearing chord changes too, not just single note intervals. I seem to remember picking out chord changes being easier than melodies. The differences between M, m, aug, and dim are what makes the melody interesting.

So I did a search and found this little instantly gratifying digitool site.
https://tonedear.com/ear-training/chord-progressions

Donâ€™t forget to try to play stuff back on your instrument. Hearing and recognizing is great, but playing back is the fun part.

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

I think ear training is like muscle memory. Repetition is the way to train. After 40 years of figuring out pop songs, I no longer need a guitar in hand, just a pencil and paper to chart out a tune I'm hearing in the number system. I don't have perfect pitch so I can't tell you what key it's in but I can get almost any interval relative to the root correct.
Practice- it will come with time.

Ollin Landers · From: Willow Springs, NC

I attended a 3 day class with Jeff Newman at the cabin back in 1994. We spent several hours listening to tunes and charting them using pencil and paper.

So many resources for this. Jeff gave me a copy of "Play What You Hear Hear What You Play" The day I left. I used to ride around in the car with that tape on.

But this can be accomplished with something as simple as "Band in a Box". All you need is the Nashville chord charts and the backing track. The key for me was start simple and repeat, repeat, repeat.

I approached this by doing it the same way I learn licks and phrases. Sometimes starting with only 2 or 3 notes of a lick. Then 2 or 3 more notes. Then put them together etc...

I listened for just one change in a very simple 3 chord song until I could hear a I-IV change. Then go to more and more complex chord progressions. Just listening for that one change in that progression. Then go to the V-I change etc. Until I could recognize that change no matter how complicated the song.

Then build it until I could recognize patterns in songs. Like a I-IV-V 8 bar blues or a vi-ii-V-I. Pretty soon not only could I recognize the patterns but I started to just get an intuitive feel for certain songs that followed standard progressions.

It just takes time and repetition.
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Pat Chong · From: New Mexico, USA

A lot of what is said is true. I would like to add just a little to it. I would suggest learning to play bass to the tunes you question.

For example,
1, 3, 5 is a major chord.
1,b3, 5 is a minor chord.
1, 3, 5, b7 is a 7th chord.

I am sure you know this, but what I am pointing out is what is common to these chords is what is played on bass (1 and 5). Playing bass can help you identify what note chord you are playing, and your ear can help identify minor, major etc. as others have brought out, and patterns, too. I still have to bring out my bass when I can't identify a chord. Not counting augmented or diminished chords, it is an almost foolproof way to find the mystery chord.
Anyway, full speed ahead....engage!

............Pat

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