Learning by Ear Guitar Lesson

Chapter 1: (00:36) Lesson Introduction Ear training is an essential component of every musician's growth. In this lesson, Brad will give you some tips to get you started on this valuable, life-long process. Chapter 2: (01:11) Learning Songs by Ear The first step in learning any song or piece is to listen to it several times. Like Brad suggests, you may want to listen to the recording twenty or thirty times if necessary. This must be your first step regardless of whether you have a transcription of the song or not.

This step accomplishes many preliminary goals. It is much easier to learn a song by ear quickly if you are already very familiar with how it goes. Listening to a song repeatedly will help you internalize the rhythms and melodic content. If you can't sing the song in your head, you will have a very difficult time transcribing it.

After your first couple of listens, determine the structure of the song. The structure of a piece of music is referred to as the "form." For example, does the song begin with an introduction? Does the introduction theme occur anywhere else in the song? Or, does the song follow a simple verse, chorus, verse structure? Once you have determined the form, write it down on paper in a basic outline format. Chapter 3: (01:22) Listening for Chord Changes Your next step in learning a song or piece is to listen for the chord changes. You don't necessarily have to determine what the chords actually are at this point. Just make a note of when and where the chords change. To complete this process, isolate one part of the song and examine it thoroughly. First, you must determine what time signature the song is in. This requires that you learn the basic music theory rules pertaining to time signatures. Is it in 4/4, 3/4, 12/8 or something else? The vast majority of popular songs are played in these time signatures. Then, determine how often the chords are changing. The metronomic rate at which chords change in a piece is referred to as "harmonic rhythm." Chapter 4: (05:30) Figuring Out Tunings In order to properly transcribe a song by ear, you must determine which tuning the band is playing in. The most commonly used tuning is referred to as "standard tuning." In this particular tuning, the open strings from low to high are tuned to the following pitches: E, A, D, G, B, E.

When this tuning is employed, the band members typically tune their instruments to A=440. Pantera is one exception. This means that the pitch known as A is defined as a frequency of 440mHz. The abbreviation "mHz" refers to a unit called megahertz. This indicates how many vibrations a string produces in a given unit of time. A=440 is the international standard for tuning a musical instrument. This musical standard is frequently called "concert pitch."

Although standard tuning is the most widely used tuning, many songs are played in different tunings. This is especially true of the rock genre. For example, many bands prefer to tune each string of the guitar down a half step. This serves many purposes. This tuning, gives the guitar an overall lower range. Bands that have singers with low voices typically play in this tuning because it suits the singer's voice better. Other bands may prefer this tuning because it gives the guitar a slightly heavier sound. Famous rock bands that frequently employ this tuning are KISS, Van Halen, Alice In Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, and Guns N' Roses.

Other bands prefer to tune each string down by another interval. Pantera frequently tuned each string down a full step or a step and a half. Regardless of what tuning Pantera played in, they always tuned down an additional several "cents" using a digital tuner. Queens of the Stone Age tunes each string down 2 whole steps. Smashing Pumpkins use this tuning quite often as well.

Another very common tuning is referred to as "dropped-D" tuning. This means that all of the strings remain in standard tuning with the exception of the low E string. This string is tuned down a full step to the note D. Many bands employ this tuning on top of tuning each string down a specified interval. Eddie Van Halen frequently tunes his guitar down a half step then tunes the low string down an additional full step.

Open tunings are quite common as well. A guitar is played in an open tuning when the open strings spell a specific triad. The most commonly used tunings in rock music are open G, open D, and open E. Open tunings have a very distinct sound that many guitarists prefer. For example, Keith Richards usually plays in open G tuning.

With so many tunings out there, how is one supposed to know which tuning a song is in?

Follow these tips to determine the tuning:

1. Find the lowest chord in the song. If the root is lower than an E in concert pitch, then you know that the guitars are tuned down. For example, if the lowest chord contains a low B root note, the song is most likely performed on a guitar tuned to dropped-D down one and a half steps or it is played on a 7-string in standard tuning.

2. Listen for "open" chords. These are the best indicator of a song's tuning. If it sounds like the guitarist is playing an open E chord, but this chord sounds like a D#, then the guitars are most likely tuned down a half step. Chapter 5: (03:32) Which Chords Are Being Used? After you have completed the preceding steps, it is time to figure out all of the chord progressions in the song. The easiest way to do this is to use the bass guitar part as a reference. Typically, the bass player will play the low root of each chord. This is not always the case. However, this is a good starting point when learning a song.

Then, you must determine the quality of each chord in the song. "Quality" means major, minor, diminished, etc. Are the chords triads, seventh chords, or power chords? Do the chords contain any extensions or altered tones? If you have a vast chord vocabulary, it is much easier to recognize a specific chord when you hear it. Knowledge of chord theory also helps immensely when determining the quality of a chord. Chapter 6: (04:30) Using Chord / Music Theory As mentioned in the previous scene, knowledge of music theory is extremely important when transcribing any piece of music. An important component of music theory development is learning the diatonic triads within every tonality. Brad introduced this idea in a previous Phase 2 lesson. Essentially, a triad can be built from each scale degree within a tonality. These are the chords that are used most often within a certain key center or tonality.

For a review of the diatonic triads in the most common major and minor keys, access Brad's chart under the Supplemental Content tab.

Often, non-diatonic chords are used in a chord progression. These particular chords are an example of "chromaticism." Chromatic notes are notes that are outside of a particular key signature. For example, the triad built from the seventh scale degree in a major key is diminished. In the key of A, the vii chord is G# diminished. However, the b7 chord is frequently used instead within the context of a major key progression. In the key of A, a G major chord is built from the b7 scale degree. This b7 chord gives the progression an overall Mixolydian quality. Chapter 7: (05:56) Figuring Out Solo Sections When transcribing a solo, music theory comes into play once again. The more scales and arpeggios you know, the easier it is to determine what a soloist is playing. Knowledge of rock guitar vocabulary is also a great help. For example, there are numerous pentatonic licks that just about every rock/blues guitarist learns in his or her lifetime. These licks, or licks that are very similar appear in countless recorded and live solos.

When learning a solo by ear, you must first determine which scales, modes, arpeggios, etc. the guitarist is using. For example, the solo to "Enter Sandman" begins with some licks from E minor pentatonic. Then, Kirk Hammett builds tension by playing diatonic arpeggios from the E Dorian Mode. Next, he plays licks from a combination of B Aeolian and the B minor pentatonic blues scale. For the next portion, he switches gears to F# minor pentatonic. He concludes the solo by returning to the E minor pentatonic scale. Most guitar solos typically employ at least two different scales or modes.

Once you have learned the recorded solo, you have several decisions to make. Essentially, you have four options. You may choose to play the solo exactly how it was recorded. Or, you may want to improvise the entire solo. This approach works the best when playing a song that contains a solo part played at a very rapid tempo that changes keys or time signatures often. For example, if you are covering a Slayer song played at 220 bps, you probably want to memorize the recorded solo and stick to it. When covering a song, some guitarists prefer to write out their own memorized solo. Lastly, the most common approach used by soloists is to combine signature licks from a solo with improvised portions. Signature licks are the licks from a solo that are instantly recognizable by most listeners. Brad typically takes this approach to playing a solo. The song "Stairway to Heaven" begins with one of the most recognizable licks of all time. If you play a solo over this progression, you probably want to include this signature lick in order to grab the audience's attention. Then, move into improvising your own material.

Stay tuned for more ear-training advice!

Member Comments about this Lesson

Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.