The best ear training exercise you’re not doing

#music #guitarcovers

I played guitar for 6 years relying only on my intellect. I could read charts and play shows, but I had a severe case of imposter syndrome. Then a drummer in India turned on a drone, started singing, and expected me to sing it back.

In this video I share what actually changed the way I hear music. Singing over a drone, and singing the drone. If you are a complete beginner like I was, you don't need anything else to start.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Guitar lets you avoid ear training
0:38 The drummer in India
1:42 What a drone is
2:16 I couldn't sing one note
3:20 The fridge
3:34 Singing parts of the scale
3:54 The exercise
5:00 The flat third
6:12 Sing the drone
6:39 What happened next
7:03 Apps that promise a great ear in two weeks
7:27 Two ideas to start with

THE EXERCISE
1. Play the root and sing it. Pick a note that is comfortable for your voice. I'm using D.
2. Play several notes of the scale and sing them.
3. Repeat them over the drone with your voice only.
4. Then reverse it. Sing the drone and play the scale above it.

THE PHRASES (D minor, scale degrees)
1 2 b3 2 1
1 2 b3 2 4 b3 2 1
1 b7 1
1 b7 2 1
1 b7 2 b3 2 1
Singing the drone, playing 5 5 4 4 b3 b3 2 2 1 1

One more goal you can set for yourself. Sing any simple melody over the drone. Choose a folk song, play the melody on your instrument, and sing it until you feel confident.