I been heavily working out my ears the last 3 years.

[70 Mach 1]

a few nights a week i put on the radio and pluck out every progression that comes on whether i like the song or not, been doing this about 6 hours a week

Im at the point where can get most of the song the first time around. im not talking fills and leads just chords

The problem is I can identify a few chords if played by themselves . I can hear A E B D G but not in progression and not sharps or flats. Id have to pluck around to find them

this has been also helping me learn more songs

how are you guys doing ear training

 

[Shreddy Mercury]

Well, I haven't done any ear training in years and years. Though, due to hundreds spent on lessons, new gear, and countless hours of practice, I accidentally figured out Brown Eyed Girl today. Does that count?

 

[GuitarVacation]

a few nights a week i put on the radio and pluck out every progression that comes on whether i like the song or not, been doing this about 6 hours a week

Im at the point where can get most of the song the first time around. im not talking fills and leads just chords

The problem is I can identify a few chords if played by themselves . I can hear A E B D G but not in progression and not sharps or flats. Id have to pluck around to find them

this has been also helping me learn more songs

how are you guys doing ear training

Very cool practice method and way to level up all around. After you figure out the key/chords, then you can lay down the shredz for solo improv practice.

I have never been into transcribing, and have rarely learned solos note for note (did more of that in my beginner years). What I like to do is find a solo or performance that gives me that “holy s*** that’s awesome, with a bonus of WTF is going on here.”

Then I’ll jam along with it, and try to emulate the harmony/feel/timing of what’s going on. I’ll usually pick up some phrases note for note, but it’s more useful to me to learn some of the ‘essence’ of what’s makes a solo/performance awesome, particularly if it initially sounds really foreign, and maybe even slightly unobtainable.

I imitated my favorite players to a fault for a long time. I eventually figured out that I will never be that player, and obviously copycating my heroes is not doing them or me justice. But having tools from each one in my toolbox as influences is much better.

So now if I do that ‘jam with this bad a$$ music’ type practice, my hope is to emulate enough of the essence of what the player is doing to incorporate into what I do.

Learning songs by ear and jamming along has been really beneficial to me over the years. I just have to remember one way to practice that functions best in a consistent intentional practice routine. I say that because it easy to fall into just playing self indulgent noodley crap, that is fun but not as valuable. Ask me how I know LOL

 

[phillybhatesme]

You get better at ear training by practicing ear training:





What you’ve described kind of like trial and error but you’re good at it.

 

[DanTravis62]

I don't listen to the style of music you can just "jam along to" and "pluck out the chords" normally, that's reserved for non-riff based music

but I did the exact same thing you are doing @70 Mach 1 for many years, along with traditional ear training. It's certainly helpful if you're playing in a wedding/cover band where you're expected to take improvised solos often.

I would add though that just plucking out chords isn't enough, as @phillybhatesme posted, what you really need to train your ear for is the intervals - that is, the important part isn't the chords themselves but recognizing the sounds of various intervals between them. That's what really kicks your ear training into high gear, and lets you hear a couple of chords from a song and know exactly what's going on... and more importantly, what to do with it now that you know what's going on.

 

[ChurchHill]

When I was first starting, I did something similar, just with the TV instead of the radio, playing along, or trying to, with whatever music was on. Side effect was that I learned a lot of little hooks from commercials that I could throw out whenever. People would recognize it but not know what it was, if you know what I mean.

A big part of my practice as learning new songs by ear. This was before the internet, and the only tab was in a couple of guitar magazines and a handful of books. That not only helped my ear but also helped me learn what works in the context of a song and a mix. If I wasn't practicing specific techniques, that's what I was doing for actual practice.

 

[70 Mach 1]

You get better at ear training by practicing ear training:





What you’ve described kind of like trial and error but you’re good at it.

I Got through 10 minutes of each video with 90% success.
I'll save them both for future lessons

When im training off the radio I listen to see what the progession sounds like first

Theres only about 15 progressions regularly used in what im listening to.
Im not figuring out anything technically challenging

I can hear most of the progressions right off the bat.

Then i just need to poke around to find the key

Some shit dont start on the root. So ill listen for minor chords or where the turnaround is and that narrows it down to a key.

I guess everyone has their own way in what works.

 

[stephen sawall]

I have been doing the figure out everything on the radio and tv since I was a kid. I still do the tv occasionally. Doing everything in real time keeps you on your toes. I figure out melody as much as progressions.