Re: [Harp-L] History of Harp Tuning and Hearing Chords

[Music Cal <macaroni9999@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tin Lizzie

IMO present ear training software for the most part is awful. But you don't
need it anyway for there are lots of ways to develop your ear and your
ear-to-harp connection without ... old school.

To develop your ear you can listen to melodies that you like and sing them.
Then progress to singing solos played on those same tunes. Then try to sing
a three not arpeggio corresponding to each chord change in that tune. Do
all of this without ever picking up your instrument or without ever
thinking of the named notes. Think only of the pitches.

To develop your ear-to-harp connection start simple. Pick simple tunes that
you know (Christmas songs, nursery songs, Beatles melodies, etc.) and
simply try to play them without ever thinking of notes, intervals or the
mechanics of passing between notes. Then progress to more difficult
melodies and solos. Play the solos that may have learned to sing when
working on ear development. This gives you a means to evaluate how well you
are doing with respect to your ear training as well. It's easy to fool
oneself it thinking that you have heard all pitches correctly in a solo!

Keep it all fun and always put the harp away while you are still excited to
play more. That will keep you coming back.

I am presently taking lessons from a pianist that uses this approach as
taught to her by the great Lennie Tristano. She has me singing Billie
Holiday melodies and playing accompanying Lester Young solos. I would guess
that 75% of my practice is now done without an instrument in my hands.

Daniel


On Sat, May 17, 2014 at 9:45 PM, Tin Lizzie <TrackHarpL@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I am still on the lookout for a good way to exercise and expand this skill.
>
> If I play the chords on the piano, I know what the chord is when I play
> it, so I miss out on âtrying to figure out (or guess) what it isâ followed
> by the feedback of finding out whether I was right or wrong.
>
> If I hear an interesting progression in a song, itâs usually gone before I
> can get my hooks into identifying what/when for later study.
>
> With ear training software, I feel flummoxed by a lack of context, though
> maybe that approach deserves another try.
>
> I would be interested to know  *how*  others have worked on acquiring
> and/or strengthening this particular ability.
>
> Tin Lizzie
>
>
> On May 17, 2014, at 11:46 PM, Brian Boggs wrote:
>
> > From: ceudoazul@xxxxxxxxx
> > Date: May 17, 2014 6:38:11 PM EDT
> > To: Harp <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Subject: [Harp-L] History of Harp Tuning and Hearing Chords
> >
> >
> > A guest at a class I took, Paul Brewer, suggested that learning the
> sounds of chords was the same as recognizing your friend when they call on
> the phone and you hear their voice (pre-caller ID). Eventually all the
> chords are friends you recognize.
> > Suddenly something that seemed tedious took on a different meaning.
> > The Real Smokey Joe's post reminded me of that analogy.
> > Best regards,
> > Brian Boggs
>
>
>