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Lesson 3 Ear Training Basics

Author: Lakedria Lozano

Unit 3 Ear training basics

Unit 3
Ear Training Basics
Lesson Hints
 This lesson involves extensive listening

 

Sometimes hearing things can be difficult, remember DON’T PANIC!  You will become more comfortable with all of the concepts with practice.

 

As always please let me know if you have any questions

Overview
We take a break from reading music solely by sight and we focus exclusively on Ear Training and the way music sounds. This unit will give you the opportunity to experience many musical concepts both by sight and by ear.
 Focus will be on aurally (by ear) identifying, major and minor chords, all of the “perfect intervals” P4, P5, and the octave and cadences. 
You will be able to see what these look like and hear what they sound like.  You will continue to add to your list of music terms to know .
Objectives
Distinguish between low and high pitches
Determine whether  pitches are heard harmonically or melodically
Identify Aurally Major and Minor chord qualities
Identify Aurally Intervals ( P4, P5, P8 and tri-tone) Define chord, interval, consonance, dissonance, pitch, cadence ( plagal, authentic, deceptive )  piano, mezzo piano, mezzo forte, and forte
 Dynamics- Volume of Music
Piano- Soft  ( P)
Mezzo Piano- Medium Soft (MP) 
 Mezzo Forte- Medium Loud (MF)
 Forte- Loud  (F)
 Which note is higher A or B?
A                       B
  The Answer is:
B
The next slide will give you the definition of pitches.
Pitch and Types of Pitches
“Music terms to know”
Pitch -the perceived highness or lowness of a tone as determined by its vibrational frequency

 

Harmonic pitches-  Two or more tones played at the same time

 

Melodic Pitches-    Two tones played one at a time
Examples of Melodic and Harmonic Pitches
Melodic                                               Harmonic

 

 

 

  
 I can listen to this all day Vs. PLEASE TURN THAT NOISE OFF! ITS HORRIBLE!

 

Music in general can be either consonant or dissonant
 Consonant-  A  relatively smooth  and stable sound ( Usually sounds very pleasing to the ear)
 
Dissonant-  A Rough and unstable sound ( Usually sounds very displeasing to your ear  ** You may cringe**)
“Twinkle Twinkle  Little Star”
Example of Consonant and Dissonant music
Consonant                                    Dissonant

 

 

 Intervals
Intervals- Refer to the distance from one note to the next.
**There will be more about intervals in the next lessons, however this lesson will introduce you to the intervals that you hear almost daily. You will not need to know how to write them yet, just hear what they sound like and identify them.**
  Consonant Intervals the “Perfect Intervals”
Perfect 4th- ( p4)  To identify this by ear think of the beginning of “Here comes the bride”

 

Perfect 5th- (p5) To identify this by ear think of the beginning of “Twinkle, Twinkle little star”

 

Perfect Octave-  ( p8) To identify this by ear think of the beginning of “Somewhere over the rainbow”
 It’s the European Siren: The Tri-tone. )Dissonant Intervals
The dissonant interval we will cover in this lesson is the tri-tone.

 

Tri-tone- ( TT) To identify this by ear think of  what a siren sounds like in Europe.
  Interval examples
P4
P5
P8
TT
Cords or Chords?
Chords- are three or more notes played at the same time to form harmony.
Chords can either be major or minor

 

To identify major chords by ear these will usually sound “happy”

 

To identify minor chords by ear these chords will usually sound “sad”
Chord Examples
Major                                            Minor

 

Cadences
Cadences are used to mark the end of a phrase or section of music. 

 

The three common cadences are authentic, plagal, and deceptive.
Authentic- Will sound like the piece is officially ending
Plagal- Church cadence will end the piece “Amen”
Deceptive- Will leave you wanting an ending. ( It will deceive you) 

 

 

Cadence Examples
Authentic

 

Plagal

 

Deceptive
Music Terms to Know
chord
 interval
consonance
dissonance
 pitch
cadence ( plagal, authentic, deceptive ) 
piano
 mezzo piano
 mezzo forte
forte

 

 

 

Ear Training Basics