Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Any tips on learning by ear?

#1

Season’s Greetings!
I’m chugging my way through the Beginner Learning Track, really enjoying it, though my progress is slow.
Last week, at my traditional dancing class, I got into a converstion with the musicians (an accordionist and a violinist) and expressed a wish to learn some of the melodies on my banjo. They very kindly invited me to their house but informed me that they usually learn by ear, which is something I’ve never done. I still regard myself as a beginner and, until I picked up the banjo had no musical experience whatsoever.
So, I’d like to know if anyone has any tips that will help me, especially as their instruments are VERY different from what I’m used to.
Thank in advance for your help.

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#2

Here is a video from the site that might interest you from a recent Cabin Camp…
https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/inside-cabin-camp-intro-to-guitar-soloing-with-caleb-lindsey-guitar-beginner/video/finding-the-melody

The full lesson is at https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/inside-cabin-camp-intro-to-guitar-soloing-with-caleb-lindsey-guitar-beginner

Event though the lesson is for guitar, you would still find something of interest.

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#3

Hi @RichardC111 Richard think of a song you know well Jingle Bells would be appropriate at this time of year. Try to find the notes to that tune on your instrument. These notes should be easy enough to find in G. Once you can figure that much out try adding a few licks in the spaces where there is no singing.

Playing with others can be a tough call so don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Make sure you know what key your supposed to be in. Your friends will be so busy playing their instrument chances are they won’t hear any mistakes you make. Have fun

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#4

Thanks for the replies.
@Bhive, I’m watching that lesson now and it is useful.
@Archie, that’s a great idea about Jingle Bells. I’ll give it a go.

#5

This is such a great opportunity @RichardC111! Happy for you! Go practice with my pickalongs and build-a-breaks, finding the melody by ear.

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#6

Oh! I almost forgot. Be sure to clean out the Ear Wax

ear2

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#7

Good Morning Richard,

I was always taught that a musician needs to hear the music before they can play it, but there are tools that I learned that could be used to help.

Way back in a college music theory course,

  • When learned to sing the major scale using the numbers 1-8, With 1 being the root, 8 being the octave.

  • We were testing on being able to identify what we hear.

We learned how to listen and identify, if the chord being played was playing was a major or a minor

  • A major chord sounds “happy”

  • A minor chord sounds "sad”

We then would learn to sing the above chords, and eventually songs, using nothing but numbers. Somewhat similar to what Julie Andrew’s does in the Sound of Music with Do Ray, Me

For Example, Jingle Bells, which starts on the 3 tone of the scale would be:

3- 3- 3
3 - 3- 3
3 - 5 - 1 -2 - 3

After learning basic songs like that, we then learned the 7 tone of the scale, which

Added resonance then resolution and finally cadences.

And the biggest advice with playing by ear is to avoid alternate “ear picking" to pluck, because you will shake your head into a frenzie, specially during the fast parts :blush:

Kindly, David

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#8

Thanks so much for all your tips!
I’m heading out this morning to spend Christmas with family - no banjo playing for a week! But I will certainly take up @BanjoBen 's suggestion about trying to pick out melodies on his videos.
@david8hunt thank you too for your great advice!

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