Ear training

On this installment of @yamahamusicusa #silentbass and @laklandbasses Friday, we continue the series on "Fundamentals. Today, "Ear Training". There are many articles, lessons and products that cover this, but I want to talk about it in a more fundamental way. Ear training goes WAY beyond recognizing intervals, or picking out basslines (though these are both powerful and necessary skills). The goal is to translate ur musical ideas from the brain to the listener...whether those ideas were influenced by and external stimulus, or an internal idea. This allows ur playing to be more personal, creative and musical. It prevents "riff-itis". The biggest tool here is the voice. Now, calm down this isn't a vocal lesson (my sight singing teacher is probably still in therapy because of me, lol). The voice is the bridge between the brain and ur hands, and ur face will be musical before ur hands can. One of my teachers used to drill into me, "if u can't sing ur part, u can't play it...!". Ok, as usual, how? The first thing to understand is you have to "train ur brain" to do this. Start by playing arpeggios/pentatonics/scales and singing along with them...every key. Play each note...then match the tone. As u improve, you can start singing the note first, then playing it to test yourself. Hear the note in ur head. Try to anticipate the next one. Visualize the note on the fretboard. Next, try learning a bassline by listening, singing it and then finding it on the bass. You will start with one or two notes at a time, but you will progress. When u become accustomed to singing what you play, your basslines will naturally have breath and dynamics. Some players that use this skill sing "out loud", some sing to themselves while others can be seen "mouthing" the notes. U choose which works for u. Once u engage ur "inner ear" with ur playing, u will be amazed how far ur will go musically. Eventually,  everything u play will first be sung in ur head...and that's a good thing! always, I invite your insights. #yamahamusicusa #makewaves #pirastro #glasserny #laklandbasses #sitstrings #tsunamicables #philjonesbass #uptonbassstringinstrumentcompany #basslessons  #remotelessons #www.charleysabatino.com