My ear training began with radio and records not with lessons or a book. My formal music education began later, by then I was much better equipped to study because of having listened so much. The inverse happens today where a student takes lessons on an instrument without having heard anything.
Listening to music is the first step in the development of a musician. The more you listen, the basic principles of your instrument and of music will become clearer to you. It is a rudimentary but very effective form of ear training.
What ever success I've had as a teacher was based on the principal of listening to certain recordings. I've had many students come in asking to learn to play something. They would ask me to write it out for them, I would and they would be happy.
I realized later what a disservice I was doing by transcribing. I then began telling them to listen to the recording to get a feel and understanding of what ever they wanted to play. Once they did this then I would step in and refine what they heard. Suffice it to say that this didn't make me very popular but I felt that this was the way to develop a musician and not an instrumentalist.
Drummer Kenny Washington once stated That a teacher can't teach you to hear. It's a somewhat blanket statement but there is a lot of truth to it. Technical skill without listening to music is no skill at all. You can't play something if you don't understand it and you will not understand something if you don't hear it.
Listening to music is an aural textbook. You are increasing your knowledge every time you hear music. Understanding makes the seemingly unplayable on paper, playable. This aural information is retained and stored in your "inner ear". It is the development of the inner ear that will you lead you to being a better and more aware musician.
The Groove Continues...
Listening to music is the first step in the development of a musician. The more you listen, the basic principles of your instrument and of music will become clearer to you. It is a rudimentary but very effective form of ear training.
What ever success I've had as a teacher was based on the principal of listening to certain recordings. I've had many students come in asking to learn to play something. They would ask me to write it out for them, I would and they would be happy.
I realized later what a disservice I was doing by transcribing. I then began telling them to listen to the recording to get a feel and understanding of what ever they wanted to play. Once they did this then I would step in and refine what they heard. Suffice it to say that this didn't make me very popular but I felt that this was the way to develop a musician and not an instrumentalist.
Drummer Kenny Washington once stated That a teacher can't teach you to hear. It's a somewhat blanket statement but there is a lot of truth to it. Technical skill without listening to music is no skill at all. You can't play something if you don't understand it and you will not understand something if you don't hear it.
Listening to music is an aural textbook. You are increasing your knowledge every time you hear music. Understanding makes the seemingly unplayable on paper, playable. This aural information is retained and stored in your "inner ear". It is the development of the inner ear that will you lead you to being a better and more aware musician.
The Groove Continues...
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