Learning By Ear

[d.elliott]

Cheers Lester!

 

Dave

[geoffwright]

On similar lines to Sharron - it struck me in the car this morning that I kept subconciously humming along to a tune I was learning but had not played yet - people who play by ear can practise without an instrument.

Once you pick up the instrument, the only limitation is your fingering technique.

[Rhomylly]

Absolutely, Geoff! That's what I'm trying to do. Irish music is pretty much all new to me (my forte is English ritual and country dance), and I just don't "know" the tunes like I do the English ones. I hum our slo jam tunes at every opportunity!

[Sharron]

Geoff/Rhomylly

 

I was always told to play the tune that is in your head at that particular moment.

The tune that just keeps going round and round.

It is better if you can keep the tune going and analyse it as it runs through your head before getting to play it though. I still lose the tune if a wrong note is played, so I now try to keep it going in my head for longer than I used to so I can get it back quicker if I lose it later on playing the instrument.

I also find that if I can jot down an odd note or two as I play it, then I can find my way back into the tune again without as much problem until it *ingrains* itself.

It sounds like we are doing the same thing.

 

Sharron