The Freedom of Learning by Ear

[Ed Nardell]

Thanks for your comments Howard.  I don't think we're fundamentally saying different things.  I too marvel on the recorder that I can somehow know where my fingers go to play a tune that I know without notation - in my case, with some trial and error.  Some of us are undoubtedly better at it than others - especially if that is how one has always learned and played music. I think it also matters how complex the music is.  As you say, familiar tunes can come easily, but learning a busy classical piece by Bach is likely to be more difficult.  I think it is primarily the professional classical musician learning complex pieces that Molly Gebrian, and the considerable serious neuroscience research on learning, is addressing.  

 

The title of this discussion is "the freedom of learning by ear" - but I think that while learning by ear works - and works well for those whose "ear" is accurate enough to result in repeating mostly correct notes - for many with less gifted ears, playing correct notes slowly from written music is a faster and more satisfying approach than struggling over and over in hopes of getting it right most of the time. I would rephrase the title from "learning" to, "the freedom of playing by ear" to mean that when a piece is in your head and fingers, no matter how it's learned, the playing is more musical, more satisfying, and more fun. 

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

A distant relative of mine ( on my mother's side).. only had to hear a tune played  once then she could ( I was told) play it back perfectly on her piano...but could not read music on the page.

I could listen to a tune on a record and remember it. ( In my mind) complete with jumps and cracks on the LP . Even now it's rather silly but true( I should have looked after the record I suppose.  Then my inner memory would be smoother on recalling that tune😊😊😊