I downloaded an mp3 this morning of a catchy tune and decided to learn it by ear. I fumbled for a few minutes then called up Audacity and ran the file through that. I used the “pitch (EAC)” function to display the pitch of the tune. This display gives a picture of the intervals. I used the Audacity display to get a start then figured the rest out by ear.
Audacity is available free online. The URL is in a C&F post somewhere or you can google it. It is a music editing program that I am nowhere near figuring out but the pitch function sure worked neat.
I am sure someone else has already figured out this use and there will be those who think it’s cheating. However, I’m one of those who likes as many tools in the box as possible.
Thanks for the tip - nice little programme. I do not believe that learning by ear is cheating. It came before written notation!!
Most of Irish music was passed on in this way. The blind harpers, O’Carolan, Ruari Dall O’Cathain etc., the closest Ireland came to Classical composers at the time, were BLIND so obviously they didn’t read music.
I cannot read music myself and have to learn all my tunes by ear. I currently have approximately 50 tunes working well.
I use MIDI files and a little programme called Van Basco’s a brilliant MIDI player for free: http://www.vanbasco.com/ It can play the tunes in any key or tempo and be set to repeat.
I tend to believe that those who play by ear often deliver more feeling to the music - but that is probably a prejudice on my part.
Keep up the good work!!
I believe that what walrii meant was that using audacity TO learn by ear (rather than just
listening to the tune over and over) was cheating. Not that learning by ear in general was
cheating.
I think what you describe is an invaluable step in learning to learn by ear: focusing on the
intervals between notes instead of just the hard notes themselves. It gives you a
better feel for the music theory and makes it easier to transpose on the fly.
Have you noticed that Audacity can also slow down without changing the pitch?
It’s harder to use than the Amazing SlowDowner (because it is not as specialized),
but it’s a lot cheaper!
That Vanbasco is the best midi player I’ve seen. Thanks for the tip. Not that I’m crazy about Midi files.
Precisely.
Have you noticed that Audacity can also slow down without changing the pitch?
I’d not discovered that function yet. Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for the Link…just what I’ve been looking for.
When I first saw the thread, I thought it would be about slowing down the tune while retaining the pitch. BUt I never thought to check for pitches. Huh! Learn somethin’ everyday. The Audacity for OSX is nicer than the old one for Mac folks.