How I Learn Music by Ear

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[@MandoLessons]

Here's a link to the tune I was learning: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2KUqGp6pLqMaqM

[@nEMOheartTaco]

I love that you didn't omit the intro to show that it's not edited

[@MandoLessons]

Haha, that was actually a mistake on my part, but yes, no editing 😁

[@danstune]

This is a wonderful explanation and demonstration of your process for learning tunes. Hearing the nuances in the tune and the variations in scale tones is not easy. Thus is helpful. Darn, I will never be as fast as you at 68! 😂

[@HAIS-hr3lz]

This is a really good insight into "earism", I normally find learning by ear a profoundly depressing and frustrating process, there are a lot of musicians in this part of the UK who seem to revel in making folk like me who struggle to learn by ear feel small and stupid, Top tutorial sir!!

[@paulagarrett3758]

This was great! I found myself relating to this process completely! I walk through learning a new tune by ear the same way. I read music as a classical violinist, but for learning folk tunes, or really any tunes, this makes them so permanent. If I learn by sheet music, I become dependent upon it to play the tune. This way imprints shapes and patterns in my head. Great tune too! I may have to learn it. 😁👍🏽Thanks Barron.

[@patfiddles]

On some of those hard spots I kept thinking- "Oh just cheat and look at the sheet music"- I guess that's why I never learned to play by ear. I'm going to try this on a couple of simple tunes and force myself not to cheat. Thanks for the video.

[@robertshorthill6836]

I often take advantage of this slow down feature on KZbin, if there is no tabs or sheet music notes. Often these tunes are played so darn fast, it's near impossible to get them, if not for the slow down. Then I make up a tab sheet and fill in notes one measure at a time. This tab sheet can come in handy for future study, as well as remembering the tune. Baron, I pretty much go about getting a tune the same way you do.

[@peggybogardus9340]

This was interesting and helpful in learning your approach. Thank you!

[@paulagarrett3758]

Thanks!

[@paulagarrett3758]

Just appreciate all you do for the mando world! I’ve learned a lot from your videos.

[@kevinbaker3616]

Another great lesson. I’d also be interested to learn how you come up with the backing chords.

[@jamesstiehl]

This was great!

[@mermaid10x]

Excellent explanation of learning by ear. Everyone puts their own twist on a tune which is why tunes morph a bit. One thing that works for me is I stream tunes of other genres and try to pick up bits of the tune on the fly. Whatever comes at me I try to find something to latch onto even tunes like born to be wild or purple haze which typically is not played on a mandolin. Lol. It’s fun and has helped me to learn on the fly plus adding my little bits helps out solo guitar vocalists especially if I can flesh out the melody. Also makes me more welcome because the mandolin can embroider the tune without becoming obnoxious or at least that’s how it’s been described to me. My tenor banjo not so much lol but sometimes I wanna be heard. Isn’t music wonderful!

[@kennethdrewyor1592]

A great technique and demonstration!

[@sixwatergrog]

Thanks for the video on this topic, Baron. When going through this process, do you ever write down or notate what you're hearing to help with memorization or do you just keep it all in your mind?

[@MandoLessons]

I generally keep in in my mind unless its something very complicated or out of the ordinary. That said if you feel interested in notating it, that's great practice too!

[@taylormorris_]

Nice video!

[@dantrufin]

Am I the only one that has sound offset from the video? It's impossible to follow unless I close my eyes.

[@Mamo_Rambo]

Hey Beron! I really likes your videos and I wanted to ask: Do you think it will be helpful if I learn to play irish bouzouki from your lessons? All the teachers are faraway where I live. So what you think?

[@RVsbladesnthangs]

I'm trying to learn Spanish Grass but I don't have a good video to watch like this.

[@jmtaylorism]

Does your process help learn techniques that are currently beyond your ability, such as embellishments?

[@MandoLessons]

Good question! I think my brain needs to know the melody first and can then start to tune in to embellishments, but yes, the same process applies once I know the skeleton of the tune.

[@kgbaddley]

Sheet music would have answered your first two questions immediately: learn to read!!

[@MandoLessons]

All ways to learn a tune are good, but it is important to learn to identify tunes without a visual source if you hope to play in public sessions and pick up tunes they are playing.

[@kgbaddley]

@@MandoLessons You’re right, in that specific context.

[@joekagerer]

I feel similar to you, I've learned many of Baron's tunes from his sheet music where usually don't need the line by line mando-splaining 🙂 but I find at Jam's people don't have or "don't low no sheet music reading round here"... being able to learn by ear is such a great skill Baron's doing it "at speed" I can't even play that fast...

[@joekagerer]

Reply #2 I can't seem to remember more than 10 notes in a row until I've heard the tune 100 times, then I need the sheet music to remind me of what it goes like...

[@kimw6698]

I think you missed the point. Learning from sheet music and “learning by ear” are different processes.