I have used Earmaster and other program like it off and on for over a year in hope of listening to a piece of music, then writing it down without even thinking of an instrument.
Yet there are some major problems. Despite being able to recognize all intervals in harmonic, ascending, and descending order, I still have great difficulty in listening to one measure in a piece of music, then writing it down without the aid of an instrument. By great difficulty, I mean it's impossible for me, my brain can't seem to grasp it, it just seems so alien to me.
Take the first two measures of Mozart's K. 488, Second movement for example. The melody sounds pretty simple, but I can not transcribe it without an instrument, despite my high efficiency at recognizing intervals with Earmaster.
I believe Earmaster has little validity outside the artificial context of the Earmaster software. You can do great in Earmaster, but when it comes to real music, your results will be severely limited.
Does Earmaster really work?
Moderator: Quentin
-
macrobilly
- Good listener
- Posts: 5
- Joined: 20 Sep 2009, 10:29
- Location: Germany
Hi,
In real music the same interval can have many different functions. For example the interval from the 4th step to the 6th step in the key is a major 3rd, but it sounds different from the interval from 1st to 3rd step. In the first many lessons in EarMaster the first tone of the interval is the root tone of the key, which is not the case in real music.
Therefore the last lessons in the Standard tutor plays a cadence first to settle the key and then play the interval at different positions within the key. This is what you need to practice a lot more to deal with real life music.
In real music the same interval can have many different functions. For example the interval from the 4th step to the 6th step in the key is a major 3rd, but it sounds different from the interval from 1st to 3rd step. In the first many lessons in EarMaster the first tone of the interval is the root tone of the key, which is not the case in real music.
Therefore the last lessons in the Standard tutor plays a cadence first to settle the key and then play the interval at different positions within the key. This is what you need to practice a lot more to deal with real life music.
- Because in Music, We're All Ears... -
Hi
I have somewhat the same problem, but I haven't used it so much, so I expect it to improve a lot. I can usually get near 100% on all intervals ascending, slightly less on harmonic and descending. Trying to figure out (or even guess at) real music without an intrument seems impossible to me, still.
When practicing the last parts you describe, the intervals are still as easy to recognize, but I havent tried the whole course. I think my brain automatically makes the first tone the root tone, regardless of the cadence being played first. And here is my point: What I really was hoping Earmaster could give me, is an exercise where a cadence is played first to settle the key, and then one single note. Then the user must guess that note, "where in the key", so to speak. Is there similar functionality I haven't found yet, or can it be made?
Earmaster is so successful at making things progressively more difficult, so that each step seems easy if you've only spent some time with the preceeding steps. But I think the idea above might make the final step - from Earmaster to real music much easier.
I have somewhat the same problem, but I haven't used it so much, so I expect it to improve a lot. I can usually get near 100% on all intervals ascending, slightly less on harmonic and descending. Trying to figure out (or even guess at) real music without an intrument seems impossible to me, still.
When practicing the last parts you describe, the intervals are still as easy to recognize, but I havent tried the whole course. I think my brain automatically makes the first tone the root tone, regardless of the cadence being played first. And here is my point: What I really was hoping Earmaster could give me, is an exercise where a cadence is played first to settle the key, and then one single note. Then the user must guess that note, "where in the key", so to speak. Is there similar functionality I haven't found yet, or can it be made?
Earmaster is so successful at making things progressively more difficult, so that each step seems easy if you've only spent some time with the preceeding steps. But I think the idea above might make the final step - from Earmaster to real music much easier.
You can do it with the Melodic dictation exercise. The first 4 lessons of the standard tutor plays a cadence and then only one tone, which you have to identify.
If you want to identify it by its function, you might want to use "Movable Do" tone naming, set in the "Exercise settings" menu.
If you have specific needs beyond the first 4 lessons in the standard tutor, just use the customized exercise. Then you can get exactly the tones and keys you want to practice.
Best regards,
Hans Jakobsen
EarMaster
If you want to identify it by its function, you might want to use "Movable Do" tone naming, set in the "Exercise settings" menu.
If you have specific needs beyond the first 4 lessons in the standard tutor, just use the customized exercise. Then you can get exactly the tones and keys you want to practice.
Best regards,
Hans Jakobsen
EarMaster
Sounds great! I'll check it. I haven't tried melody dictate yet, cause I thought it would be like an advanced level... too advanced for me anyway.... 
I think remembering tones by function is what I subconsciously did when playing guitar when I was a kid. But I never learned the do-re-mi-stuff, cause I didn't have formal training. But I suppose that won't be to difficult. Anyway, I'm off to try it out now.
I think remembering tones by function is what I subconsciously did when playing guitar when I was a kid. But I never learned the do-re-mi-stuff, cause I didn't have formal training. But I suppose that won't be to difficult. Anyway, I'm off to try it out now.
By the way, I think you can disregard this comment from me: "When practicing the last parts you describe, the intervals are still as easy to recognize, but I havent tried the whole course. I think my brain automatically makes the first tone the root tone, regardless of the cadence being played first."
I obviously spoke a bit too early. It seems it is getting progressively harder throughout the final stages, so I guess everything is as it should be. I just haven't tried many of those stages, cause I will wait till I master the preceding stages better.
I obviously spoke a bit too early. It seems it is getting progressively harder throughout the final stages, so I guess everything is as it should be. I just haven't tried many of those stages, cause I will wait till I master the preceding stages better.
the same problem
I am running in the same problem as you are:
identifying the intervals is one part of the game, transcribing, or sight-singing is another level. I guess you could compare it a little bit with understanding a foreign language (passive vocabulary) and speaking it (active vocabulary).
I try to sight-read, sing intervals (starting from different notes), play back short phrases from tunes. I haven't started transcribing yet. But this is on my list as well.
identifying the intervals is one part of the game, transcribing, or sight-singing is another level. I guess you could compare it a little bit with understanding a foreign language (passive vocabulary) and speaking it (active vocabulary).
I try to sight-read, sing intervals (starting from different notes), play back short phrases from tunes. I haven't started transcribing yet. But this is on my list as well.