How to develop a musical ear – for self-taught and not only!

Musical education, especially for adults, can be difficult if a person has insufficiently developed musical ear. That is why most music educators do not recommend ignoring solfeggio classes, the main task of which is to develop musical ear in all directions. What does the concept of “ear for music” really mean? First, you need to decide which hearing you need to develop. If you learn to play, you need a harmonious hearing, that is, the ability to hear harmony, fret – major or minor, the color of the sound. If you practice vocals, your goal is to develop a melodic ear that will help you easily memorize a melody consisting of separate intervals. True, these are local tasks, in life, musicians have to be specialists in a wide field of practice – to sing, to play several instruments, and to teach others (playing the instrument through singing and, conversely, singing through playing the instrument). Therefore, most methodologists who talk about how to develop musical hearing agree on the idea that melodic and harmonic hearing should develop simultaneously. Continue reading →