Hard Ear Training Exercises with Easy Songs

When my family goes on long car rides, we play a five-song playlist on loop to get the kids to fall asleep.

I've probably listened to these five lullabies thousands of times, so to say I'm tired of hearing them is an understatement (and a pun).

Anyway, to keep myself entertained and awake, I turn the monotony into an ear training exercise. I transcribe the melodies, the chords, and the orchestration in my head as I drive. It's not hard enough to take my attention away from the road, but it does keep me sane and strengthens my ears.

One of the challenges many students face while transcribing chords is listening for the bass notes. The melody has this magnetic pull that makes it difficult to focus on anything else.

I recommend working on selective hearing by listening for the bass notes in easy kids songs like the lullaby playlist I mentioned above. The tempos are slow and the chord progressions are simple.

Once you get your "ear in gear," you can sing along with the bass part and work on figuring out the chord functions.

Give it a try.

And when you're ready for more of a challenge, go get some Stanky Loops and sing along with those bass notes. It may not be easy, but it will certainly be funky:

Click here to learn more about Stanky Loops.

- Jeff

P.S. If you have Spotify, you can access my lullaby playlist here.