LEARNING TO PLAY MUSIC
[4/7, 6:50 AM] Alaba Babalola: What is the best way to learn to play music by the ear? Can you tell me how I can for example be able to play a tune on a piano after it has just been sung by someone?
[4/7, 6:51 AM] Alaba Babalola: Learning to play music by ear is a powerful skill, and the great news is—it can be learned, even if it feels mysterious at first. Here's a step-by-step approach to help you develop the ability to play a tune on the piano after hearing it sung:
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1. Train Your Ear with Active Listening
Pick simple songs at first (nursery rhymes, folk songs, pop melodies).
Listen actively—don’t just hear the tune, analyze it. Try to hum or sing the melody yourself without the recording.
Pay attention to how the melody moves: is it going up or down? Is it a big leap or a small step?
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2. Learn the Relationship Between Notes (Intervals)
Intervals are the distance between two notes (like C to E is a major third).
Start by learning to recognize intervals by sound. There are apps for this (like Tenuto, EarMaster, or Teoria).
Practice singing intervals. If someone sings “Happy Birthday,” recognize that leap as a major second, for example.
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3. Get Comfortable with the Piano
Know where all the notes are.
Practice playing scales and chords in common keys (C major, G major, etc.).
Work on finger independence and basic hand coordination.
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4. Sing What You Hear, Then Find It on the Piano
Someone sings a tune? Try to sing it back, then match what you’re singing on the piano.
Start by finding the first note. Hum it, then search for it on the keyboard.
Once you find the starting pitch, try to figure out how the melody moves from there—step by step.
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5. Practice Transcribing by Ear
Use recordings and try to figure out the melody (and eventually chords) by ear.
Start with short 4- to 8-note phrases.
Write down what you hear, then play it back to test.
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6. Understand Basic Harmony
Many melodies follow common chord progressions (like I–IV–V–I).
Start learning how to recognize chord patterns by ear too—this helps with accompaniment and improvisation.
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7. Imitate and Play Along
Pick a song you like. Try to play along by trial and error.
Apps like Chordify or Transcribe! can slow down audio and help isolate melody lines.
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Pro Tips:
Practice daily, even just 10–15 minutes.
Record yourself and compare to the original.
Be patient with mistakes—they’re part of the learning process.
Play music you enjoy—your ear will develop faster when you're emotionally engaged.
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If you'd like, I can help you with a simple ear training exercise right now. Want to try one?
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