ear training

[Richard Prowse]

Ken (I resisted adding '-ny', but it was tough) that was a very interesting post.

Martin here's something I'm doing at the moment that really helps my ears.
When I'm somewhere, away from my bass, I imaging playing my bass. I try to feel, but not to think because reasoning seems to really kill this activity. I pretend to play the notes and listen. I've also applied this exercise to sightreading. I 'play' a piece of music like this and I can easily hear all the intervals between the notes as I finger them. No doubt it works because of years of running my fingers over the bass. I'm sure it will work for anyone. I've found it builds a real link between the notes and intervals, and where they are on the bass - like a singer gets from his voice, I guess. When I first did it, I was surprised that I could hear all the notes so clearly. I was also surprised that I could hear, say, open G - almost like someone with perfect pitch! Really it's just pitch memory, I guess.