Ear Training Introduction

Terms

Timbre: the “colour,” character, quality of sound; words used to describe the timbre are resonant (wet), dry, dark, bright, warm, cool, lush (full), spare, sweet, harsh, muddy, clear/clean, nasal, pinched, brassy, woody, noisy, dirty, scratchy, raspy…

Pitch: (frequency) high/low, high, middle, low register

Interval: the space between pitches

Texture: repeated patterns, vertical lines/accompaniment, environmental sound worlds (vertical+horizontal)

Vertical texture: voice layers, lines

Horizontal texture: time, repeated patterns (ostinato, groove, loop, vamp, repeat, motive, pattern transformations)

Ostinato: a repeated pattern in one voice

Groove: a rhythmic pattern used to achieve a certain feel (rock, salsa, funk, swing, etc.)

Loop: a short musical idea (1-4 bars) repeated throughout a song

Vamp: an instrumental introduction to a song

Repeat: when a section of the music is repeated

Motive: a short musical idea repeated throughout a classical piece

Pattern transformations: augmentation/diminution (extending or shortening the ostinato, loop or motive); retrograde (the motive is flipped backwards); inversion (the motive is flipped upside down); fragmentation/liquefying (a clip of the motive is used

Songs to practice and memorize intervals

Above a given note…Major 2nd Wildest Dreams (verse), Jack’s Lament, Style (verse), Linus&LucyMinor 2nd Pink Panther, A Whole New World, Jurassic ParkMajor 3rd Oh When The Saints Go Marching InMinor 3rd O Canada, Greensleeves, Lullaby, Smoke on the Water, Sally’s SongPerfect 4th Hedwig’s Theme, Super Mario, Here Comes The Bride, Amazing GraceTritone The SImpsonsPerfect 5th Twinkle Twinkle, Only Hope, BlackbirdMajor 6th My Bonnie, It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, Jingle Bells (verse)Minor 6th Entertainer, In My LifeMajor 7th Pure Imagination (Willy Wonka), Don’t Know Why (Norah Jones)Minor 7th Away in A Manger (last line), Nothing Compares To You Perfect Octave Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Below a given note…Major 2nd I Swear, Under the Sea, YesterdayMinor 2nd Jaws, Fur Elise, “O Somewhere Deep Inside of These Bones…”Major 3rd Beethoven 5thMinor 3rd Star Spangled Banner, Frosty the Snowman, Hey JudePerfect 4th I’ve Been Working on the Railroad, George of the Jungle Tritone Black Sabbath – Black SabbathPerfect 5th FlinstonesMajor 6th Sweet Caroline, Music of the Night (Phantom of the Opera), CrazyMinor 6th Love Story, 100 Years – Five for FightingMajor 7th White Christmas (last line), I Love You – Cole PorterMinor 7th Lady Jane – Rolling Stones, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (last line)Perfect Octave A Thousand Miles – Vanessa Carlton