Quote:
Originally Posted by delaorden9
I don't think that in music you have to train your ear....it is kind of a gift, I mean, either you got a good ear or you don't, and that would make a huge difference in your career or aspirations in music, if applied. Hope it makes some sense.  |
There are people who are born with good pitch recognition, but it is absolutely a skill that can be taught.
OK, let me put a finer point on it. There are really (at least) two types of pitch recognition, relative and absolute.
I am certain that relative pitch recognition can be taught. Relative pitch recognition is based on being able to discern whether one pitch is higher or lower than another. If you can play a high note and a low note and tell which is which, then you can improve relative pitch recognition. From there it is just a matter of learning what intervals sound like. For instance, and octave is "Some-
where..." from "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." You learn to recognize an octave, a perfect fifth, etc based on prominent intervals between the notes of songs.
I am less sure that so-called perfect pitch, or absolute pitch, can be taught. This where you recognize individual notes, an Ab sounds like an Ab in the same way red looks like red.
In college, Ear Training classes were funny. The students with good pitch recognition skated through, and the students with poor pitch lived in constant fear of failing. There really was no middle ground. The students who were bad seldom put forth any effort to get better, but I know from personal experience that my relative pitch recognition has improved. I can't identify a random note on a keyboard, but if you play 2 notes, I can accurately identify the interval.