One way to learn to play by ear is through ear training programs.
It is all about drilling your ears to identify pitches and intervals.
Perfect pitch, also known as absolute pitch, is the ability to identify the musical name of a specific tone played anywhere on the piano.
If you play an "A" note anywhere on the piano, the person with perfect pitch is able to tell you exactly which "A" note you've played on the piano without any reference to other sound.
If you play a "G#", he can tell you exactly which black note it is on the piano.
Do we need to have perfect pitch in order to play by ear? You can certainly acquire this skill through ear training courses but it is not required.
Some experts say that the best years to acquire perfect pitch is between the ages of 3 and 6.
Relative pitch is easier to learn.
It has to do with listening to the intervals between notes.
For example, when you play the first three tones of the melody of a song, you might not be able to pinpoint which specific tones they are on the piano, but you may still be able to duplicate the sounds by identifying the intervals of those three tones in other locations on the piano.
Do we need to have relative pitch to play by ear? Yes.
This is what playing by ear is in its strict sense.
You can identify the different intervals of sounds easily.
You can learn this skill through intensive ear training programs.
This skill can also steadily be gained through learning to play songs by ear.
Most songs are written in the major diatonic scale based on Western music, so in learning to play songs, we will subconsciously learn to hear different intervals of the scale in our heads.
Your ears become sharper to identify intervals of minor 2nd, major 2nd, minor 3rd, major 3rd, perfect 4th, etc.
Learn to play in other keys.
When you become used to playing a song in a certain key, your ears can get easily tuned out because you automatically know how the chord goes when you play.
Since intervals in a song are the same independent of the key you are in, try playing the same song in a different key.
To play songs in different keys can keep your ears in an active listening mode because your hands may not be so familiar with the chord changes of the new key.
To learn to play by ear: 1.
Play songs 2.
Play songs in different keys