3 Simple Ear Training Exercises For Guitar Players

Have you ever been frustrated trying to figure out a song by ear?

It’s not easy when you’re banging your head against the wall trying to figure out a certain chord, lick, or melody.

Years ago, I was playing a gig with this brilliant organ player who Downbeat magazine rated “Organist Of The Year” and he was talking to me about transcribing Steely Dan. There was one chord, that he had on loop, and was just banging keys on the piano trying to find it.  

For some guitarists, this seems to come naturally for others they need to focus more on the fundamentals of ear training. 

Below I share with you some tips on guitar started (as a guitarist) and simple steps forward to improve your ear.

1. Simple Pitch Matching Skills:

Start by becoming more tuned to the sounds around you. It could be as simple as hearing a doorbell, or noticing a truck backing up. Try to match the note back. This is the most basic level of ear training called pitch matching, and it’s a very valuable skill to have for every musician. Plus the good news is, you can practice it anywhere. You don’t need an instrument. In fact, if you have a guitar or piano app on your phone you can hit notes on it, then try to match those notes.

Next, you can start getting more advanced and try to…

2. Sing Along To Simple Melodies 

You don’t have to be a singer. You can also hum or whistle as well. But the idea is the sound has to come from you, NOT your instrument. 

Matching the pitches on your instrument isn’t real ear training, because the pitches are not coming from inside of you. This is the next level. And, it requires you to make the connection in your brain to the sound.

I didn’t release this for a long time learning songs on guitar. I wasn’t really training my ear in the most efficient and effective ways. I was only staying at a very basic level of ear training.

3. Sing A Major Scale

The major scale is the foundation of Western music, and understanding it can significantly improve your ear training. Here we are going to dive into a bit of theory. 

The major scale has seven distinct notes, plus an octave that replicates the first note. In the key of C major, these notes are: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and back to C.

The intervals between these notes follow a specific pattern: whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. Here’s a breakdown:

• From C to D: Whole step
• From D to E: Whole step
• From E to F: Half step
• From F to G: Whole step
• From G to A: Whole step
• From A to B: Whole step
• From B to C: Half step

When you sing a major scale, you are internalizing these intervals. Start by playing the root note (C if you’re in the key of C major) on your guitar, and then sing each note of the scale in sequence. This process helps you develop a mental map of the distances between each note, known as intervals.

Practical Steps to Sing a Major Scale

• Find the Root Note: Begin by playing the root note of the scale on your guitar. For the C major scale, this would be the note C.
• Sing Each Note: Sing each note of the scale in sequence. Start with C, then move to D, E, F, G, A, B, and back to C. Make sure to listen carefully and match your voice to the pitch of each note.
• Internalize the Intervals: Focus on the distances between the notes. Sing slowly at first, paying attention to the whole steps and half steps. This will help you internalize the pattern of the major scale.

You can use numbers of the scale or you can also use solfege. Solfege is a system that uses syllables to represent each note of the scale. The syllables are do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, and ti, and can be applied to the first seven notes of any major scale. When singing a scale using solfege, the singer uses the corresponding syllable for each note. 

This will help you develop a strong sense of the key center which is vital to figuring out songs.

By starting with these steps and incorporating them into your daily practice routine, you'll develop a stronger ear for music and improve your ability to play by ear. 

Remember, ear training is a gradual process, and persistence is key. Keep practicing, and you'll see improvement over time.

And if you want to be able to figure out all the notes and chords to your favorite songs, then grab my free ear training cheat sheet PDF to help speed this up right here now:

Jon MacLennan