1 What is Ear Training?

Musicians are constantly using their ears. Listening to music, practicing, performing, composing, recording, and teaching all require musicians to not only hear the sounds and music around them but to understand and communicate what they are hearing. Developing the ability to listen to music and sounds and clearly identify these sounds is known as ear training. Ear training often consists of identifying or aurally reproducing basic elements of music, such as individual notes, intervals, rhythms, chords, or chord progressions. Developing these skills can help musicians understand music from a theoretical perspective, improve performance skills, help develop creativity and compositional skills, as well as help musicians communicate clearly with other musicians. These skills are used by professional and amateur musicians all over the world, regardless of genre, experience, or vocation.