Beginner theory How to learn to hear chord quality?

[wakyct]

For the past month I've been doing a quick exercise (hearing 20 chords once a day) identifying chord qualities, of triads played in root position.

I can identify a major chord close to 100% of the time. However minor, augmented and diminished it's a crap shoot. Maybe minor is a little easier but not by much.

Does anyone have exercises they recommend to improve hearing of non-major triads?

 

[ChartResources]

When you hear the triad, are you able to sing the three individual notes of the chord? If yes, but it doesn't help, then try relating the notes to a known melody (portion of a song, symphony, etc.).

 

[Colin the Bear]

Some people never can. Nothing comes quickly in music.

Comparing C to C7 Cmaj7 to Cdim to Caug to C13 etc is not going to train your ear.

Hearing the changes in a piece is more useful.

Start with a standard 12bar blues. Listen to then play the changes.

Also practice and learn to play this progression.
Starting with C. Once you can hear the shapes, go through all 12 keys.

CEGB Cmaj7
DFAC. Dm7
EGBD. Em7
FACE. Fmaj7
GBDF. G7
ACEG Am7
BDFA. Bm7b5

Go round the circle of Fifths. Then go the other way circle of fourths. After a decade or so it starts to come.

 

[MikeMorrell]

My (amateur) tip: 'just listening' to tracks won't IHMO cut it. My advice is to just play a few different major, minor, augmented and diminished chords by trial and error. IMHO that would help your learning. Because then your brain, your ears and your sax-playing fingers are all actively involved in 'learning''. I suspect that you'll recognize chords in tracks that you listen too more quickly and easily

So my gut feeling is to approach the challenge the other way around:
- first familiarize yourself by playing your own sax in a few major, minor, augmented and diminished scales and remember the differences in how they how they sound
- then go back to 'listening' and try to identify the chord changes (if not written down anywhere!)

Don't forget that there are just 2 notes in any chord/scale that determine whether it's major, minor, augmented or diminished chord scale! There's much more stuff on internet but to give a brief summary
- the difference between a major and minor scale is solely through 1 note: the 3rd (major or minor interval)
- 'Augmented' chords/scales are just major scales in which the 5th interval is increased by a semitone
- 'Diminished' chords or scales are just minor scales in which the 5th interval is decreased by a semitone

TBH, in 25+ years, I've never played in either 'augmented' or a 'diminished' keys. So my tips are purely based on 'gut feeling' rather than practical experience.

Mike

PS.

 

[Tenor Viol]

What pitch are you playing the chords at and are they open or closed? If chords are played low down, they lose some of their character and sound muddy, particularly if they're in close position. You're going to struggle hearing differences between CEG, CEbG, CEbGb, CEG# etc if played close low down in the bass

 

[wakyct]

What pitch are you playing the chords at and are they open or closed?

I'm using Music Chord Identification Ear Training, the pitch varies and I don't know if they're open/closed. I'm guessing closed, but most of the time it sounds like the root is in the middle register of the piano.

When you hear the triad, are you able to sing the three individual notes of the chord?

About 1/2 to 3/4 of the time (just a guess, I should pay more attention to that).

Also practice and learn to play this progression.

Thanks Colin, I'm adding that in today!

 

[Colin the Bear]

Thanks Colin, I'm adding that in today!

It's all in Taming the Saxophone.

 

[PiccoloPirate]

A properly tuned Melodica is a plus.
One with accordion reeds is really nice.

 

[Pete Effamy]

The way I learned was sat at a piano playing them over and over and comparing the sound.

 

[Colin the Bear]

A properly tuned Melodica is a plus.
One with accordion reeds is really nice.

😳😖🙉 God no!

 

[PiccoloPirate]

They ain't all that evil.
One is doable on a good VI, and two are beyond Parker, Brecker and even Rousseau.
Great during lightning storms as opposed to a Rhodes.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_PzG_qbn8U

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co0aKg3EKGg

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOLvaEnaVUo

 

[BigMartin]

How are you on identifying intervals (played simultaneously)? If that's not really solid, some work on it might make the triads easier.

 

[Colin the Bear]

They ain't all that evil.
One is doable on a good VI, and two are beyond Parker, Brecker and even Rousseau.
Great during lightning storms as opposed to a Rhodes.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_PzG_qbn8U

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co0aKg3EKGg

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOLvaEnaVUo

Nice try. I ain't clicking any of them. 🫣

 

[wakyct]

How are you on identifying intervals (played simultaneously)?

Good question, I haven't tried. I just noticed I can set up an exercise for that though, Functional Interval Ear Training .

 

[mizmar]

And, as if Maj Min 7 isn't bad enough... There's inversions.
I find it hard.

 

[Pete Effamy]

And, as if Maj Min 7 isn't bad enough... There's inversions.
I find it hard.

And in a “musical context “ they will probably be spread over a larger range too with repeated notes. Not just closed position

 

[Colin the Bear]

The most important thing about hearing chords for me is to be able to identify where you are in a piece. Progressions in a key are more useful than identifying which inversion.

 

[Pete Effamy]

The most important thing about hearing chords for me is to be able to identify where you are in a piece. Progressions in a key are more useful than identifying which inversion.

I completely agree. I think the whole “hearing “ inversions is a classical aural practice.

With a bass player on the bottom walking, moving, being melodic it’s effectively changing it anyway.

Hearing chordal movement is the practical application, and the question about whether you have a unaffected ii - v (minor ii) or whether it’s been altered to a dominant “ ii “ chord -

Dm7 - G7
D7 - G7

- for starters.

That’s functional harmony. You can get so embroiled in it that you think it must be against the rules to do anything other.

“Help me” by Joni Mitchell is a great ear test as it sits around on chords for a while and then slides around harmonically. It’s beautiful. But not wholly “functional “.

 

[Colin the Bear]

It's confusing that extended minor chords can be inversions of extended major chords, so trying to identify major from minor depends on context/key etc.

Am7 ACEG
C6. CEGA

Using Band in a box to arrange songs has helped my ear.

 

[Pete Effamy]

It's confusing that extended minor chords can be inversions of extended major chords, so trying to identify major from minor depends on context/key etc.

Am7 ACEG
C6. CEGA

Using Band in a box to arrange songs has helped my ear.

Yes, context is everything, and not just vertically either.

What happens to your notes if D is in the bass?