Aural training starts with two simple ideas. One is PITCH and the other is RHYTHM.
First look at ‘Intervals’. An interval is defined as the distance in pitch between two notes. On a major scale the intervals are named as:
These are the diatonic intervals - named after the degrees of the diatonic major scale. You can start your aural development by finding the first interval of some songs. For example in the birthday tune the first interval is a unison and the next is a second (G G A). Auld Lang Syne and Silent Night both begin with a fourth.
Music follows a regular beat pattern and as such is divided into bars or measures. It’s what you can tap or feet or nod your head to (more obviously with some than others).
A simple beat pattern for strumming is written like this:
| || | / | / | / | / | || | / | / | / | / | || | / | / | etc |
This is four beats in each bar and is counted as ‘1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4’ etc
Below are examples of strumming patterns. the 1st is a simple one strum one beat, the 2nd has an upstroke on the second half of the third beat. To play, clap or tap this count 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + in each bar and play on the underlined beats 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
| 1 | || | / | / | / | / | || | / | / | / | / | || | / |
| 2 | || | / | / | /_/ | / | || | / | / | /_/ | / | || | / |
| 3 | || | / | /_/ | / | /_/ | || | / | /_/ | / | /_/ | || | / |
| 4 | || | / | / | / | || | / | / | / | || | / | ||
| 5 | || | / | /_/ | / | || | / | /_/ | / | || | / | ||
| 6 | || | / | /_/ | /_/ | || | / | /_/ | /_/ | || | / | ||
| 7 | || | / | _/ | / | / | || | / | _/ | / | / | || | / |
| 8 | || | / | _/ | /_/ | / | || | / | _/ | /_/ | / | || | / |
| 9 | || | / | _/ | / | /_/ | || | / | _/ | /_/ | / | || | / |
The link below will take to the Teoria music theory site where you can develop your skill at ear training.
