red rooster Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Was sitting the other night playing some 12 bar blues when a film started on the TV well a song started playing and without any conscious effort I found my self playing along to it I never really noticed I was doing it till I looked up and found my wife and daughters stareing at me , my daughter says dad you've just played that song 'wife accused me of practising it honestly never noticed I was playing it my fingers just new where to go , is that playing by ear I do admit to being able to pick bass lines out of songs and play them in my head kind of thing. Probably sounds silly and I'll never manage to do it again. Stuart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Of course it's playing by ear. You haven't learned the piece, played it off the cuff, nailed it. Good for you ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 It is most certainly a great skill to acquire. Now go try it with Hit me with your Rhythm Stick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 You can't not have it and be a reasonable player Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 The heading sounds like you're asking a stupid question. If you've found yourself playing along to something by ear, then that's proof that you can do it. Go stick some tunes on that you've never played before & get practicing that skill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Always a good thing to be able to do. I would say I'm "allright" at it but I've always found it of great use...even as limited as my abilities are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weststarx Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 My girlfriends grandma plays piano and reads off sheet music, she once had a massive rant at me about how I didnt understand music properly because I told her that I learn songs by ear and work it out that way. It was a strange one because she seemed really offended by it! I thought it was always a decent skill to have... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 That's how I learned to play. I used to listen to the records, in them days, and work it out. Yoofs of today have it easier with facetube and such to help them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I think you need a combination of both. You really don't want to be a mechanical player where you don't have a clue without dots..and you also don't want to be clueless if you haven't learnt/heard the song before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I can't read music (well, not fast enough to play along - maybe use it to learn something) but have always played along to records. Not necessarily to play a note perfect copy of the original bassline, but certainly enough to play in tune. For a totally new song, I'd probably start by picking out the root notes until I've got the basic structure of the song and then gradually build it up from there. That's the basis of jamming isn't it? I can't imagine not being able to play that way. The 'not having a clue without the dots' seems strange to me (probably as much as not being able to read seems strange to others) and how would you be able to work out a line for an original song without being able to jam? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inthedoghouse Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 That's probably the way most of us learnt to play - by listening to records and playing along as well as watching others play :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Picking up a line by ear is fine (indeed, excellent, imo...), and music theory learned and applied is also excellent. Combining the two gives one an excellent base for going further than the learned piece, to be able to create one's own lines, or develop a solo, knowing how the piece is constructed. Learning by ear alone does not necessarily give that ability (although it can lead to it...). Being able to play by ear is a gift which deserves to be complemented by some harmonic knowledge, I'd say, to be complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 It's all I do... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 [quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1413878935' post='2582941'] My girlfriends grandma plays piano and reads off sheet music, she once had a massive rant at me about how I didnt understand music properly because I told her that I learn songs by ear and work it out that way. It was a strange one because she seemed really offended by it! I thought it was always a decent skill to have... [/quote] An ex girlfriend of mine was a pianist, and clarinet player It used to wind her up, when I just jammed along to something on the TV, radio or CD player! I never quite understood why, but she used to hate it when I did this She could read sheet music, and I never could (well, apart from some basic stuff years ago in high school) Also, I played in a band, with a keyboard player who read music, but couldn't play be ear at all...... It was annoying, because he used to download sheet music, and it was sometimes in the wrong key but he couldn't tell! Playing by ear is how I learned, and it's a skill you acquire with practice If you don't read music - it's something you will benefit from being able to do As others have said - play along to as much different music as you can, and build up the skill as you go.... For me, working out a nice bassline can be very satisfying I wish I could read music but I'd always want to be able to do both Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1413885676' post='2583047'] Picking up a line by ear is fine (indeed, excellent, imo...), and music theory learned and applied is also excellent. Combining the two gives one an excellent base for going further than the learned piece, to be able to create one's own lines, or develop a solo, knowing how the piece is constructed. Learning by ear alone does not necessarily give that ability (although it can lead to it...). Being able to play by ear is a gift which deserves to be complemented by some harmonic knowledge, I'd say, to be complete. [/quote] Yep, I agree with all that, and I'm acutely aware that I'd be a better player if I understood more theory, especially when it comes to soloing (though who really likes a bass solo anyway? ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 The thing is is loads easier/quicker to learn just by listening if you understand some theory, if you understand the concept of the key and can work out by ear what key it is in (my CDs don't have key signatures in the sleeve do yours?) Then there is going to be less trial and error notes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 And you can't play improv from learning someone elses improv by listening to it, that is in itself not improv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 It's all in the fingers. I never know what I'm about to play until I hear them play it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 True, though with something like, say, a blues in C, you get to know which notes - or perhaps which fret positions - will be 'in key' even if you can't actually name them quickly or play a scale on demand. But you're right about there being a lot of 'trial and error' notes along the way. Still, as long as you can tell they are the wrong note then you're on the right track - if you can,t then you're in serious trouble! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 95% ear player here. Been able to bluff like crazy my entire life as a pianist, a guitarist and now as a bassist. Would love to be able to sightread like a beast, and do intend to learn, but just about everything is figured out by ear. I think it's a great thing as it helps you pick up new music really quick. A bit of scale knowledge is essential for it too, shapes and boxes etc but it's really satisfying to pick things up fast. Of course, I would be a better musician if I could read better and knew more theory, but I get by in my current situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 [quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1413878935' post='2582941'] I thought it was always a decent skill to have... [/quote] Of course it is.. and it's what started me on this rocky road all those years ago too. Don't think I would have played any instrument, if I hadn't been blessed with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 You need both, simple as that. You have to be able to play by ear if the guys you're playing with don't know what they're doing or playing. Waste of time asking them for a chart if they don't even know what chords they're playing. You need to be able to read and understand basic theory at least if you want to play any sort of professional dep gig, theatre pit gig, cruise gig etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 The question is, why would you not play by ear? It's an important skill to have.I'm pretty sure everyone here has learnt songs just by listening. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. I used to sit with the radio on and play along to everything that came on. When you are transcribing stuff you are basically doing the same thing, only you are putting the notes down on paper. If you can combine playing by ear with knowledge of harmony, you can pretty much play along to anything first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1413907018' post='2583445'] You need both, simple as that. [/quote] You don't 'need' both unless you're likely to do a gig where it's essential that you read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1413907338' post='2583453'] You don't 'need' both unless you're likely to do a gig where it's essential that you read. [/quote] But you'll never get offered those gigs if you can't do both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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