Guitar ear training is a topic that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. But I think ear training is an important part of learning music. Guitarists of all styles stand to gain something from it, and it’s easier to get started than you might think.

Let’s go over what you should know about guitar ear training today!
 

Many people accept that ear training is important for improvising but not necessary otherwise. My view is that it’s so incredibly useful that all guitarists should tackle it to one degree or another.

Here are some of the benefits of ear training:

Enhanced Listening

You’ll start to hear all the songs you listen to in greater detail. Sound patterns that were once abstract will become recognizable, almost like understanding words in a foreign language for the first time. Soon, you’ll identify notes, scales, intervals, chords, and chord progressions.

Learning Music by Ear

If you don’t read music or can’t find notation for a song you like, ear training can allow you to learn pieces by ear. Guitarists skilled at learning by ear can go so far as to translate music from their ears to the guitar right away, much like you can sing back a song you hear on the radio.

Improvisational Ability

The better your ear, the better your ability to improvise. It’s really that simple. Great improvisers have the ability to translate the sounds in their mind immediately to the instrument.

Compositional Ability

Composition and improvisation are two sides of the same coin. If you develop your ear, you’ll have an easier time putting your best musical ideas to paper.

Jamming Chops

Having a good ear will make you a much more appealing person to jam with. Playing with others is all about hearing and responding to what your bandmates are doing in real time. Ear training will give you confidence in navigating these musical interactions.

Now, let's go over 10 tips you need for guitar ear training!
 

Training your ears doesn’t happen overnight. Nor does it happen in one week, or even a few weeks. You’ll improve in a short time, but you also need to stay patient.

Better than trying to rush through guitar ear training, you want to be steady. Try to incorporate it into your daily practice routine. Even five to fifteen minutes a day will add up significantly over time.

In the early stages, focus on learning to enjoy ear training. The key is to be in for the long haul, and if you start to have fun, you’re a lot more likely to stick with it.
 

Many people think a musical ear is something people have or don’t have, rather than a skill they can work on. That’s just not true!

While some people take to ear training more quickly than others (or start at a more impressionable age), most musicians see ear training as a matter of hard work, not necessarily a birthright.

All of which is to say, don’t be discouraged if you’re struggling at first. Just because you can’t tell a major third apart from a perfect fifth now doesn’t mean you never will. You just need to have some faith in yourself and put in the time.
 

Most ear masters believe you should start by distinguishing major and minor chords. This is a great tip because you can probably already do this on some level, so you’re bound to feel encouraged early on.

The idea is that major chords sound bright and happy while minor chords sound dark and gloomy. Not everyone agrees with this, but it’s a good thing to keep in mind at first. You’re almost listening for the mood as much as for the sound.

Remember that major and minor chords only differ by one measly semitone. That’s a one-fret difference on the guitar neck!

For instance, C major contains C, E, and G, while C minor contains C, Eb, and G. Isn’t it kind of remarkable how distinctly you can tell the difference between an E and an Eb in these chords? Your ears are already more developed than you may think.
 

It’s very easy to make sounds without really listening to yourself. Sure, you’re hearing stuff, but you might not be paying a whole lot of attention. If you’re serious about training your ears, you’ll want to change that.

One of the best times to do this is when you’re tuning your guitar. Listen closely to each open string and try to make a judgement about what you’re hearing before you consult a tuner. Over time, you’ll start to recognize these pitches more easily.

You should also do a similar kind of “close listening” to pieces you’re learning. Really every note you play is an opportunity to do some guitar ear training, so take advantage!
 

Just like a normal sentence is made up of many building blocks (words, letters, punctuation, clauses), so a musical phrase is open to different types of listening.

You can focus on pitches, rhythms, intervals, chords, melodic ideas, and so forth. The point is, when you’re practicing ear training, it can help to incorporate multiple ways of listening to music.

Let’s say you’re trying to transpose a rock solo by ear. You’ve got the first two notes for sure, but the third one isn’t quite as clear to you.

Instead of focusing on pitch, it may help you to try to identify the melodic interval between the second and third notes. With that frame of mind, you might immediately recognize a descending minor third and locate the third note from there.

The same logic applies to chords. For instance, you can listen to Em but hear it either as a minor chord, as Em specifically, as multiple intervals sounding together (minor third, major third, perfect fifth), or as three pitches (E, G, B) played simultaneously.

The main point is that you’ve got many ways of making sense of sounds. If you get stuck, it may help you to focus on other aspects of what you’re hearing.
 

Playing music just by listening to it is a classic form of ear training. The only trick is that it’s hard to get yourself to actually do this.

For me, the key is to try to shift your perspective. That’s why I’m not suggesting you play by ear. Rather, I want you to have fun playing by ear.

I’m convinced that most guitarists who do a lot of ear training have fun with it, or at least more fun than you’d expect. That’s pretty much what it takes to do something like ear training all the time. I basically feel the same way about sight-reading practice.

One of the easiest ways to have fun playing by ear is to focus on music you really love. Any other songs are going to get old after a few hearings.

You should also stay flexible: don’t necessarily stay with one song until you can play the entire thing. Always be willing to switch things up as you like. Again, the crucial thing is that you’re having a good time.
 

Singing is an incredibly useful way to train your ears. And you don’t need to be a great vocalist, either. The point is just to further reinforce the pitches you’re hearing, and your mind and voice are intimately connected.

One way to do this is to slowly play through a scale (like Am pentatonic) and sing every note after you play it. You might be a little off pitch, but that’s not a big deal. The main point is to reflect a little more on the sounds you’re making.

Finally, singing can also be useful for improvisation. Many guitarists can’t necessarily come up with a catchy melody on the guitar, but they can sing one much easier.

Try singing the solo you’d like to hear, then simply translate that to the guitar. It’s amazing how well this works!
 

We’re lucky to live in an age of freely-available ear training software. Everyone who has access to the internet can simply go online and check out the countless free (or paid) programs to train their ears.

I believe we should take full advantage of these resources. The best way to approach using them is to be consistent and do a little bit at a time. You don’t need to work for hours at a time, in other words. Even five minutes a day will go long way.

Here’s a list of free ear training software you can use today!
 

• Earmaster (free version)
• Ear Beater
• Toned Ear
• Teoria
• Tone Savvy

Going to one of these sites, you might feel overwhelmed at first. That’s totally normal. I’d just start with a single exercise and expand out from there. Just try it for a few minutes at a time, as often as you feel comfortable. You can do this!
 

Back in your school days, you were probably told at least once that it’s better to work a little bit every day than to cram at the last minute. True, but still annoying, right?

Well, the same idea applies to guitar ear training. You want to make it part of your routine rather than something you do sporadically. This is also known as spaced repetition, and it’s highly effective for long term retention and deeper understanding.

But why do I say you need to be frequent and consistent? Aren’t they the same thing?

Not quite. Consistency is about sticking to a routine. That is, you might choose to do fifteen minutes of ear training every Tuesday night.

Frequency is more about the number of sessions over time. It measures the intensity of the routine itself (i.e. 15 minutes twice a day vs. 15 minutes a week).

Consistency keeps you grounded and on track for success. But frequency reflects more your hunger to improve.

If you’re frequent enough with ear training (even with short sessions) you begin to create the illusion of total immersion, which is optimal for fast progress.

You should also check out my post on Effective Practice Routines for more information on this.
 

One of the biggest obstacles you’re likely to face around ear training is the crippling fear of getting started. By far the biggest challenge is to go from no ear work to some ear work, no matter how little.

I think it’s fair to say that a lot of guitarists have certain kinds of learning phobias. Some players fear music theory, others technique work, others improvisation, and still others ear training.

But buried beneath these fears is usually some level of excitement. You’re afraid to take the plunge, but there’s also a part of you that wants to go for it. Try to tap into that feeling.

You’ll find that every instance of guitar-phobia is really an opportunity to get better. And it’s often the hardest-seeming, most intimidating thing that would benefit you the most.

All I can do here is encourage you to take the first step. Once you do, you’ll realize that you were all worked up over nothing. Ear training is fun and rewarding, so I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.
 

Guitar ear training isn’t just for jazz, blues, or classical players. Rather, everyone who likes to make music can benefit from it tremendously. But as I’ve said throughout, starting is the hardest part.

So, I really hope you find the motivation to train up your ears. Any work you do in that regard is an excellent addition to your practice routine.

Best of luck and be sure to let me know how it’s going for you in the comments!

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