Music Glossary: ear-training category

Ability to name notes without a reference; rare; not required for pro work. more

Recognizing major/minor/diminished/augmented and seventh qualities by ear. more

Identifying chord progressions and cadences from listening. more

Identifying distances between pitches (melodic/harmonic); foundation for transcription. more

Writing down short melodies from listening; combines interval and rhythm skills. more

Training beyond 12-TET: quarter tones, spectral relationships, set-class hearing. more

Common movements (ii–V–I, I–V–vi–IV, blues changes) learned by ear for quick recognition. more

Hearing notes by relation to a reference; practical musicianship skill. more

Transcribing rhythm only—subdivisions, ties, syncopation, repeats. more

Hearing tendencies of 1–7 (leading tone, subdominant, dominant, etc.). more

Connecting inner ear to instrument; improves phrasing and improvisation. more

Syllables labeling scale degrees to internalize function and intervals. more

Identifying instruments and articulation by sound; aids orchestration and mixing. more

Sensing the home key and gravitational pull of scale degrees; guides note choice. more

Looping, slowing audio, focusing on bass/guide tones first, then melody and inner parts. more