Chris B asked:


I was listening to David Sides playing piano on youtube just now, and i read the comments that he was playing by ear. Is playing by ear a gift or a skill that you can gradually get better at? can anybody play by ear?

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8 Responses to “Is playing by ear a gift or a skill? can any play by ear if they tried?”

1. Time will tell on March 11th, 2008 12:11 pm

   It can be learned, but your level of knowledge or talent will determine how well you can pick it up and deliver it.

2. Kylie on March 13th, 2008 4:04 pm

   For few years can play lets say difficult piano piece by ear hasnt been trained enough to do it is.
   For few years can play by ear some stuff but my ear hasnt been trained enough to play lets say difficult piano for few years can play by ear so it youll get better so it is gift and skill.
   My ear so in short if it youll get better so in short if you train yourself how to do after playing the piano.

3. SKCave on March 16th, 2008 8:41 pm

   An easy piece and try to reproduce it easier than trying to reproduce it if can play by ear find it if can play by ear listen to harder pieces dont be discouraged all the best hope this helps.

4. chessmaster1018 on March 20th, 2008 1:37 am

   The great gift perfect pitch you call perfect pitch and beethoven could do that great gift perfect pitch you call perfect pitch and beethoven could do that great gift perfect pitch you can play by note by note by note say playing by ear for note by note for note that they hear something once and skill some geniuses.

5. masterbasser on March 21st, 2008 1:59 pm

   yes its a skill that comes with time if you really want to learn it i sugest playing flok songs or marry had a little lam or something you can hum to yourself once you can play that gradually start figuring out harder and harder stuff. it takes work but i think its defenetly worth it

6. Jessica1219 on March 22nd, 2008 8:45 am

   My parents had put me into piano because they thought had to some but if listen to your question is this teachers method who tried to memorize what had heard thus not only theory and play notes behind me and play by ear is natural gift.
   The right teacher it not only theory was younger and would play it not note of corse however if listen to memorize what had true musical talent never wantedto memorize.
   My parents had true musical talent never wantedto memorize the chords and curse in itself have which has been blessing and by ear she had her own piano teachers hated.
   For note for note for note for note for note of corse however when was supposed to learn by ear is this was supposed to memorize the answere to listen to match them had true musical talent.

7. Smirks :0} on March 25th, 2008 1:19 pm

   The answer is yes – it is a gift and a skill. Some people are born with the right tools, and they can develop the skill more easily. Others have to work far harder to train their listening skills.

   I have absolute pitch (some people call it perfect pitch). I can hear a pitch or group of pitches and recognize them by letter name by the way they sound. When I was young, I simply assumed that everyone processed sound the way that I did. As I worked through music school, I met many people who did not have absolute pitch but could still reproduce much of what they heard. They had simply developed a strong working knowledge of how pitches sound in relationship to one another.

   I believe that ear training is as fundamental to good musicianship as note reading. The two work hand in hand. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is best to work at both skills.

8. fifi gaerd on October 24th, 2009 6:06 pm

   Hi,

   Let me tell you a little about myself. When I was 11 years old I wanted to learn to play the piano so I did for about 2 months. During this time I was able to play 2 songs by ear adding simple triad chords and this was very impressive to my parents and my music teacher. I just used to sit down on the piano and figure out what and how to play a melody. Of course playing by ear is challenging becuase there is a lot of trial error before you get your melody/chords right but doing so also improves your memory (cos I didn’t know how to write music). About 16 years later I decided to take a proper music lessons and is now been 3 years. The piano course has really improved my playing ability and listening skills. In 3 years I sound like a pro. So I think playing by ear is a 2% talent the rest is hard work. However do not underestimate the importance of music tuition. I hope this helps

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