| So how do we exactly teach? We use fake sheets, lead sheets or chord chart or chord tabs. These are essentials most musicians rely on. This is an example of a simple fake sheet of the song "Amazing Grace". |
| For more information on what 'Play By Ear' is about, email us @ info@play-by-ear.net or call us at 63387939 for a free demonstration. |
WHAT IS PLAY BY EAR?
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We should improvise!
If you choose not to read notes, the
least you have to know are music
alphabets. Nevertheless, you will still
be given a fake sheet (with proper
music notation), and the music
alphabets will be written below every
music notation on the fake sheet itself.
least you have to know are music
alphabets. Nevertheless, you will still
be given a fake sheet (with proper
music notation), and the music
alphabets will be written below every
music notation on the fake sheet itself.
PLAY BY EAR MUSIC SCHOOL - POP PIANO/JAZZ PIANO IMPROVISATION MUSIC COURSES FOR ADULTS - SALE OF DIGITAL PIANOS & BOOKS
ADDRESS: 245A /245B VICTORIA STREET, BUGIS VILLAGE, SINGAPORE (188032) | TEL: ( +065 ) 63387939 | EMAIL: INFO@PLAY-BY-EAR.NET
ADDRESS: 245A /245B VICTORIA STREET, BUGIS VILLAGE, SINGAPORE (188032) | TEL: ( +065 ) 63387939 | EMAIL: INFO@PLAY-BY-EAR.NET
A fake sheet like the one above, consists of only two elements in a song:
1) Melody line (Right hand - Single note) 2) Chords
These two elements are all a musician needs to improvise and rearrange the song in any style instantly.
However, this begs the question, "Why do you need scores when you are supposed to play by ear?"
The answer is simple. We play by ear, not by memory. Yes, if we do know the tune already, we can make up the tune and
chords in our head and play by ear without anything written down. But, there are millions of songs in the market, and we can't
possibly remember the nuances of every song. Thus, we rely on fake sheets (which are widely available in bookshops) to
understand how the tune of the song sounds like, so as to enable us to play and improvise from there.
And besides, we can't possibly teach without anything written down. Imagine if we have to teach strictly by ear, with a blank
piece of paper, nothing written down. How will the student ever remember the tune that was been taught during class? The
fake sheet, at the very least, serves as a reference to allow the student to remember the song when they get home.
Then there is another common question. "But aren't you suppose to teach us how to listen and then play?"
Yes, at a much later stage after you are successfully able to improvise. But, chances are, by the time you are able to
improvise any song freely to the extent that you are able to compose a tune instantly, you would have a great understanding
of how a melody works with a chord progression. By the time, you should already be able to listen to a song by play by ear, by
yourself. To understand why improvisation helps in listening, read the previous page.
And of course, there is the last usual question, "So you mean, I have to read piano notes?"
If you can already read notes, it is to your advantage. But, if you can't read notes, and do not wish to learn musical notation,
we don't have a issue with that. We understand that many people dislike reading notes, and it is one of the primary reason why
many have given up music. Well, not to worry. Firstly, fake sheets (that we use in our teaching) are very different from
traditional score sheets which consist of 2 hands and have chunks of notes to read. Fake sheets are much easier to follow.
And creativity is involved here, where your left and right hands are free to play everything beyond the fake sheet. Remember,
the fake sheet only gives you an idea of what the song sounds like.
1) Melody line (Right hand - Single note) 2) Chords
These two elements are all a musician needs to improvise and rearrange the song in any style instantly.
However, this begs the question, "Why do you need scores when you are supposed to play by ear?"
The answer is simple. We play by ear, not by memory. Yes, if we do know the tune already, we can make up the tune and
chords in our head and play by ear without anything written down. But, there are millions of songs in the market, and we can't
possibly remember the nuances of every song. Thus, we rely on fake sheets (which are widely available in bookshops) to
understand how the tune of the song sounds like, so as to enable us to play and improvise from there.
And besides, we can't possibly teach without anything written down. Imagine if we have to teach strictly by ear, with a blank
piece of paper, nothing written down. How will the student ever remember the tune that was been taught during class? The
fake sheet, at the very least, serves as a reference to allow the student to remember the song when they get home.
Then there is another common question. "But aren't you suppose to teach us how to listen and then play?"
Yes, at a much later stage after you are successfully able to improvise. But, chances are, by the time you are able to
improvise any song freely to the extent that you are able to compose a tune instantly, you would have a great understanding
of how a melody works with a chord progression. By the time, you should already be able to listen to a song by play by ear, by
yourself. To understand why improvisation helps in listening, read the previous page.
And of course, there is the last usual question, "So you mean, I have to read piano notes?"
If you can already read notes, it is to your advantage. But, if you can't read notes, and do not wish to learn musical notation,
we don't have a issue with that. We understand that many people dislike reading notes, and it is one of the primary reason why
many have given up music. Well, not to worry. Firstly, fake sheets (that we use in our teaching) are very different from
traditional score sheets which consist of 2 hands and have chunks of notes to read. Fake sheets are much easier to follow.
And creativity is involved here, where your left and right hands are free to play everything beyond the fake sheet. Remember,
the fake sheet only gives you an idea of what the song sounds like.