Have you used an app to train your ear? What's it called, and how does it work? Do you need to know something of theory before you get started, or does the app present all the background information you need?
If you've tried multiple apps, what do you like and dislike about each? Are there any you'd recommend avoiding? Do you have a favorite?
If you're not a fan of ear-training apps, what other methods do you recommend?
Hi,
I use an app called Earpeggio. It has a free and paid edition. I have been using the free edition and it has been great. It is leveled so beginners to pros can use it. It has interval, chords, progression recognition as well as rhythmic and melodic dictation.
Overall, it is easy to use and has been very beneficial. I have reminders set to remind me everyday to do some ear training. I haven't missed a day yet!
I hope this helps!
-Josh
Hi Josh, thanks for sharing this!
Earpeggio looks like an excellent app. I really like all the different facets or training the ears - interval ID, chord ID, chord progressions, melodic dictation, and rhythmic dictation.
Students new to ear-training often get stuck on intervals. Of course that's a logical place to start, but training intervals can seem a bit dry and removed from practical music applications if that's all you do. Practicing melodic dictation can be a lot more interesting, and really is honing the same skills. I also like that the app includes rhythm! It's easy to neglect, because rhythm seems more like math and less mysterious than intervals... but it's equally important in strengthening aural skills.
I’ve been looking around further and have found these apps and websites that seem worth checking out:
Apps - All of these seem pretty comprehensive - that is, not just intervals, but chords, progressions, melodies, rhythm, etc. They also feature advanced levels, so students of all levels and teachers can benefit too.
Perfect Ear
My Ear Training
Complete Ear Trainer
Websites - some may prefer to work on a computer rather than on a mobile app
Teoria - this website offers both tutorials and exercises in ear training (and music theory as well).
Toned Ear - this site is offering free access for teachers while their schools are closed - I’ve signed up in order to explore more.
MusicTheory.net - this is a great site for music theory, and it’s been mentioned before in the forum. They have some basic ear-training exercises available on their website.
Have more teachers or students used these or other apps and websites? Please share and tell us about them!
Hi Leah, Earpeggio is also my favorite for interval training and worth the money. Bedroom Producer is another interesting ear training app for music production and mixing though it doesn't offer interval training yet.
Thanks for the post!
Hi Leah, I will have to look into all of your suggestions, they sound interesting. For developing my ears for Mixing I have used both Quiztones, for EQ ear training and also https://www.soundgym.co/, for engineers and producers, which goes into even more depth in that area. Soundgym is subscription based but I still think it's worth it.
Best,
Alex
A newer option that focuses less on interval memorization would be ToneScholar. It's styled more like Duolingo and focuses on functional ear training (internalizing the unique tensions of each scale degree and scale degree chord). I've found this method to be more effective for ear training as you end up learning to immediately recognize notes in the tonal context, rather than having to compare them to preceding or following notes.
It's a free app -- https://tonescholar.com
Good options here! My particular go-to favorite for my students and myself:
https://tonesavvy.com/
There are so many cool little in-site tests, flash cards, quizzes, etc., and it's all free. The music theory exercises page is at https://tonesavvy.com/music-practice-exercises/
My particular favorite exercise is the "paced note names" page:
https://tonesavvy.com/music-practice-exercise/10/paced-scrolling-note-name-sight-reading-game/
It's basically a little note identification video game that has notes that slide along from right to left that you have to identify before the next note comes sliding into place. You determine the speed, range, and clef(s) of the exercise, and it keeps score of your correct and incorrect answers and percentages. I use this every morning before I get my day started to quiz my grand staff notes from E3-B6, and I knock out 100 notes at speed setting 24. Really gets my brain working in the morning!
-Tyson