Bad Ears

[Shane]

So basically ever since i started venturing into playing guitar, i've realised more and more i'm far from a natural at it. In fact, when i started jamming a bit in college with friends, they would point out that my guitar is out of tune, and i wouldn't have even noticed. More and more i'm trying to recognise this, and it has improved a lot, but not there yet. 

I'm not tone deaf, i'm sure. I think it's something that's just hasn't come naturally to me at all. I practise when tuning my guitar, i get the E from my tuner then try the rest and sometimes i get it spot on, sometimes i don't. I also have quite a lot of difficulty trying to sing along (but that's a whole new subject possibly?) Sometimes it can go great, and i feel rather confident that i'm singing along fine, but then the next day it will all change and it seems like i've lost it all.

In terms of hearing intervals, i'm pretty fine, it's just recognising what note is what etc. Is there anything i can do to help this? I think room acoustics could have a lot to do with it, i'm better when i'm in the kitchen, or sometimes when i play late at night i can hear the sounds more.

[Kel]

Hi Shane, While I was reading your post I thought I had written it! Sounds like me to a tee. I wiah I had some good advice for you, but all I can offer is that you are not alone with this issue. Hang in there, mate. Kel

[john]

It sounds like blend of a few things including pitch perception but more acutely it sounds like pitch retention, ie your ability to retain pitch and simple concentration. Attention to detail has to figure in there somewhere too.

Things you can do to help...

1. standard interval training (which pitch is higher etc)

2. standard interval training but gradually increasing the time between the training notes

3. standard interval training but decreasing the length of time the notes are held

4. standard interval training increasing time beteen notes and decreasing note duration

5. play a note, sing the note leave 10 seconds and then sing the pitch and confirm by playing the note. once you can repeatedly do that successfully then increase time before singing the pitch back.

Do all of the above at low, mid and high pitches.

*important* practice all in a quiet environment with your eyes closed! keep them closed to allow you to more easily focus on sound.

you might find it useful to lightly curl fingers of one hand behind ear with th heel of that hand towards your mouth. allow a gap a couple of fingers deep btween face and hand. This is also great when working on technique for harmonies.

I would also recommend practicing singing all the time with eyes closed in the short term and withot playiing an instrument. Sing along with recordings. record these sessions an review to see how what was recorded matches up with your perception of your singing.

Lastly I woul direct you to look at "mindfulness meditation". It is now being used for treating a range of mental health issues, but fundamentally it helps you develop and control your "locus of focus" ie exactly what your attention is focused on and your ability to move your attention about. you can find scripts and cd/dvd for mindfulness on the internet.

[Shane]

Thanks for the help man, i really like the idea of mindfulness meditation as i think it's greatly about me not use to listening properly, listening with a attention and really thinking about what i'm hearing. I remember in school in music i was asked to sing a D, and i had no idea whatsoever haha