How can I learn to play the guitar by ear?

For many years, the study and survival of music has relied on written notation that has made possible the perpetuation of the art. The 20th century brought the invention of recording devices and, consequently, new ways of approaching music. As it has always happened with folk music, some genres developed through an aural tradition where the written notation no longer played a part in the significance and continuance of the music. Blues-related styles, such as rock and jazz, were born in a world where the audience could listen to music at home without the necessity of attending live performances. A radio, a TV or a record would now provide the experience of a performance, and the possibility of storing music analogically guaranteed the survival of the art itself. Simultaneously, this opened up the possibility of learning an instrument without relying solely on written music. Most rock and blues musicians learnt how to play the guitar without ever needing any reading skills. They learnt in a similar way that we all do when it comes to our native language.

If your focus is to improve your aural skills, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. First of all, you should be totally imbued with the music you are trying to learn. It is not usual for prominent musicians to have a childhood where there was heavy exposure to music. Before they picked up an instrument, they were already familiar with the musical elements of the style. They somehow knew already what was expected of it; they knew what a certain thing was supposed to sound like. This is a common error of many beginners who are a little bit familiar with a certain type of music but clearly don't know it well enough to develop a solid image that will be essential when learning the guitar. In short, you need to become an avid listener.

Formal ear training can certainly help you to develop your skills. It would be essential to identify what your expectations are. If your goal is to learn how to play pop songs by ear, you will need a different approach than someone interested in bebop improvisation. However, the foundation elements of the training should be similar. Beginners are usually introduced to intervals so they can identify the relationship between two notes. Finding the key of a song or the chord changes could be another foundational step. It is, however, the understanding of harmony that is more fundamental for developing more advanced aural skills. There are many approaches to start working on this.

If you are considering taking music lessons and are interested in learning how to play the guitar by ear, contact us at info@musicspacelondon or at 07749 775974.