Did you know that there are many people who can naturally play by ear? Often they sing by ear as well. Sure, they may be able to follow along as the music moves up and down the scale of the page they are looking at while performing. However, in reality, they never learned the difference between an A flat and a D flat, it is something that comes natural to them and they truly follow their ear when playing an instrument or singing vocals.

It is very possible that these natural ‘by ear’ performers even found themselves puzzled as to why learning to read music was so very difficult for them, some not being able to learn how at all. Even though many of them are awesome performers and many others never discover their secret at all.

On the other hand, there are many learned performers, who know their scales by name and type as well as timing, since they put a great many hours into learning each step there is to take when learning to play and instrument or vocalize. Even though it may take many years to learn to be a master of music, you can learn to play by ear.

It is simple really, to learn to play by ear, since anything that you have ever heard is available to play by ear; you just have to learn how to do it. Then all it takes is practice to be perfect, since the more often you do something, the easier it becomes for you to do. First however, you must understand the theory of teaching your ear to understand the musical structures as they are being played is an age old practice. Actually, it is one that you often experienced as a child; before learning to play by lessons, it is something that most people come by naturally. Very simply, playing by ear is an ability to play a piece of music by listening to it continually. You are then able to play a piece of music simply because you have heard it so many times.

Basically, there are three contributing elements of music.

1. The melody is the tune that moves up and down or higher and lower as the song moves forward. You must first become aware of this as it is the first step in learning to play by ear. By mentally defining the boundary of a songs melody, you begin to improve on playing it on your instrument.

2. The harmony of a song matches closely the melody and is the ability of harmonizing or matching up the chords, which supports the melody. For instance, you can harmonize with a melody of a certain key with other keys on the scale that find harmony in association, such as G and C chords in music.

3. Rhythm is then the third element, which supports the beat or timing of a song. Rhythm is normally easier to learn since most people can feel the beat. Basically, there are two rhythm meters, the duple meter and triple meter, which are combined in a great many ways. The rhythm of a song determines whether a song is very slow or very fast.

Keep in mind that while learning to play by ear, it will require practice. However, there are a few tips and tools available while learning to play by ear.

1. Play around with your instrument. Play the notes and listen to how they sound, this will help you identify how notes and strings, keys and frets relate.

2. Learn the scales, as by doing so; you truly do learn your instrument.

3. Learn music theory as this practice enables you to learn the notes and their names.

4. Begin with simple melodies, this is also a great way to understand your instrument.

5. Transpose the songs you hear, as you will begin to develop your ear as well as becoming able to understand the relationship between the chords.

Some of the tools available while learning to play by ear are ear training videos, software and hardware. You should be able to find DVD and CD aids that help in a number of ways while you learn to play by ear. Some of these aids can remove the lyrics of a song, while letting you listen to the music. As you listen to the changing of the sounds as you change chords, you will find understanding in how the chords change in a song you listen to repeatedly.

Just keep a good outlook and try not to become discouraged, it is just a process of learning. If you are committed to the project, you can learn to play by ear.

Music is undoubtedly a form of communication and/or expression. Coincidently, the skills of improvisation are certainly related to the dexterity and formalities that are imperative to accomplishing your role as a communicator. Therefore, as you are preparing to become a musician, improvising will firmly assists with your development of the overall perception and understanding of musicianship.

Improvisation often focuses on the recognition of one’s personal awareness, into the present moment. The skill also enables the development of a profound understanding of the action that one is currently displaying. Once you are aware and understand the concept, you will be provided as the practitioner with a sense of belief and accomplishment.

As a practitioner you will display pure confidence in which you are able to execute with a range of options that best conforms to the current situation regardless of previous successes or failures. Quite frankly, the practice of improvisation symbolizes acting and reacting, making and creating of “in the moment” response to the stimulus of one’s immediate environment.

In music, specifically, improvisation is spontaneous composition. The performer is challenged by performing music that is composed at the spur-of-the-moment. This is usually achieved through solo or cadenza. Improvisation has actually dominated in Jazz musicals. The challenge of improvisation is not to be confused or compared with technique. The two concepts are different in that improvisation is described as a creative performance art.

On the other hand, technique or sight reading is a reconstructive process. It is noted, however, that as both technique and improvisation require that you react immediately to any changes needed to the music in response to stimuli, they do demonstrate primary differences. Namely, the process is executed externally for successful sight- reading and internally to execute improvisation. Furthermore, they both are greatly enhanced by a strong musical knowledge base.

As a musician, you will be able to identify how your audience is responding to you. You can use specific musical ‘cues’ to communicate with the audience during a performance. Furthermore, during the performance, the initial musical piece may be altered to establish an emotional connection. Subsequently, you will have succeeded in the art of improvisation. Improvisation can take place as a solo performance or interdependently with an ensemble with other players. When done well, improvisation often elicits gratifying emotional response from the audience.

Musical improvisers often understand the language of one or more musical styles such as blues, rock, folk or jazz. In order to be successful, you must realize that practicing this art is intense and requires great focus. The musicians are expressive in that they have the ability to precisely illuminate creativity and originality. To successfully explore different methods of creating your own music, you should experiment in low- risk situations. You must listen carefully for your feedback to discover what does and does not work well. This will assist you in gaining valuable experience. Making your own music requires you to focus through relaxation, listening and ultimately learning.

To get started you must simply experiment with a variety of melodies, rhythms and moods. Of course, melody is the variation of the basic theme of music. To use improvisation to alter the melody you must attempt to change some of the original notes of the main theme. You will also be able to improvise the harmony as well as the rhythm. The rhythm, for example, simply requires you to experiment with the notes by making them longer or shorter or adjusting the tempo by making it slower or faster. Incidentally, very few musicians have ever risked presenting fully improvised concerts. However, there was one successful attempt by Keith Jarrat.

Techniques of improvisation are widely trained in the entertainment arts, such as music, theatre and dance. It can be expressed across all artistic, scientific, cognitive, physical, academic and non- academic disciplines. Musical improvisations require active listening and perseverance.

Basically, it is the creation of music in the real time. “Real time” is developed by listening carefully while enjoying and inevitably discovering the skills and techniques of improvisation. It usually involves focus and advanced preparation especially when there is more than one performer. Subsequently, improvisation results in a composition, a creative discovery.

More so, as the composition is reiterated over time in the same form, it becomes quality and pleasant music to its listeners. Therefore, with the establishment of a composition, all skilled composers are skilled improvisers. Perhaps, to study the skills and techniques of improvisation will encourage and enhance your pursuit for musicianship. Thus, the idea of executing an improvisation in a fixed musical form has always held attraction.

The guitar is one invention that dates back more than 5000 years ago. Through the years, it has evolved into what people know today as a 6 string musical instrument for right handed players.

One of the things a person needs to know before learning how to play this instrument is the parts that make up the guitar.

The top of the guitar is called the headstock. If the person wants to adjust the pitch, it can be adjusted by twisting it and there will be a change of pitch when played.

The part of the guitar that holds the strings near the headstock is called the nut. This can be made of different materials such as bone, plastic, brass, graphite or ivory which may make one guitar sound different than another.

The fret serves as a guide that allows the user to make the sounds of various notes. This happens because each of the six strings is made of a different width.

The truss rod holds the strings at the top of the guitar. If the instrument sounds different, a slight adjustment can make it sound good again. Many musicians do this especially if they are just borrowing it for a gig.

The strings of the guitar are held by the truss rod and the bridge. The purpose or the bridge is to transfer the vibration of the strings to the soundboard so the sound can be amplified.

The regular guitar comes with 6 strings. The weight of each of these strings is in thousands of a diameter which produces the different sounds.

The inlay is a visual element on the guitar. It comes in many forms and the most common are parallelograms, diamond shapes and dots. This is located in between the frets that guide the person when playing and is quite similar to the different keys in the piano.

The neck of the guitar makes up the headstock, nut, frets, truss rod and the inlays.

The body of the guitar will determine the kind of sound that resounds when the instrument is being played and his depends on the type of wood used in making it.

Some people think that a certain item in the guitar is just there for aesthetic purposes. There is a purpose for each part and by understanding it, the individual will be able to distinguish a good guitar from a poor one and have a good time playing it.

Have you ever thought about writing a song? Do you love music? We all know that a song is so much more than the musical background you hear throughout. No, the whole song comes together with the lyrics. The lyrics make the song it makes the music. Typically, the lyrics are written before the melody and music are added. The lyrics and the idea behind the lyrics lay the ground for the music to come afterwards.

Think about your favorite songs. Why are they your favorite? For many people, the words within the song grab their attention. For me personally, my favorite songs are those that have meaning. Rather, it evokes a particular feeling within me or it tells about a specific time in my life. The lyrics tell a story. They can tell any story, rather it be about love gone bad, an ever-lasting love, a person, a group of people, or a time in ones life. You are telling a story to the listeners and hoping they can relate to that story in some way.

Getting Lyrical Ideas

Most lyrics you hear in song come from the everyday life of the lyricist. It’s a good idea, if you are serious about writing song lyrics, to get yourself a journal and keep it with you throughout the day, jotting down your ideas. You never know when a lyrical idea will come to you. Be watchful and mindful of your interactions throughout the day. Some areas that may bring you ideas for lyrics may include:

• General conversation – While speaking to anyone throughout the day, such as friends, family, or colleagues, you may find that something they have to say gives you an idea.
• Happenings in your surroundings – Your environment can tell as story as well. While you’re in the cab, while walking down the street, on the subway, or anywhere you might be. Something might occur, even the slightest thing, which could jog a lyrical idea.
• Newspaper – Current events, articles, or even advertisements.
• Magazines – Real life stories, fashion, and other events could spark an idea.

It is important to keep in mind that your lyrics should have meaning to you. They should flow in a seamless way. You see, as mentioned earlier, lyrics tell a story. Therefore, treat your lyrics as a story first. Write your story, then you can begin to break them up in to song lyrics with rhyming other important aspects after your story is finished.

Lyrical Tools

Throughout the years, lyricists have relied mostly on the trusty old pen and paper to write lyrics. To many, they will not use anything but pen and paper to write their lyrics. However, in the computerized world of today, more and more lyricists are turning to the computer to write songs.

There are a variety of tools available to any songwriter on the computer and off. For example, rhyming dictionaries are great when you are having troubles coming up with rhymes to specific words. On the computer, rhyming and replacing words is extremely easy, and most often performed with a simple click of the mouse. Many programs such as Microsoft Word and other specific songwriting software programs offer an integrated thesaurus that is perfect for coming up with alternative words and phrases to increase the impact of your lyrics.

However, the most important tools are your own thoughts and ideas. You can choose the pen and paper method or the computerized method; however, your ideas are what make the lyrics to begin with.

Crafting Your Ideas Into Song Lyrics

You have your ideas; you’ve chosen your method of writing, now what? Now it is time to start forming your lyrics. This is likely the hardest part of writing the song, much harder than coming up with ideas. Now you have to work verses and choruses to form your songs. Rhyming is ultimately important. This is where your rhyming dictionary comes in handing.

Typically, the end of the second line rhymes with the end of the first. However, in some cases, the end of the third line will rhyme with the first.

For example:

As we grow older,
The world gets colder,
Because the love is gone
Though we keep going on
And keep our love in a song.

Don’t forget your chorus; this is what brings the song together. You decide where your versus go and where the chorus comes in and repeats. Writing lyrics to a song is a wonderful way to express yourself. It tells a story in the way you see it and feel it.

What if you could pop a CD into your home or car stereo and learn everything you needed to know to start playing beautiful chords on the piano? I’m talking about all the same chords used to play practically every popular song out there! The ones you grew up listening to… the songs you now enjoy… classic holiday tunes… even your kids’ favorite songs… and more!

What if you could learn all the chords that make up those songs in just an hour or so? Would you be excited? Well… You should be! Because at http://www.hearandplay.com/, Jermaine Griggs, the president of Hear and Play Music, is going to reveal an approach that allows you to learn anywhere: at your piano, in your car, on your ipod while at the gym — EVERYWHERE!

So, if you have a CD player and two hours to spare, then you have what it takes to start mastering chords by ear.

Read the rest of this story at: http://www.hearandplay.com/ (Over 20 minutes of audio lesson clips at the website)

You’ll definitely find this new resource very beneficial, especially if you’re struggling to grasp the concepts of chords! Believe it or not, once you master chords, half of the battle is won because songs are created ALL BY CHORDS!

That’s not all, you’re also going to learn…

- How to form various types of seventh chords and why they are so important in playing by ear.

- Why seventh chords are the foundation of many more extended chords like ninths, elevenths, thirteenths, and altered voicings. Hint: You won’t even have to learn the “big” chords once you’ve mastered a few little tricks with the seventh chord!

- The power of the “magic 3rd & 7th” and how manipulating them can help you to instantly play dozens of chords in all twelve keys… very easily and so much MORE!

Go ahead and rush over to… http://www.hearandplay.com/ and read his entire report.

Meanwhile, let me know if you have any questions and I’ll be sure to answer or pass them to the right folks at http://www.HearandPlay.com/.