V.I.P. Jazz Ear Training with Band In A Box Tutorials

by John Kuzmich, Jr.

February 7, 2006

Ear Training Window

Ear training is an important exercise for all musicians. Now you can practice and your ear training with help from Band-in-a-Box. In addition to the common interval exercises (perfect 4th, minor 2nd , etc.), learning to "play-by-ear" for Jazz and Pop music is further enhanced by ear training exercises to recognize common chord types (e.g., Major, Minor, Dominant, etc.).

For example, Band-in-a-Box will play a chord and you will have to identify the correct root and chord type. Your score can be tracked, allowing you to monitor your progress. Clicking on the various chord types lets you instantly hear the differences between various chords. Other options include "types of roots and chords to use", and "voicing types" (open, closed, etc.) - allowing you to customize the ear training exercises for beginner through to advanced. Interval recognition is also customizable from beginner to advanced, with such options as instrument type, octave range, up/down intervals and more.

Launching The Ear Training Module

To launch the Ear Training Window, click on the Ear Training button, (or press Ctrl+Shift+J, or click on the menu item Window | Ear Training Window.)

1. Chord Tutor

There are 2 modules in the Ear Training window: The Chord Tutor plays chords (root + extension) for you to identify. The Interval Tutor plays note intervals for you to identify. Click on the [Chord Tutor] button to ensure that the Chord Tutor module is displayed. Press the [Play Tonic- C] button to familiarize yourself with the root note of the scale as a reference point. Click on any of the other note names to hear that root.

Click on any of the chord extensions to hear that sound. Now you're ready for "the test": Guess the Roots ! You can test yourself on roots only, or root + extension. Press "Guess Root". You'll hear a root played. If you need help, press the "Play Tonic" button to hear the root again.
. and "Replay Root" to hear the root-to-guess replayed. When you think you know the root, press the root name on the list of note names at the left.
If you guess incorrectly, you'll see a message that says "Wrong Root." You'll then hear the note that you guessed playing, followed by the root-to-guess note again. If you guess correctly, you'll see a confirmation of that, and can play again.\

Press the [Stop] button to stop the game.
Now Let's guess the Root and the Extensions.

2. Guess A New Chord Game

The Guess a New Chord game works in the same way as the 'Root' game, except that here you are guessing chord extensions. The root is always the same, whatever the setting is at the left. Click on the extension to guess, and "Replay Chord" to hear the chord again. In this mode, you need to guess both the Root and the Extension. You can guess them in any order. Click on the root, and when you get it correct you can move on to the extension.
For the roots, you can choose which types of roots to include. This can be any of the 12 semitones, or just the scale tones, or just the 1-4-5 of the scale.

For the extensions, you can include all of the extensions listed in the dialog, or just the subset that are "common extensions."
The chord extension will be played using the voicing type that you specify in the voicing types combo box. These can be open, closed, or root position voicings. This setting also applies to the voicing used when you are previewing a chord.

If you are an advanced musician, seeing the notes on the piano during the guessing game would be "cheating," since you'd probably quickly recognize the chord. However, a beginner might benefit from seeing the notes played on the piano screen. I f this "Show notes on piano during guessing" option is selected, these chords will play on the small piano located on the main program screen.
The score is displayed on the window. You can reset these results to zero by pressing the [Reset] button.

3. Interval Tutor

Click on the [Interval Tutor] button to launch the Interval Tutor module: This window works much like the Chord Tutor window, except that this time you are guessing intervals. Click on the intervals to hear them. For example, click on "Minor 3" to hear a minor 3rd interval. Start the game by pressing the [Guess Interval] button. Then, click on the interval that you think is being played. You can control the starting note and the second note by the various settings in the dialog. Click on the [Easy] button to set the interval types to the easiest (within one octave, second note is always higher etc.). There are similar buttons to set the settings to [Hardest] or [Default] settings).