is ae by Higher levels of skill through listening LEVEL 1/9 Audio CDs (or cassettes) , Tee en eg Thirds [8:38] 4 Major and Minor Chords [19:471; 5 Arpeggios [24:01] * eur ne see ae nce eee ara 8 Listening Téchnique [32:51] % 9 Lightning Round: Mised Major and Minor Hroestorahdlernitare feud Arpeggios antl Chords [34:02] # 10 Homework [ Te SOS Sree wae a tT af eayn dries uses {also: Chon Roots) [38:18] + 8 Intrcducing the Grand Round Ear-Opening fee ae ge ae ee eae eee ever’ Senter cer ONES ee er 31:50] # 3 About the Course Tee SiR ez ey Major and Minor Arpeggios [14:19] # 4 Major and Minor: The B Structures of Music [26:41] & 5 Notation of Intervals and Chords (27: Pe eee et ee ee ore | ot + 6 Exam Preparation [29:49] % Z Lightning Round: Mixed P4, P5, Perfect Fe a aac aera ar neato Ey COctaves, and Perfect Unisons (with instructions for Speed Recognition ce ee a a tara Nar Perce teh Fa Lc ae ea ne ean ety LESSON 8: 2 Speed Recognition of Tones [1:05] 3 Lightning Rounds: er See eC a ee che 4 6 Tertian, Quartal, and Quintal Harmony [15:22] + Z Relative Pitch Peete eRe tora eee eee eee aer aRoe ee eaeeen ae) de ee es ea ees Brana eaenee ee ea Set aay TNT peo Procedures [34:14] * 10 Lightning Round: P5, P4, M3, m3, Periect Octaves, Ur eee etter esto het arr and Perfect Unisons [35:04] # 11. More Drilling Procedures [43:58] king Technique (to be practiced for remainder of the Course) (29:0) Pea ye ea tan eee aaa aD LESSON 9: 2 Exam Procedures |1:05] * 3 Level One Exam, Section 1 & Correct Spellings: Major Thirds (also: Double Sharps, Double Flats Spelling Test [4:41] # 4 Section 2: Relative Pitch Identiication [9:45] Pee core nt ee 5 Section 3: Interval Singing Tose eae aL oe eet nm a? x Z Section 5: Synthesizer Lightning Round: Part 1 [30:23] * 8 Part 2 [36:10] 10:26} % 4 Speed Recognition: Drilling Procedures [23:53] + 5 Lightning A Nee ee eee es eck era 4 % 9 More Exam Procedures [40:06] * 10 Conclusion of Level One [40:54] % ER ra ora eae es eee n Para [35:41] & 8 Minor Thirds [41:25] * 9 Correct Spellings: Minor Thirds [42:29] eee eae a rear cs a =| Ses) Ee ee iYThe Relative Pitch Ear—Training SuperCourse Virtuoso music instruction by David Lucas Burge Level 1 Footnotes POINTS TO READ BEFORE GOING THROUGH THE COURSE: * Be sure you have listened to the Introductory Talk and have passed Lesson 1 before starting LEVEL 1. + Do not worry if you feel that beginning tapes are easy at first. This is the way to culture the ear—start with the simple things and work up gradually to a solid, established Relative Pitch. Even if you already have a good ear, we can make it even better just by following the instructions innocently and “tuning up” from scratch. Always do all Lessons in their proper sequence. If you like, listen to the CDs or tapes through headphones. In all cases, keep the volume at a medium level. Do not turn up the volume in order to “hear what's going on better’ The ear will hear more and more as we condition it—NOT by forcing loud sounds into it! Avoid a headache—just listen easily and comfortably—no effort, no strai + Note for musicians with Perfect Pitch: These lessons have been produced with special attention to ensure that the pitch level is accurate. They were recorded with piano and synthesizer just slightly sharp (the way I like i. However, the actual pitches could vary on your player. If you find them sharp or flat, do not worry. This Course is concerned with Relative Pitch, you need listen only to pitch relationships. % If you hear a faint echo of music or talk a few seconds before the actual audio content: This is called *print-through? and is a common occurrence in the production of analog master tapes. It is generally —— not noticed with music tapes because the music simply covers up these “echoes” In these lessons we don't mind or become concerned at all if we should notice this. Regardless of what else is going on— even in the outside room around us—we can always do our ear-training. Remember: In the “real” musi cal world, many things do go on at once. It is the art of ear-training to be able to separate out sounds in the real world and understand them. + How to use these Footnotes: Each lesson has special footnotes which apply to various points you will be learning. Before starting each lesson, check these Footnotes. Read only the notes that apply to you at a particular time. Be sure not to read ahead of where you are, as these Footnotes contain information that will benefit you best when read at the proper time (and they sometimes contain answers to ques- tions which you should not see until the proper time) & Itis good to practice Relative Pitch drills for about 20 to 30 minutes per day. Work on a lesson for as many days as is necessary to complete it, then move to the next lesson. %& Never rush. Just ENJOY! LESSON 2: —Read after hearing Lesson 2: + Musicians who have Perfect Pitch should simply practice the techniques and drills in exactly the same way as those without it Allow your attention to favor the feeling of relationship. % Practice pitches you use for the Grand Round may be either standard concert pitches (what the pitch¢s are called on a piano) or what they are on your own instrument. Example: A concert Gis a Df on a Be trumpet; the trumpet player may prefer to call the tone Dt while practicing his Grand Rounds. This is fine. Relative Pitch is only concerned with relationships—it doesn’t matter what you call the tones. x I do wish I had a better singing voice to demonstrate this drill, but I think you get the idea! (This les- son should shatter the myth that Perfect Pitch automatically ensures an extraordinary singing voice!) However, vocalists who develop their ear with Relative Pitch (and Perfect Pitch) will quickly become con- vinced that their vocal skills are vitally dependent on their ears ability to sense pitch. Ear-training will produce wonderfully rich results for vocalists who know how to otherwise use their voice. LESSON 53: —Read just before starting tests: % Even though you can pass with up to two strikes, be sure you “correct the mistakes" in your own mind and ear so you won't make them again. On sound tests, just back up the CD or tape for a few sec onds and listen again; on spelling tests, stop the tape a moment to think through the spelling and to understand the correct answer. + When taking tests you should not look at keyboard reference chart, keyboard, fretboard or any instru- ment as an aid to visualizing the intervals. Any visualizations should be done only in your own mind! —Read after passing tests: ‘x Musicians who are already familiar with musical spelling will simply pass these spelling tests quickly and move on—same with sound tests if you already have a good degree of Relative Pitch. However, these tests ensure a very fine tuning of the ear and intellect which may never have occurred in past musical training—a real strengthening which will become apparent as the listening becomes more com- plex and you complete the Course. —Read when finished Lesson 5: % Even with excellent vocal control, equal-temperament of musical instruments makes it impossible for anyone to sing “absolutely perfectly” in tune compared to the instrument—because even a perfectly tuned instrument is itself slightly out of tune! (More on this in Lesson 37) When practicing we simply do our best to stay in tune without making a big deal about it % When practicing Grand Round of Fourths, you will not need to use these spellings: G/B, BYE LESSON 4: —Read before tests: + Remember to STOP the tape and immediately review your perfect fourths if you strike out on a test. Learn them thoroughly and try again the NEXT DAY (don't allow yourself more than one daily “try. Better still: learn the assignments better the first time so you avoid striking out! —Read after passing tests: & Never allow background noises to bother you. Regardless of where you are, you can always think of pitches even when other music or distractions are there. The key is to not mind them. —Read when finished Lesson 4: 4% Technically, a chord is composed of three or more tones, but I often loosely refer to two or more tones as a chord. % Check your reference chart for the correct signs for double flats and sharps. See that somewhat diffi- cult sign for double sharp? Its much easier to write a simple “x’—everybody does it this way. LESSON 5: —Read after passing tests: & By learning your spellings—and singing them in correct pitch when practicing your intervals and tak- ing tests—you are also culturing your ear for Perfect Pitch (or strengthening your Color Hearing if you already have id. 9