Ear Training 1

unit 3

2013 Musicians Institute

 Unit 3: Flat Keys/Scales
• In this Unit you will learn about:
C
F

b Bb

• The Circle of Fourths

Eb

Ab

Cb Db
Gb

F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb
• Flat Keys b b b b
b b b bb b bb b bbb b bbbbb b bbbb
b

1 8 7 6 1

• Melodic Analysis b bb
 Review: Major Scale
• Singing the Major Scale for 15 minutes a day will bolster your ability to
recognize intervals and melodies.

• Listen to the C Major Scale. Vocally using scale degrees (1-8), match pitch
with each scale degree.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (1)

Up
Up Up One
Up One One Half
Up
Up One Whole Whole Step
Up One
One Whole Step Step
One Half
Whole Step
Whole Step
Step
Step

W W 1/2 W W W 1/2
 The Circle of Fourths
• The Circle of Fourths is an easy way to visualize and learn all flat key Major
Scales plus accompanying key signatures. Using the Circle is also a great way to
systematically practice singing and hearing Major Scales. Traveling clockwise
through the Circle produces all Major Scales in flat keys.

C
F
b
B

Cb
D
G
 The Circle of Fourths
• The Circle of Fourths is an easy way to visualize and learn all flat key Major
Scales plus accompanying key signatures. Using the Circle is also a great way to
systematically practice singing and hearing Major Scales. Traveling clockwise
through the Circle produces all Major Scales in flat keys.
C Major 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
C
F
b
B

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
F Major
E
b
A

Cb
D Bb Major 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
G
b
b
b

• This pattern continues to produce all seven flat key Major Scales.
 •
Exercise 1
Using The Circle of Fourths, sing all flat key Major Scales (ascending and descending) using numeric
labeling for each scale degree. This exercise should be practiced every day for at least 15 minutes.
Remember to sing within your vocal range.

C Major 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
F Major

Bb Major 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

b
b
b

Eb Major 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

b
b b
b

*continued on next page...

 •
Exercise 1 continued
Continuing with The Circle of Fourths, sing all flat key Major Scales (ascending and descending) using
numeric labeling for each scale degree. This exercise should be practiced every day for at least 15 minutes.
Remember to sing within your vocal range.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Ab Major

b
b b
b b

Db Major 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

b
b b
b
b b

Gb Major 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
b
b b
b b
b b

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Cb Major

b b
b b
b b
b b
 The Number System
• Old school Ear Training teaching methods use the Solfége system (Do-Re-MI-
Fa-Sol-La-Ti-Do). Due to the terminology used in the modern music world the
Number System has replaced Solfége. In simple terms, numbers relate more
cohesively with common musical directional phrases such as “lower the
seventh”, “play a fifth above” and “the bridge goes to the four chord”.

• Using numbers makes it very easy to practice singing melodies in various keys.
The following examples will be played first in the key of C Major but then
moved to a different Major key. For example:

1. 1-2-3-2-1 6. 8-7-6-7-8

2. 1-2-3-2-3-4 7. 8-7-6-7-6-5

3. 1-2-3-4-5-6-5 8. 8-7-6-5-6-7-8

4. 1-2-3-4-3-4-5 9. 8-7-6-5-6-5-4-3

5. 1-2-3-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 10. 8-7-6-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

 Transcribing Melodies
• Transcribing is a great way to develop your ability to “hear” with deeper
perception. An essential skill all musicians must develop is the ability to
transcribe a melody. A musician is referred to as having “good ears” when they
can understand and retain a melody after only hearing it a few times.

• Listen to the following melody based on the C Major Scale. You will hear tonic
before the melody is played. Try and note what scale degrees (1 thru 8) are
played. After the melody is played for three times the answer will be revealed.

• Let’s try another:

1- 2 -3- 2 -1
 Melodic Analysis
• Let’s now dissect and analyze one of the previous melodies for a better
understanding of melodic movement. This analysis will give you concrete
concepts to utilize as you listen to a melody that needs to be transcribed.

1- 5 -8- 5 -1

C Major
1 5 8 5 1
 Melodic Analysis
• Let’s now dissect and analyze one of the previous melodies for a better
understanding of melodic movement. This analysis will give you concrete
concepts to utilize as you listen to a melody that needs to be transcribed.

#1 Feel #2 Count #3 Recall

 Exercise 2
• In this exercise you will hear tonic followed by a five-note Major Scale melody.
Each melody will be played three times. Three of the pitches will be provided.
Fill in the missing pitches by naming the scale degrees. Remember to “Feel”,
“Count” and “Recall”. Missing pitches will be revealed after each example.
 Exercise 2
• In this exercise you will hear tonic followed by a five-note Major Scale melody.
Each melody will be played three times. Three of the pitches will be provided.
Fill in the missing pitches by naming the scale degrees. Remember to “Feel”,
“Count” and “Recall”. Missing pitches will be revealed after each example.

3 - __
1. 1 - 2 - __ 2 - 1 6. 1 - 2 - __
3 - __
4 - 1

2. 1 - __
3 - 2 - __
3 -1 7. 1 - __
5 - 2 - __
3 - 1

3 - __
3. 1 - 5 - __ 2 - 1 8. 1 - 4 - __
2 - __
5 - 1

4. 1 - 5 - __
2 - __
3 -1 9. 1 - 5 - __
6 - __
5 - 1

5 - __
5. 1 - 3 - __ 3 - 1 6 - __
10. 1 - 5 - __ 7 - 8
 Exercise 3
• The following melodies are based on various Major Scales. You will hear tonic
before each example. Sing along using the Number System.

#1 #5
C Major 1 3 2 4 5 Bb Major 1 2 5 4 1

b
b

#2 #6
E Major 1 5 3 2 1 A Major 1 4 3 2 5

# ## ##
# #

#3 #7
Ab Major 1 2 3 5 4 Eb Major 1 8 7 6 1

bb b
bb b b

#4 #8
D Major 1 6 5 3 1 C Major 1 6 2 5 8

#
#
 Assessment #3
This concludes Unit 3 of Ear Training 1.
Your next step is to pass Assessment #3
before moving on to Unit 4.