I suck at playing by ear. I never really cared too much about this skill and played everything from tabs. But now my mate got pretty good at it and its awesome, because he learns riffs and solos in a minute or two(It's also an awesome skill for parties/camps/whatever because he learns songs from mp3s of the hawt girls and they are instantly charmed, I'm jealous).
I asked him to help me out, but turns out it was always easy for him somehow, guess its talent. I can get some easy stuff by ear, but it takes me way too long. The hardest part is finding the first note, guess I'm tone deaf. Usually I'm getting tired after 5 minutes and check the tabs.
Help me out or I'm going to be terrible at the guitar forever

Well, we can barely help you there.
Being able to recognize a note is all about practise, there's no gift. I mean, I doubt an infant could identify an A 440 hertz instantly without being previously accustomed. But still, even if you can't recognize a note you can search for it on your fretboard, yes it takes time and yes it's faster with tab/sheet music. Also, once you've located the key you approximatively know where to go.

So if you want to practise and train your ears do it.
You can google bunch of ear training website on google or keep training across your favorite songs as if tab/internet didn't exist yet.
Now, if you're too lazy and can't stay into it more than 5 minutes don't do it.


Impressing people and charming girls.. You should find another source of motivation

This post was edited by tOrF on Oct 17 2010 01:18pm

try closing your eyes and actually letting the ears do the work. looking at all the frets only makes it seem harder and more intimidating.

it's a lot of practise.

1.start by singing the song until you know it by heart.
2.try to hear harmonies under the song, define a bass note of your harmony. and sing the notes of theses harmonies from bottom to top. DO NOT DO THIS STEP WITH YOUR INSTRUMENT, ONLY SING.start with simple harmonies.
3.once you've done 2. , try to play it with your guitar. If it doesnt sound good, return to 2.
4.once you're able to do this with simple harmonies, learn more complicated ones and try to apply them.

but as I and T0rf said before, it takes some time before you can do it. you'll be able to do this with simple harmonies first. with time you will hear more complicated harmonies like C with 9 7 etc ...

/e

the more you listen to music with your concentration, the more you sing, the better it will be

This post was edited by unid_element59 on Oct 19 2010 06:24am

Learning by ear is pretty simple, depending on the song.

Don't expect to understand a fast or complex song right off the bat by listening to it once..
You won't be able to know every note played in a fast solo without listening to it more than once.

Chords are one of my most difficult to hear by ear though since more than one string is being played together.
But you can get the gist of the chord..

Just go note by note. It's a long process but it makes sure you know the song correctly

i believe this is a God given talent, some people are made for music and some aren't.

its just something that comes to you, unless you put alot of time into learning this.

But i never really had to learn this. I just simpley knew somehow. probobly is the same for your friend.

for a person like you, you just have to practice.

for example i tabbed out the basics of stairway to heaven within 10 minutes. (its an easy song don't be decieved)


But from what i know i can teach you this and tell you this much. (this is waht I do)

First find a bass note in the song (often the note on the E or A string) and from there find the next next note on the next string and so and so on

idk these things really just come naturally to me. and thats the case with your friend also

My father has the gift.

You can play a mp3 and he starts jamming to it.

PLay a hard chord and he plays it right after.

When he was 5 and started to play piano he cheated with the notes because he had the skill so he just played the vinyl and started to play with it.

It is a thing you can train.. a program is earmaster. but you will never get as good as those ppl borned with the skill

i wish i had it too, but no.

Gl with your attempt th0:)