Songs for ear training

[guitarsjb]

My ear is improving overall, but it needs more help. Our band does all original material so I NEVER play covers. I need some ideas from you guys and gals as to some songs and solos I can learn by ear to help me out. I believe learning by ear will help me get my ideas out of my head easier.. The only thing I ask is they are in standard tuning. Thanks for your ideas and time. [img]/images/graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]
Oh, and just treat my skill level as minimal...I play mostly rythym in our band, and have lame lead skills..

[horns666]

Re: Songs for ear training

I suggest stuff with VERY complex riffs over fast rythms ..such as Messugah and Nevermore.. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

When I discovered Nevermore around '96...I thought the palm muting stuff Jeff was doing was almost to the point of incoherence and impossible.. [img]/images/graemlins/brow.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

Not anymore..now I write stuff like that! [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Bill

[paulbag]

Re: Songs for ear training

Iron Maiden is a good place to start, then work your way up to the Messugah [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[maddog]

Re: Songs for ear training

For ear training I would recommend singing all of the intervals. Singing them will help you to learn them and then next time you will recognise them quickly.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: Songs for ear training

anything Lynyrd Skynyrd.

[Groove_Machine]

Re: Songs for ear training

Sorry but I don't understand that part, what do you mean that you don't do covers??? Have you figured out any songs complete by ear?? Can you play any cover tunes from start to finish? Have you broken done any of those songs and figured out how and why they were constructed in that order??...Why do the superimpose a diffrent scale..yet it blends in, By doing this not only will you improve your theory you will Improve your ear as well and really take it to the next level....If you guys are doing your own material, then you ear should be up to par..IMHO that is!! Sounds like typical advice but this is probably the most important and ovelooked part that I would see in alot of players, understanding song structure that is the best ear training you will get..it goes hand in hand with shredding

[horns666]

Re: Songs for ear training

Jeff Loomis does NOT apply theory in his riffage..because he doesn't know theory...he plays what he hears...and it is good.

Theory is cool..but it confines you I think..

Eddie Van Halen didn't apply theory to his writing either..and it was good.

Criss Oliva..hell the list is endless.

The coolest guitarists in Metal and Rock ..well they had a good ear and the knack of crafting great riffs..

A song is nothing more than a series of riffs.

Getting them from your head to the guitar is a gift...and an art!

What Dimebag, Zakk, Ed , Criss and guys like Jeff Loomis does...you can't learn from a book or from some uppity GIT theory guru.

[guitarsjb]

Re: Songs for ear training

Groove, No, I can't play any covers from start to finish...I used to take lessons (over 10 years ago) learned parts of some. I can play most of a few songs, but someone showed me how, it wasn't by ear, and no, I can't play it all..then, I got away from guitar for awhile. I've only gotten serious with it again the past 2-3 years...In that time, I hooked up with some other guys and play all originals. I play what sounds good, but figured that learning some tunes by ear would help me more also. Nowadays it seems everything is in dropped D, B, A or something I don't really understand. I am a bad "overall" player, I admit it. But I can do my own thing pretty damn good. My leads suck. What I was looking for was a few songs in E that arent' real hard to figure out, with not really hard solos so I could really give my ear a boost. I am not as good as you, and I'm sorry that you think I should know more than I do..I just don't YET.. I will NEVER be a shredder.. I only have about an hour a night to even pick up my guitar, and 4 hours a week devoted to band practice. So the few hours away from the band I get is working on our own material.

[Groove_Machine]

Re: Songs for ear training

[ QUOTE ]
Jeff Loomis does NOT apply theory in his riffage..because he doesn't know theory...he plays what he hears...and it is good.

Theory is cool..but it confines you I think..

Eddie Van Halen didn't apply theory to his writing either..and it was good.

Criss Oliva..hell the list is endless.

The coolest guitarists in Metal and Rock ..well they had a good ear and the knack of crafting great riffs..

A song is nothing more than a series of riffs.

Getting them from your head to the guitar is a gift...and an art!

What Dimebag, Zakk, Ed , Criss and guys like Jeff Loomis does...you can't learn from a book or from some uppity GIT theory guru.

[/ QUOTE ] "Theory is cool..but it confines you I think.." Definately, especially if you get bogged up in it to deeply..you are pretty much toast!

[Soap]

Re: Songs for ear training

This will come and improve over time.
Its not like an exam you cram for the night before.
In other words, you can only rush or hurry the process so far.
Keep playing and your ear will find its way.
You'll in time, be able to hear exactly what the song is doing.
The key or keys its witten in, the solo, if its pentatonic or some other mode, being able to lock into the groove or the feel of the tune. These things come easier over time once the indivdual has grown enough to have a decent understanding of the fretboard, basics of song writting, tricks, tech and etc. It will come Daniel son, wax on wax off first.

[Inearthed]

Re: Songs for ear training

Iron Maiden is a great place to start for ear training. Their "Brave New World" album has some very easy to play tunes that are fairly fun to figure out. From there, dip back into Piece of Mind, as that has more complex stuff in it.

The mid-90's Megadeth albums have some fairly easy to figure out songs that are great for ear training. Metallica's 80's albums are another place to train.

I always thought that Altars of Madness was another record that is great for learning stuff.

For rhythm patterns, try Testament's early releases, or if you're up for more fun Beneath the Remains has some fairly interesting rhythm patterns to figure out.

Avoid records that have 1/4 step down tunings or other slightly dropped non-standard tunings or you'll get frustrated fast. Go to these records later after a bit of practice.

[guitarsjb]

Re: Songs for ear training

[ QUOTE ]
Iron Maiden is a great place to start for ear training. Their "Brave New World" album has some very easy to play tunes that are fairly fun to figure out. From there, dip back into Piece of Mind, as that has more complex stuff in it.

The mid-90's Megadeth albums have some fairly easy to figure out songs that are great for ear training. Metallica's 80's albums are another place to train.

I always thought that Altars of Madness was another record that is great for learning stuff.

For rhythm patterns, try Testament's early releases, or if you're up for more fun Beneath the Remains has some fairly interesting rhythm patterns to figure out.

Avoid records that have 1/4 step down tunings or other slightly dropped non-standard tunings or you'll get frustrated fast. Go to these records later after a bit of practice.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the great clear info bro..I really appreciate it. Now i have a good starting point. [img]/images/graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img]

[Fragle]

Re: Songs for ear training

during the last year my ears got a LOT better. i don't know exactly why, maybe because i joined a band and had to figure out 3 full length albums all by ear [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] the point i'm trying to make is that the best way to improve your hearing skills is by using your ears as much as possible!
for starters, i'd recommend stuff that has a clear production...in the beginning it's hard enough to pick out the right notes, you don't have to struggle with a crappy production on top of that. recent iron maiden is probably a good start, as well as anything metallica.
also, i strongly recommend you head over to google and search for pacemaker tempo controler, a VERY handy plugin for winamp. you can adjust the pitch in half steps, the tempo (without changing the pitch) as well as the speed (includes a pitch change...kinda redundant imho). on top of that, you can remove the vocals which brings out the guitars more clearly, a very useful feature. i use it all the time.
as for figuring out leads....there's no fast and easy way. you'll have to sit down and figure out your favourite licks, and then play them over and over and over until you're totally used to them. in the end you will be able to listen to a lead and pretty much instantly know what the guy's doing....remember, this takes a lot of time.
inearthed, good call on the 1/4 step stuff. old megadeth as well as yngwie has a lot of in-between stuff which totally sucks both for figuring out and playing along.

[paulbag]

Re: Songs for ear training

[ QUOTE ]
Iron Maiden is a good place to start, then work your way up to the Messugah [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I told you [img]/images/graemlins/poke.gif[/img]

[JRTME]

Re: Songs for ear training

[ QUOTE ]
Jeff Loomis does NOT apply theory in his riffage..because he doesn't know theory...he plays what he hears...and it is good.

Theory is cool..but it confines you I think..

Eddie Van Halen didn't apply theory to his writing either..and it was good.

Criss Oliva..hell the list is endless.

The coolest guitarists in Metal and Rock ..well they had a good ear and the knack of crafting great riffs..

A song is nothing more than a series of riffs.

Getting them from your head to the guitar is a gift...and an art!

What Dimebag, Zakk, Ed , Criss and guys like Jeff Loomis does...you can't learn from a book or from some uppity GIT theory guru.

[/ QUOTE ]

Although I agree with you on your points.

I disagree with you as well. Learning theory can greatly improve your playing and arranging skills so you aren't spitting the same shit out year after year.