Obtaining a musical ear

[ed]

Obtaining a musical ear

What does one hear when ones finger is slid slowly along one of the strings? When I first started playing the Er Hu some year and a half ago I heard only a continuous change - now I sometimes think I hear a series of peaks and valleys, or perhaps notches, with the position of the correctly tuned notes being at the bottom of the notches. I guess this is the process of obtaining a musical "ear".

I wonder if everyone experiences this in the same way - it should greatly like to hear from some of you about your own experiences.

Ed

[davidmdahl]

Hello Ed,

It is not clear to me what what sort of discussion you are inviting. The topic "Obtaining a musical ear" is interesting and I have my thoughts about that, but I am not sure what sliding my finger on the strings has to do with a musical ear.

For what it is worth, my musical ear has grown most from playing music with other people. Playing in time and in tune are critical aspects of being musical, and that is encouraged in an ensemble. You really have to listen carefully.

Best wishes,

David

[ed]

How do I explain? There is so much I should like to say on this. I should say that I am very new to playing or even listening to music - although I have always danced - and I am discovering all sorts of things as I improve.

My interest is in what it sounds like when a note is in tune, and the methods people use to get it right. Being of a scientific bent it is not enough for me to know that my ear is improving. I want to measure its progress, to discuss with others what I experience, and to form theories and run experiments.

The "peaks and valleys" idea is something that has come to me recently as something of a revelation. For instance, playing scales, it sometimes just doesn't sound right, and I resort to correcting each note one by one until the whole sounds harmonious. I slide a finger along until I hear something like a valley in the sound, and I then know that the correct note lies at the bottom. This is just how I experience it; it may be different for others.

Ed