Monday, April 6, 2009

Play Piano By Ear - How You Can Do It

By Raddy Antric

Trying to learn how to play a piano by ear can be extremely frustrating for many people, and ultimately futile. However, there is no reason to believe that it cannot be done if enough effort is put into it. When it is done, it will bring a lot of satisfaction in knowing how to play any piece of music on the piano without being limited by sheet music.

One of the first characteristics of anyone who is able to play the piano by ear is the amount of time he or she spends with music. Whether it is by playing, listening, or making it, if you are in touch with music for long hours everyday, the affinity with it grows and becomes part of you.

A pianist will need to do this often since it takes time and effort to master piano techniques. Becoming a better player will naturally come if enough practice and effort is put into it. It will make trying to learn any song by ear a much easier objective since the techniques are available.

A second trait that will manifest itself is the ability of being pitch perfect when determining any note. Perfect pitch is the opposite of being tone deaf, and is a must have to be able to play by ear. Some have it naturally, while others will require time to develop it.

The ability of having perfect pitch is essential for all musicians who wish to play by ear and do away with any reliance on sheet music. The proof is in the pudding with guitarists and pianists who have displayed this. It can help to achieve wonders and bring your piano playing to a higher level.

The skill of playing by ear is thus a must have for all pianists to advance their abilities on the instrument. The process of doing so can be an enjoyable process without descending into tedious practice. For example, one could use favorite pieces of music in order to help develop playing by ear.

How does one practice playing by ear? A great way is to structure the piano piece into separate parts and tackling them one at a time. Listen to the song over and over again while trying to duplicate it on the piano in its notes, chords and progressions. The process is one of trial and error, but the final result is very satisfying.

By knowing how to play by ear, a piano player will find various possibilities ahead of him. There is no need to be confined by what is available on sheet music. Techniques and songs can be learned and even invented just by music alone. The piano player will develop into a masterful and complete player compared to his peers who fail to invest effort in this area.

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