4.24 Degrees: ear training

Category: Ear training | Tags: Ear training: chords

Ear training

To learn to recognize the different degrees and chord functions by ear, a number of different exercises have been made for the enthusiast. These exercises are called Recognizing degrees, Notating degrees and Degrees and melody.

The purpose of this exercise is to learn to hear the differences between the degrees I, IV, V and V7; between tonic, subdominant, dominant and dominant seventh in root position and inversion. For example, the difference between: IV and V, V and V7, I and IV.

Listen to some examples:

Listen to I-I-IV-I in major:

Listen to V-V-I-I in major:

Listen to I-IV-IV-I in minor:

Listen to IV-V7-I-I in minor:

1. Exercise recognizing degrees

The exercise recognizing degrees is a preparatory exercise for the exercise notating degrees. The chords being played are the degrees I, IV, V or V7 and are notated twice. Choose the right degrees. Four degrees are played.

Practise

Ear Training exercise 4p: chords: recognizing degrees. The chords being played are the degrees I, IV, V or V7. Choose the right degrees.

Get the full course

Example question

The following degrees are being played:

Which degrees do you hear?

Choise 1: I - I - IV - I

Choise 2: I - IV - IV - I

Practical steps

The difference between the first and second chord progrssion is the order tonic - tonic - subdominant (I - I - IV) or tonic - subdominant - subdominant (I - IV - IV):

In the first chord progrssion, tonic - tonic - subdominant - tonic (I - I - IV - I) is being played.
In the second chord progrssion, tonic - subdominant - subdominant - tonic (I - IV - IV - I) is being played.

Play the chord progrssion and try to hear whether the first, second and third chord, your hear:

tonic - tonic - subdominant (choise 1) or
tonic - subdominant - subdominant (choise 2).

Answer: choice 1.

2. Exercise notating degrees

The exercise notating degrees recognize a follow-up exercise of the exercise recognizing degrees. In each exercise, four degrees are played - the first one is provided. The missing degrees which must be filled in are indicated with a question mark (?). Notate the missing degrees with Roman numerals.

Practise

Ear Training exercise 4q: chords: notating degrees. The chords being played are the degrees I, IV, V or V7. Notate the correct degrees.

Get the full course

Example question

The following degrees are being played: IV - ? - ? - ?

Use Roman numerals to notate the missing degrees.

Practical steps

The first chord is provided and is a subdominant. When playing the chord progression listen for:

identical chords.
chord functions; is a tonic, subdominant, dominant or dominant seventh being played?
the dominant - tonic (V - I) progression.
the difference between V and V7.

Then play the chord progression and notice that:

the second and third chords sound like a dominant - tonic (V - I).
the fourth chord sounds the same as the third chord (tonic). The fourth chord is a first degree (I).

Answer: V - I - I.

3. Exercise degrees and melody

The exercise degrees and melody recognize a follow-up exercise of the exercise notating degrees. In each exercise, four degrees are played - the first one is provided. The missing degrees which must be filled in are indicated with a question mark (?). Notate the missing degrees with Roman numerals.

Practise

Ear Training exercise 4r: chords: degrees and melody. The melody being played is accompanied by the degrees I, IV, V or V7. Notate the correct degrees.

Get the full course

Example question

The following degrees are being played: IV - ? - ? - ?

Use Roman numerals to notate the missing degrees.

Practical steps

The first chord is provided and is a subdominant. When playing the chord progression listen for:

identical chords.
chord functions; is a tonic, subdominant, dominant or dominant seventh being played?
the dominant - tonic (V - I) progression.
the difference between V and V7.

Then play the chord progression and notice that:

the second and third chords sound like a dominant - tonic (V - I).
the fourth chord sounds the same as the third chord (tonic). The fourth chord is a first degree (I).

Answer: V - I - I.