6.27 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, VI, II, IV, V and V7. New in this exercise is the use of the sixth degree.

Listen to some examples:

Listen to I-V-VI:

Listen to I-VI-V-I:

Listen to I-VI-II-V-I:

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, VI, II, IV, V and V7 and are notated twice. Choose the right degrees. Four or five degrees are played.

Practise

Ear Training exercise 6m: chords: recognizing degrees. The chords being played are the degrees I, VI, II, IV, V and V7. Choose the right degrees.

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Example question

The following degrees are being played:

Which degrees do you hear?

Choise 1: I - II - V - I

Choise 2: I - VI - V - I

Practical steps

The difference between the first and second chord progrssion is the order tonic - subdominant - dominant - tonic or tonic - tonic - dominant - tonic:

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

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

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

Answer: choice 2.

2. Exercise notating degrees

The exercise notating degrees recognize a follow-up exercise of the exercise recognizing degrees. In each exercise, four or five 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 6n: chords: notating degrees. The chords being played are the degrees I, VI, II, IV, V or V7. Notate the correct degrees.

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Example question

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

Use Roman numerals to notate the missing degrees.

Practical steps

The first chord is provided and is the tonic. 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 fifth chord sounds the same as the first chord (tonic). The fifth chord is a first degree (I).
the fourth and fifth chords sound like a dominant - tonic (V - I).
the fourth chord sounds like a dominant seventh (V7).
the second chord sounds like a tonic but is, however, not the first degree but the sixth degree (VI).
the third chord sounds like a subdominant but is, however, not the fourth degree but the second degree (II).

Answer: VI - II - V7 - I.

3. Exercise degrees and melody

The exercise degrees and melody recognize a follow-up exercise of the exercise notating degrees. In each exercise, five degrees are played - the first one is provided. The melody being played is accompanied by the degrees I, VI, II, IV, V or V7. 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 6o: chords: degrees and melody. The melody being played is accompanied by the degrees I, VI, II, IV, V or V7. Notate the correct degrees.

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Example question

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

Use Roman numerals to notate the missing degrees.

Practical steps

The first chord is provided and is the tonic. 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 fifth chord sounds the same as the first chord (tonic). The fifth chord is a first degree (I).
the fourth and fifth chords sound like a dominant - tonic (V - I).
the fourth chord sounds like a dominant seventh (V7).
the second chord sounds like a tonic but is, however, not the first degree but the sixth degree (VI).
the third chord sounds like a subdominant but is, however, not the fourth degree but the second degree (II).

Answer: VI - II - V7 - I.