All we need now is to listen in on a good session & we're home free. My ears are becoming more precious after all their terrible abuse ~ sitting too close to rock speakers & an obsession with power tools. I'll be glad to use whatever is left.
nicholas is right. There's no point learning to trust your ears before you've learned how to hear accurately. And the skill in that is learning how to differentiate between what you are actually hearing and what your brain might be making up. To differentiate between actual sound and the gaps in understanding that are filled by your imagination.
There are aural illusions just like optical illusions. The moon looks bigger when it's low in the sky. If you trusted your eyes, you'd say it was bigger.
vocalization (words, language, dialect, accent) are the result of hearing others' speak. These may not be music, yet they are the result of using what the ears hear. True or false?
My friend called & says she is tired. Hopefully she will rest up & we will play tomorrow. The *trust* word must carry baggage for a few people. I believe there is a veiled reference to those who have not taken the time to listen, listen, listen & then play. I was hoping to get the attention of players' who have listened & listened & listened, learnt the tunes very well, but cannot allow themselves a small pleasure ~ an epiphany. With time (true or false) can you ever trust your ears? Granted there will always be obstacles. Some of my mates never will. Yet their ability to use their ears is wonderful. They live with constant self doubt.
It's all about hearing, and knowing what to hear. I am the most dot-bound guy you will ever meet, classical player that I am, but spent decades in jazz and rock bands sans notation. I am comfortable in both worlds. In school, my kids sing constantly. The orchestra, band, and jazz band kids learn their parts by singing and listening, and then by reading. For most, learning to trust their ears is a giant leap of faith, to which many are dragged kicking and screaming (figuratively speaking, of course...)
The Ferengi have big ears, and evidently very sensitive, but I can't think of one episode in the Star Trek universe where one showed any musical talent. Maybe their hearing is so acute they choose to avoid the pitfalls of failure with the termperamental tools we use to make music?
LOL ceolachan. Mine, also in the right ear, sounds more like high D !
I can´t use it to tune with, though, because as soon as I start to play it stops.
It's often amused me to think of how many musicians don't use their ears. Must be tricky painting a picture with a blindfold on as well. Can't imagine.
...but yes, amen, train them, use them, gain their trust, validate your trust in them. Like any skill, keep at it and it'll get better.
"Learning to trust yours ears is one thing but the more you learn the more you realize how much they've been deceiving you."
I listen to a tune 100 times, sing it, think I've nailed it, then play it. Then listen again. Then I realize sometimes I just hear what I want or am able to hear. So I am learning to relax and accept what the tune offers. Then I hear so much more. Hey, that's kinda like life!!!! I guess nailing the tunes down is a bad idea anyway .
janmarie
Learn to trust your ears.
Learn to trust your ears.
True or false?
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
yes
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by rumpole
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
it's like earlobe gauging - you stretch them a little at a time until you can get some good big rings in there
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by airport
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
Is that something you heard around the orifice? groan . . .
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
Playing any kind of music is all about trusting your ears.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Phantom Button
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
All we need now is to listen in on a good session & we're home free. My ears are becoming more precious after all their terrible abuse ~ sitting too close to rock speakers & an obsession with power tools. I'll be glad to use whatever is left.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
Learning to hear accurately is one thing - a valuable skill.
Trusting what you hear being said, or played, is another.
It may be CODSWALLOP!!
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by nicholas
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
tympanic membrane - that's what they call the two tiny bodhrans inside each of us
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by airport
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
nicholas, take two MIDIs, get a good rest, wake up fresh . . . & you should be better in the morning. On 2nd thought, skip the MIDIs.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
The only potential disability is what lies between them...
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
nicholas is right. There's no point learning to trust your ears before you've learned how to hear accurately. And the skill in that is learning how to differentiate between what you are actually hearing and what your brain might be making up. To differentiate between actual sound and the gaps in understanding that are filled by your imagination.
There are aural illusions just like optical illusions. The moon looks bigger when it's low in the sky. If you trusted your eyes, you'd say it was bigger.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
Since our imagination may be play tricks perhaps sheet music may help clarify the matter?
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Ben Steen
~
not where I was expecting to go . . .
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
i hear what you're saying nicholas and llig (going where Random?) but consider mine
*True _ on three counts, the third (or if your lucky, first) being your 'heart' as
'The heart is wiser than the intellect'
Josiah G. Holland (1819-1881) American novelist and poet
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by lisaniska
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
You wouldn't trust your bloody ears if you'd had tinnitus for the last 20 years.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Steve Shaw
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
vocalization (words, language, dialect, accent) are the result of hearing others' speak. These may not be music, yet they are the result of using what the ears hear. True or false?
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
Not sure. Helen Keller learned to speak but never heard anyone else speak.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by John Culhane
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
I'm logging off, here are my last 2¢ ~ *Learn* to trust your ears. That 1st word was not chosen randomly. Cheers, etoxiuq leahcim
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
Actually she did. ;)
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Ben Steen
~
she was born with hearing.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Ben Steen
Tacoman -
good point, all the same. ;)
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
My friend called & says she is tired. Hopefully she will rest up & we will play tomorrow. The *trust* word must carry baggage for a few people. I believe there is a veiled reference to those who have not taken the time to listen, listen, listen & then play. I was hoping to get the attention of players' who have listened & listened & listened, learnt the tunes very well, but cannot allow themselves a small pleasure ~ an epiphany. With time (true or false) can you ever trust your ears? Granted there will always be obstacles. Some of my mates never will. Yet their ability to use their ears is wonderful. They live with constant self doubt.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
The first word may not have been chosen 'randomly' but it was chosen by Random!
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by AlBrown
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
It's all about hearing, and knowing what to hear. I am the most dot-bound guy you will ever meet, classical player that I am, but spent decades in jazz and rock bands sans notation. I am comfortable in both worlds. In school, my kids sing constantly. The orchestra, band, and jazz band kids learn their parts by singing and listening, and then by reading. For most, learning to trust their ears is a giant leap of faith, to which many are dragged kicking and screaming (figuratively speaking, of course...)
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
OK then, yes .... "learn" to trust your ears
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
Why have the Gnomes got Big Ears?
Because Noddy wouldn't pay the ransom.
(won't be understood across the pond)
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by RichardB
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/evelyn_glennie_shows_how_to_listen.html
It is quite long, about twenty minutes, but relevant to the thread and worth watching.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by gam
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
Gosh, you can't trust them at all. They're always up to all sorts of tricks. Little scallywags they are.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by ethical blend
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
Learning to trust yours ears is one thing but the more you learn the more you realize how much they've been deceiving you.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by bogman
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
You never know what your hears have got stashed away behind them. I used to trust mine, until I got accused of stealing a 10lb sack of spuds.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
The Ferengi have big ears, and evidently very sensitive, but I can't think of one episode in the Star Trek universe where one showed any musical talent. Maybe their hearing is so acute they choose to avoid the pitfalls of failure with the termperamental tools we use to make music?
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
Steve Shaw ~ my tinitus, in the right ear, makes a damned good drone...
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
LOL ceolachan. Mine, also in the right ear, sounds more like high D !
I can´t use it to tune with, though, because as soon as I start to play it stops.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by murfbox
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
AMEN HALLELUJAH BROTHER RANDOM!
It's often amused me to think of how many musicians don't use their ears. Must be tricky painting a picture with a blindfold on as well. Can't imagine.
...but yes, amen, train them, use them, gain their trust, validate your trust in them. Like any skill, keep at it and it'll get better.
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
Gam, thank you very much for the clip. Very relevant!
# Posted on November 13th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
"Learning to trust yours ears is one thing but the more you learn the more you realize how much they've been deceiving you."
.
I listen to a tune 100 times, sing it, think I've nailed it, then play it. Then listen again. Then I realize sometimes I just hear what I want or am able to hear. So I am learning to relax and accept what the tune offers. Then I hear so much more. Hey, that's kinda like life!!!! I guess nailing the tunes down is a bad idea anyway
janmarie
# Posted on November 14th 2009 by janmarie
Re: Learn to trust your ears.
Reading through this discussion has made me glad that I had plenty of rigorous ear training when I was a music major in college.
# Posted on November 15th 2009 by fauxcelt