Learning to play piano by ear is one of the most desired wishes of beginner piano players. Now some have this gift naturally and you'll see them sitting next to the piano, figuring the melodies quite fast while the others need some time and maybe some help along the way.

That's why I created this article.

As far as I'm concerned playing piano by ear divides to two sections. The first is figuring out the melody by ear and then finding the chords of the song.

Finding melodies by ear is easy when you understand the concept behind the intervallic relationship. Music is based on intervals. There are two types.

A melodic interval is being created when you play two notes one after the other successively.

A harmonic interval is being created when the notes are being played in the same time (simultaneously).

So in order to play a melody by ear you have to understand the connection between two melodic intervals and to play chord by ear you have to hear the distance of two notes within a harmonic interval. In this article I'll focus on playing melodies by ear.

Playing Melodies by Ear - In order to play a melody by ear you should be able to sing the melody on your own. The reason I'm suggesting to do this is because by being able to sing the melody you could break the notes of the melodies to pieces.

You start by singing the first note of the melody. Then while singing it you should look it up on the piano. Now the difficult part is listening while producing. You sing a note and you have to be able to hear that pitch on the piano.

Now, next you should slowly sing the next note of the song. Now you should try to compare this note to the previous note. Is it lower? higher? Is it maybe the same note?

Next you have to figure out how much lower it is. Let me give you a good tip about that. Vocal music (Such as songs) is mostly based on steps.

It's hard to perform jumps with your voice. Usually when you perform a jump it takes effort and will be followed by compensation of melodic movement in steps.

Keep up like that to the next note and try to figure out the whole melody that way.

Conclusion:

When trying to figure melodies by ear

• Find the first note of the song, then compare the second note with the first one.

• Is it higher? lower? same pitch?

• How far is it from the previous pitch? A step? A jump?

Then adjust and you will find it and be playing piano by ear in no time.