Since we’re on music.
One of the finest SSO violinists once asked me if my kids were in music class. I said Yamaha. He said, to my surprise: “That’s great, you know. Too many classically-trained musicians can’t play by ear.”
Broadly, you have musicians who play by Score, and those who play by Ear.
(Of course everyone falls somewhere in-between, but they’re usually more of one than the other.)
Those who play by Score are those classically-trained, who likely start and end up on the ABRSM syllabus, take examinations, are technically brilliant, can read a new piece of music like they’ve played it all their lives, join orchestras.
But. Ask them to improvise or play along to a new piece of music they’ve never heard before, and they are lost in the forest.
They (generally) need scores. So if I had to play a new piece with classical musicians, I would write out every single note for every single instrument. (Which brings to mind a recent string quartet transcription of Coldplay’s Viva La Vida and Clocks, me sitting down on Youtube and listening to the damn pieces on repeat as I write down Every. Single. Note.)
Those who play by Ear might be self-taught, or went down the jazz / improv route. They may not have great credentials, may not have great technique and are generally less well-regarded in Singapore than the classically-trained musicians.
But. They can play anything they listen to. And play along with anything they hear.
I started out as a Score musician and I still am, more of a Score musician. There is a comfort in reading notes.
But I’ve had the luck to play with some amazing Ear musicians.
Where all they need is a few lines of alphabet chords to effortlessly flesh out a song. These gigs stress me out somewhat as I, well, have no score. But I manage!
Day’s music school teacher told us parents recently: The best kind of music training, really, is to give your child Score and Ear skills.
I could not agree more.
It is these musicians who will have the greatest currency and relevance.
8 comments:
how to give them score and ear skills? can teach me how to cultivate that, esp by ear?
as day's music teacher said, send them for 1-to-1 class (the kind my mum teaches!) and then also send for the yamaha organ improvisational course!
of course tts not practical. v expensive and time-consuming.
i find, however, tt playing the guitar is great for ear skills (chords, playing to a singer). CT can do guitar rite!
so many great self-taught guitarists i know, are amazing ear musicians.
thanks for this, shimian! it makes SO much sense.
Hey, thanks for this too.. i've learnt the piano for years and couldn't play by ear to save my life. Am thinking of picking up guitar. Wonder if there's any hope to learn to play by ear at my age. Sigh.
I completely agree with you on this, and the SSO violinist! I actually tell parents who come to me with very young kids (below 5) that it is good for them to go for group classes to start with.
Cultivate their interest, let them learn by ear first, group settings are usually more fun for them too. I was a product of JMC and with all the other musicians I've met in my life in Singapore (not including those overseas), most (like 90%) who went through JMC have perfect pitch, those who didn't, well, most don't.
It's a blessing and a curse! But I think it helps when you're more a Score person and you want to try to play by ear.
wow, i was a product of Yamaha JMC too, but din think it was the reason for my tending to play by ear (I hate reading scores with a vengeance). i just thought it was hereditary... heh.
probably part hereditary too. heehee.
I was on the ABRSM track for 12 years and only developed the ability to play by ear after I stopped lessons. These days, I play by ear better than I do with scores (I suck at following timing!)
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