Play by ear question

[tysteel2]

I have a question about how to play by ear (learning a song without sheet music), as I think this is an important skill that I really want to learn.  I hope some of you have experience with this kind of playing, and can answer my question(s).  

While I have improved as a sight reader, I still long for improvement as an ear player.  I just won't feel complete as a piano player unless if I can become competent at both skills.  I ask for your patience in following my train of thought.  


Now to the question.   Today, I was playing something very simple...I was playing the melody to "Happy Birthday".   I had no problem figuring out the melody, it was harmonizing it that was the problem.

You see, when I played the melody, I would find single bass notes to play with the left hand.    I think playing full block chords wouldn't sound very good with such a simple song.  

On the first 5 or 6 beats, I'd play bass notes such as C, F, G.   Then as I keep playing the melody, I'd toss in other bass notes, such as A, D, E..though not necessarily in that particular order.  Though, the last bass note I play is an E.

What I find disconcerting about all of this is, I have no idea as to what exactly the chord progression is!   All I'm doing is playing single notes with the left hand, in concert with the melody played in the right hand.  While the bass notes could easily be the root tones of chords, they could also be other tones, such as a fifth or 3rd.  

I'm wondering, when you are playing by ear, do you keep track of the chords you are playing, when you play something very simple such as this?  

And, how would you harmonize the melody to this song "happy birthday" in the key of C?

thanks very much.

[monk]

The E as a last bass note is not a good choice, unless you play the piece in E major.

The last bass note has to be the tonic note of the song. If that doesn't seem clear to you, you have to learn theory first and then play from ear from that new, "informed" standpoint.
You seem to not know cadences, "tonic", "dominant", "subdominant" etc., right? Learn that first! Then you'll be able to harmonize (also by ear) most simple songs.

Most people have a weak harmonic ear, even those who are advanced in other areas. So it's unlikely that you will learn to harmonize just by ear - there'll always be theory involved.

Best Wishes,
Monk

[bernhard]

Monk is right: you must learn some basic harmony.

To add to what he said and to give you something to do, HBTY can be harmonised using only 3 chords: C major (CEG), F major (FAC) and G major (GBE). Now try doing it by ear (that is deciding which chord goes where). You will know immediatley when you are wrong.

Any piece in C major can be harmonised by these three chords. It may not be the most interesting harmonisation, but they will do the job. (they are the tonic,the subdominant and the dominant to which Monk was referring).

Now, stick with these three keys for a while and try harmonising other melodies in C (nursery rhymes are ideal). Then, still sticking with these three chords try to change the voicing (for instance, you can play C major as CEG, as EGC, or as GCE). Then as you get more confidnet, you can try to miss a note form the chord, if that note is being played in the melody. You can also try palying the chord as an arpeggio, or as an Ablert  bass (C-G-E-G), and give a Mozart flavour to it. Or do it with a Waltz pattern (Bass - chord - chord - e.g. C - EG - EG).

Finally do the same procedure for all twelve major keys.

Once you can do all that with ease, then and only then start expanding your chord repertory (sevenths, diminisheds and so on).

I hope this helps.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[tysteel2]

Thanks for the replies, especially yours, Bernhard.

I have been doing my best to study up on theory, it's just putting it all together and utilizing that knowledge is what I'm having difficulty with.

I'd like to reply to a couple of your comments, in the hopes of learning more:

"Now try doing it by ear (that is deciding which chord goes where). You will know immediatley when you are wrong. "
-Bernhard

I've noticed that when using certain chord with certain sets of melodies, it doesn't sound subjectively "right".   I'm not sure if it's a clash, but I notice that if I'm harmonizing a melody with a chord, and if that melody doesn't relate particularly well to the chord, it doesn't sound good.  

"Any piece in C major can be harmonised by these three chords. It may not be the most interesting harmonisation, but they will do the job. (they are the tonic,the subdominant and the dominant to which Monk was referring). "
Bernhard

I read a similar explanation in a book of theory I recently checked out, but what if a melody phrase you are playing in the key of C doesn't relate particularly well with any of these chords?   What if the melody in the phrase was:  D - F -A - A-C-E  ?  Wouldn't I be forced to find chords that better fit this phrase, or could I still stick to the I,IV, V chords if I really wanted to?   Would it be "wrong" to use any of the I, IV, or V chords in this instance, since chords such as Dminor and A minor would fit relate to that melody much better?

thanks

[bernhard]

, but what if a melody phrase you are playing in the key of C doesn't relate particularly well with any of these chords?   What if the melody in the phrase was:  D - F -A - A-C-E  ?  Wouldn't I be forced to find chords that better fit this phrase, or could I still stick to the I,IV, V chords if I really wanted to?   Would it be "wrong" to use any of the I, IV, or V chords in this instance, since chords such as Dminor and A minor would fit relate to that melody much better?

thanks

Sticking with I, IV, V is just a beginner's strategy. In the beginning it pays to limit yourself in order to fully explore a set of chords. But after you are satisfied you learned those chords, by all means move on.

A systematic approach is always more efficient. There are so many chord possibilities that unless you limit yorself in some way, you will soon get lost, and miss the patterns. But once you can see the patterns, then you are free to use anychord that fits. There are no rules (really). but in the beginning it is very helpful to pretend that there are rules and to follow them.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.