Spent years reading sheet music...now I want to play by ear

[lily_]

I played piano when I was a kid for about 8 or 9 years (taking me right up through freshman year in college). I haven't played the piano regularly for a good ten years now, but I have missed it all this time and would like to pick it up again. I had a lovely teacher but I never learned anything beyond sheet music. At this point, I am very much "tied to the page" and, although I am very adept at picking out a melody by ear, this is all I can do (besides some very lousy sight reading since I am so out of practice at this point). I know how to play basic chords but they remain very static and I don't "think" in chords if that makes sense to any of you-- I don't intuitively understand how they connect to the melody. I am really looking for a curriculum that will re-wire my brain and change the way I think about music since right now it is all very...melody-based (again, I don't know if that will make any sense to anyone).

Any good curriculum suggestions??? I am not interested in simply drilling on different chords and their variations, although I know that will certainly be part of this learning process. But just drilling is boring, and I will never stick with it-- I know this from experience. I want to "get" how it all works together.

[becky8898]

Hi  - tough question to answer, especially for me, since as long as I can remember I could play by ear. Just comes naturally to me.  I hear a melody and I can play it and harmonize it. However I have noticed a few things along the way that might be of help.  Since you say you can hear the melody and play it , which is a good chunk of what you need to do, here is the next part

Start with easy things. really easy things.  The biggest change in chords is from major to minor. 

Listen to a c major chord , Now listen to a c minor chord.  try this exercise - starting at c below middle c go up the piano playing c then g , next octave c then g  , for four octaves and finish with an e Listen to how the e colors the tonal progression.  Now do the same thing but this time finish with an e flat . and notice the tonal difference when you change from the e to the e flat.  Now take a simple song like "Mary had a little lamb" and harmonize it with a c and a g chord. After you have it down , change it to the minor . play  all e's as e flat  . LIsten to the song.

Thats your start to  playing by ear.  Dont rush things . take your simple little song and fool around with it. 

I hope this might give you a starting point,  best of luck

Cheers, Becky

[lily_]

Hi Becky,

Thanks so much for the feedback. That looks like a good excercise to start with.