Playing tunes by ear is just one of the many benefits of ear training. People think ear training is a big mystery, and they have no idea 
how to go about doing it, so they don’t. But it’s simple. Here are 5 steps you can take to put your ears through boot camp. Go in order, and each step will inspire you to take the next!
1) SING!
The importance of singing cannot be over-stated. You must sing to the radio, sing in church, sing in the shower, sing in the car, sing with your children, sing to your birds. Specifically, besides just singing for fun, try playing a note on your violin, piano, or cell phone, then MATCH THAT NOTE with your voice. This creates connections in your brain that helps you to conceptualize pitch.
2) Learn to compare pitches
Can you tell if two pitches are the same or different? Can you be more specific and tell which note is higher, and which note is lower? Start with pitches that are extremely far apart….as the pitches get closer together, it gets more advanced. Eventually, you will be able to tell extremely small differences between the SAME pitches…..for instance, when one note is slightly flat or slightly out of tune.
3) Play “Match That Pitch”
Sing a note, then find that same note on your violin.
Play a note on the piano, computer or your cell phone. Match that note on your violin. Now SING that note.
Eventually, you will be able to match two notes, then three notes, and finally whole snippets of notes…..and this means you can play by ear.
4) Take your ear training to a whole new level by studying “intervals”
Intervals are simply a measurement of distance between two notes. If you listen to 2 notes, knowing the distance between them means you can replicate the two notes without any guesswork. (once you have the first note, that is). When notes are apart, there is more guesswork in duplicating them….unless you train yourself to recognize intervals by ear.
5) Utilize cell phone apps and websites
There are dozens of free apps and free ear training websites. If you spend 5 minutes per day for literally ONE MONTH, you will see REMARKABLE growth in your ear training….and it will inspire you to continue.
For more wonderful instruction like you have just received, please visit Red Desert Violin’s homepage and see why Lora has happy students in 53 countries all around the world!