Introduction Learning By Ear — The Method Step 1—Select a Song Step 2—Familiarize Yourself With the Song Step 3—Identify the Key of the Song Step 4—Learn the Chord Progression Step 5—Learn the Melody Step 6—Simplify the Melody Step 7—Embellish the Melody Step 8—Improvise Around the Melody
Step One — Select a Song Song List
Step Two — Familiarize Song Structure and Phrasing Melodic Motion Rhythmic Content
Step Three — Find the Key Pitch Matching A Word About Electronic Devices Learning Songs from Recordings
Step Four — Find the Chords Whole Step and Half Step Intervals Major Scales -The Major Scale Formula Chord Tones for Major and Minor Chords Diatonic Chords Finding the Chords by Ear -Joe’s General Chord Progression Rules -The Chord Ladder Finding the Chords to “When The Saints Go Marching In” Melody and Harmony
Step Five — Find the Melody Guidelines to Help Find the Melody “Muscle Memory” and Repetition Song Suggestions and Tips to Get You Started
Step Six — Simplify The Melody
Step Seven — Embellish the Melody Working on Variations
Step Eight: Improvise Learning Instrumental Tunes By Ear -The Structure of Fiddle Tunes -Chord Progressions -Find a Recording
Find the Key -Learn to “Sing” the Melody -Find the Melody -Arrangements, Variations, and Improvisations
The Road Ahead
Appendix A — Basic Music Theory Terminology Appendix B — Diatonic Chord Construction Appendix C — Intervals
