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
