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Ear Training With Triads 1

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Instructor
Yannick Lambrecht
Workshop
Beginner
Intermediate
01:45:35

Have you ever listened to a song and wondered what chords were being played? Learning to hear chords starts with triads, the simple three-note chords at the heart of most music. In this workshop, you’ll learn to tell major triads from minor triads by ear, then follow how chords change throughout a song. It’s one of the most valuable skills you can build as a musician, and anyone can learn it with the right approach.

You’ll practice with familiar songs, starting with simple ones like “When the Saints Go Marching In” and “Happy Birthday,” where you’ll listen for the moments the chords shift. These songs use the three most common chords in a key, which makes them a great place to start. Then you’ll take on more challenging examples, like the folk song “Shenandoah,” which uses a wider variety of chords.

Most importantly, you’ll learn a practical process for ear training that you can use with any song. You’ll learn to listen to the lowest note of each chord to follow the harmony, and to play chords one note at a time so you can hear each sound clearly instead of one big block of sound. By the end, you’ll have the tools and confidence to keep developing your ear on your own.

For software ear trainers, we recommend the following: Keyboard Relative Pitch, Note Relative Pitch, Intervals, Scales, Chords

Course Objectives
  • Hear the difference between major and minor triads
  • Identify major and minor chords in a variety of chord progressions
  • Follow the primary chords (I, IV and V) in songs like "When the Saints Go Marching In" and "Happy Birthday"
  • Recognize more advanced harmonies in folk songs like "Shenandoah"
  • Use a step-by-step ear training process, including listening to the bass note and arpeggiating chords
Learning Focus
  • Analysis
  • Ear Training
  • Exercises
  • Practice Tips
Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

Ear training triads
Tough for me . Had to go back to the first ear training course and try to get that under my belt better. Something to strive toward.
Revealing and fun course
This was another PWJ course where I was cocky at the beginning, then realized I need more attention to the basics. I appreciated Yann's commentary about inhabiting the skills we have right now. My clumsy fingers sometimes make beautiful sounds but when I am impatient, I can't hear them.
Just unbelievable !
I’m truly amazed at how you make difficult concepts so simple and easy to play. Your help has made a big difference in my learning, and I’m deeply grateful!
Awesome course!
Awesome and fun course! I did better than I thought I would. Yannick is such a good teacher. Liked the idea of transposing an easy song into many different keys.
Challenging!
My weak link is the ear. Mostly individual notes...So this is a good one to practice that

Course Lessons

1
Ear Training With Triads 1 – Lesson 1
16:24

1 Chord Identification

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2
Ear Training With Triads 1 – Lesson 2
18:14

1 Chord Identification

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3
Ear Training With Triads 1 – Lesson 3
27:08

1 Chord Identification

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4
Ear Training With Triads 1 – Lesson 4
43:49

1 Chord Identification

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Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

Ear training triads
Tough for me . Had to go back to the first ear training course and try to get that under my belt better. Something to strive toward.
Revealing and fun course
This was another PWJ course where I was cocky at the beginning, then realized I need more attention to the basics. I appreciated Yann's commentary about inhabiting the skills we have right now. My clumsy fingers sometimes make beautiful sounds but when I am impatient, I can't hear them.
Just unbelievable !
I’m truly amazed at how you make difficult concepts so simple and easy to play. Your help has made a big difference in my learning, and I’m deeply grateful!
Awesome course!
Awesome and fun course! I did better than I thought I would. Yannick is such a good teacher. Liked the idea of transposing an easy song into many different keys.
Challenging!
My weak link is the ear. Mostly individual notes...So this is a good one to practice that
Related Courses
Ear Training With Triads 2

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Ear Training – Interval Crash Course

Train your ear the easy way by connecting musical sounds to songs you already know, like "Amazing Grace." This playful, ear-opening workshop helps you hear music more clearly, one small step at a time.

Transposing a Lead Sheet 1

Learn how to quickly & easily transpose a lead sheet. Using the Number Chart method, we'll analyze a melody and chords, "convert" them to numbers, and apply the numbers to a new key.

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