UD#5: Scales, Intervals and Ukulele Ear Training

Posted on January 16, 2013 by guido

UD#5  Scales, Intervals and Ukulele Ear Training

from Ukulele in the Dark w/ Guido Heistek

 

 

-The C Major Scale:

Here are two ways to play the C major scale on a ukulele:

1. Up the C string:
(the numbers tell you which frets to play)

2. Across the strings or in “open position”

-INTERVALS in a C MAJOR SCALE:

The distances between the root note C (open C) and the other notes in the major scale are described by intervals.

The distance between C and D is called a Major Second interval.  (M2)
C to E is called a Major Third interval  (M3)
C to F is a Perfect Fourth interval (P4)
C to G is a Perfect Fifth interval  (P5)
C to A is a Major Sixth interval (M6)
C to B is a Major Seventh interval (M7)
C to C (on A string) is an Octave (P8)

Play and sing each of these intervals to get a feel each one’s unique character:

(You may need to widen your viewer window to see the whole image. Or you can drag the image onto your desktop and open it on your computer)

-EAR TRAINING:

Being able to identify these intervals by ear is very useful. It allows the player to jump to a specific note in a scale or chord and know that it will be the right one!

Here is a game to help you practice:

• I play eight different intervals. See if you can figure out what they are!
• I always start with an open C note and then a note from the C scale.
• I play each interval twice
• It’s OK at first to use your ukulele to help you figure out what the intervals are.
• The long term goal of ear training is to learn to identify intervals, chords and scales without your instrument. We’ll talk more about this in future newsletters.
• Answers at the bottom of this page. Don’t peek!
• Have fun.

-More Practice

If you are interested in working on your ear training there are some fantastic free sites on the internet here are a few:

http://www.earbeater.com/

www.musictheory.net

http://trainer.thetamusic.com/en/content/music-training-games

All for now!

See you next week!

Guido

ANSWERS TO EAR TRAINING GAME:
1. C to F (P4) 2. C to B (M7) 3. C to G (P5) 4. C to C (P8) 5. C to D (M2) 6. C to A (M6) 7. C to E (M3) 8. C to B (M7)

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• ← UD#4 Passing Through Neutral: Changing Between Chords
• UD#6 Lost in Progressions? (Hearing Chord Patterns) →