If you are interested in more tools like this, I practiced a lot with this: https://itunes.apple.com/at/app/better-ears/id284444548?mt=8 (it was called Karajan back then, years ago).
Show HN: Ear training using midi.js
11–20 of 37 posts
Re: Show HN: Ear training using midi.js
#12I've tried the first exercise. What I think would help me is when I get an answer wrong and get, e.g., Nope, "Major 3rd" is not correct, provide a button to play what the Major 3rd would actually sound like so I can compare it with the question and memorize.
This looks like exactly what I've been looking for, though, I think I'll try getting into learning with it.
Re: Show HN: Ear training using midi.js
#13I played the saxophone for many years. Music has always been an interest of mine, but I have no application for it. Thus, my ear for progressions, pitches, intervals, etc. has waned. In spite of there being no clear end-game other than education (as in you can't "beat" it), this is the type of thing that I could do for hours on end.
I don't know the challenges involved (haven't seen the codebase), but you should package this into a Cordova or some other JS phone app. I'd download it in a heartbeat. I'd also be willing to assist if you needed extra hands.
Re: Show HN: Ear training using midi.js
#14I've tried the first exercise. What I think would help me is when I get an answer wrong and get, e.g., Nope, "Major 3rd" is not correct, provide a button to play what the Major 3rd would actually sound like so I can compare it with the question and memorize. This looks like exactly what I've been looking for, though, I think I'll try getting into learning with it.
Good idea! There's an advanced option that puts a "listen" button next to each interval on the sidebar in the intervals exercise, but this would be a good more general feature to include for whenever someone answers incorrectly in any exercise.
Re: Show HN: Ear training using midi.js
#15Quick suggestion after slight confusion during the Intervals exercise: switch the location of "Hear next" and "Hear again" buttons - it seems to be more intuitive to have "Hear next" on the right side.
Re: Show HN: Ear training using midi.js
#16Nice work. I tried the chord exercises. As a feature request, it would be nice if everything could be driven by the (computer) keyboard shortcuts because moving the mouse and clicking on various buttons got tiresome.
Something like pressing "N" for next chord, and press "1", "2", "3", "4" to quickly pick one of the four possible answers. You can also add a stopwatch display showing user's "think" time.
Quick keyboard reaction with pressure of beating previous times would really get those Jeopardy quiz muscles working.
Also, if the chord exercise could also reveal the actual note names in addition to the scale degree, that would be very helpful. (e.g. show "G# Major - 1 3 5" instead of just "1 3 5")
Lastly, as an really ambitious feature, it would be very cool if the website could cross-reference the chord with popular songs that happen to use it. For example, the test generates a random chord C Major 1 3 5 and one of the buttons is "hear Example Song" and it plays the first fragment of Bill Withers "Lean on Me" because that songs starts on a C Major. The source of Bill Withers song could come from a "deep link" into youtube. The database of cross-references would have to be "crowdsourced" so that users could submit thousands of examples. It would definitely be a lot of work but I'm just typing a wish list.
Re: Show HN: Ear training using midi.js
#17This is awesome. Good job.
Re: Show HN: Ear training using midi.js
#18Nice work. I tried the chord exercises. As a feature request, it would be nice if everything could be driven by the (computer) keyboard shortcuts because moving the mouse and clicking on various buttons got tiresome. Something like pressing "N" for next chord, and press "1", "2", "3", "4" to quickly pick one of the four possible answers. You can also add a stopwatch display showing user's "think" time. Quick keyboard…
Thanks! Those are all good ideas.
One of them is already implemented: Keyboard shortcuts are available in the advanced options for most exercises.
Re: Show HN: Ear training using midi.js
#19Earlier quoted context omitted.
If you don't mind saying, what do you tell your students? I'd like to get into it.
Sure. I'm always on the lookout for new things, because I'm unsatisfied with most solutions out there. The best way to learn/practice ear training is to find someone who's decent at piano and play through some progressions you'd find in a theory book. (Diversion on theory textbooks...) Though I didn't pick it, at my school we use Steve Laitz's The Complete Musician ( http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Musician-Integrated…
Thank you.
Re: Show HN: Ear training using midi.js
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
If you don't mind saying, what do you tell your students? I'd like to get into it.
Sure. I'm always on the lookout for new things, because I'm unsatisfied with most solutions out there. The best way to learn/practice ear training is to find someone who's decent at piano and play through some progressions you'd find in a theory book. (Diversion on theory textbooks...) Though I didn't pick it, at my school we use Steve Laitz's The Complete Musician ( http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Musician-Integrated…
This is great stuff. Thank you! I'm actually about to release an Ear Training app for iOS and I would love it if you'd take a look and tell me what you thought. if you would e-mail me at info@mockingbirdlessons.com I'll tell you more