Ear Training: Two Note Volume One with CD [Spiral-bound]

Bruce E. Arnold (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1999

Ear Training: Two Note Beginning Level Volume One is the next level up from the Ear Training: One Note Series. It is recommended to master the Ear Training: One Note Series before attempting this book. This method for developing relative pitch ear training and key modulation recognition has been used with great success and through the series of books/CDs one can obtain outstanding pitch recognition abilities. There are three levels to the Two Note ear training method, Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced. It is recommended that all levels of the Two Note:Beginning Level are mastered before moving on to the Intermediate level. Muse-eek also features a FAQ section where students can direct questions that may arise as they work to the author, and which are generally answered within two days. This book is a required text at the New York University and Princeton University Music departments.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Mr. Arnold's new ear training course is a first of it's kind available. He has taken the time to give students a detailed explanation of what works and what doesn't work when it comes to ear training. This book is the ear training part of a series of books which are meant to be used together. If you are serious about improving your aural perception and basic musicianship it is recommended that you work with this book in combination with the following:

1. KEY NOTE RECOGNITION ISBN 1-890944-30-3

This ear training book covers identifying single notes against a key center which prepares the student for the two note ear training method.

2. A FANATIC's GUIDE TO EAR TRAINING AND SIGHT SINGING ISBN 1-890944-19-X

This book and CD present a method for developing good pitch recognition through sight singing.

From the Author

This book was developed from years of experience teaching ear training. I have taught at many universities where I found their ear training courses to be geared more toward passing a course than truly attaining an educated ear. I also know the shortcomings of the methods taught in High Schools and College level courses because I had to take many of them. I got an A in them all, but I still couldn't hear what other people were playing when I got on the bandstand. The course of study presented here is quite simple, in a way. You just need to listen to the examples on the CD until you memorize the sound of each note against a key center. To troubleshoot pitfalls I have included 6 pages of common mistakes made by students (and teachers). I always tell my students: If you learn anything from me, learn this method of ear training. It will change your musical life dramatically.

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Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 6 pages
• Publisher: Muse Eek Pub Co (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890944319
• ISBN-13: 978-1890944315
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 10.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,472,924 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Guitarist Bruce Arnold has developed an extensive reputation as a composer educator and guitar virtuoso. He has created a unique signature sound that stems from his combination of jazz techniques and 20th Century compositional methods. He has played with such diverse musicians as Stuart Hamm, Peter Erskine, Joe Pass, Joe Lovano, Randy Brecker, Stanley Clarke, the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Arnold is also deeply devoted to music education and had written more than 60 music instruction. He heads the guitar departments at NYU and Princeton University and is the director of the New York University Summer Guitar Intensive He has taught at some of the most prestigious music schools in America, including the New England Conservatory of Music, Dartmouth College, Berklee College of Music, New School University, and City College of New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Difficult, but very worthwhile., December 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Ear Training: Two Note Volume One with CD (Spiral-bound)

This CD has markedly improved my ear. I've been using this and the Key Note Recognition CD on alternating nights, 20 minutes a night, 4-5 nights a week. I found these exercises much harder than those on the one-note CDs: at first, the two notes sounding together would establish a new key center and obliterate my memory of the reference pitch. Even with the reference pitch in mind, it was difficult to isolate and thereby identify each of the two notes. However, with practice, I'm now able to identify about three-quarters of the two-note pairs on the CD. In contrast, during my initial attempts 4 months ago, I had much less success, identifying less than one-quarter correctly.

One strength of this method is that it emphasizes all twelve notes equally. (When I tried to improve my ear using the more traditional method of transcribing music, I got better with the diatonic notes and common chords, but got little practice and saw little improvement with the chromatic notes and more unusual chords.) Furthermore, by using the `random play' feature of my CD player, the order of the exercises keeps changing, which prevents me from inadvertently memorizing their order, which would effectively halt my progress.

A skeptic might ask whether my ear is really improving as a result of this CD, or whether I am getting better only at the (admittedly esoteric) exercises on this particular CD. I think my ear really has improved, since I'm listening to music with greater awareness of pitch. Also, I just started with Vol 2 of the two-note series, and the improvement resulting from Vol 1 seems to have carried over. Instead of starting with a one out of four success rate (as in my initial attempts with Vol 1), I typically get around half correct.

So far, I've had great results with Vol 1 and the Keynote Recognition exercises, and I'm looking forward to seeing improvement in Vol 2.