Become a more interactive and confident musician, performer, and composer by learning how to really hear what is going on within the music. This course will teach you to hear what you see and to see what you hear. You’ll learn to read, perform, and notate basic rhythms, melody, and simple chord progressions. Ear Training Fundamentals will also introduce you to conducting and to the movable Do solfège system. Through transcription exercises and the study of contemporary songs, you’ll gain a deeper awareness of how music works and how to express the language of music more effectively. Ear Training Fundamentals is for students who are just getting started with ear training.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify time signatures
- Determine major and minor keys
- Recognize diatonic I, IV, V chord progressions
- Read, perform, and notate simple rhythmic phrases
- Conduct in simple time signatures (2/4, 3/4, 4/4)
- Use the movable Do solfège system to read, sing, and transcribe major key melodies in treble and bass clefs
- Transcribe and perform music accurately
- Create and improvise using the blues pentatonic scale
- Compose and improvise stepwise melodies
Syllabus
Lesson 1: Determining the Time Signature and Conducting
- Demonstrate the Beat
- Determining the Time Signature: Is it 2/4 or 3/4?
- Counting the Beats in 2/4 and 3/4
- How to Conduct in 2/4 and 3/4
- Making It Real: Recognizing the Time Signature of Familiar Songs
- Making It Real: Discovering the Time Signature of Popular Recordings
- Assignment 1.1: Read, Conduct, and Perform Rhythm Examples in 2/4 and 3/4
- Assignment 1.2: Identifying the Time Signature, Conducting, and Counting
Lesson 2: Introducing 4/4 Time and the Counting Method
- Introducing 4/4 Time: Conducting and Counting
- Reading Rhythms in 4/4 that Include Eighth Notes
- Making It Real: Rhythmic Performance in Three Stages
- In the Practice Room
- At the Rehearsal
- On the Performance Stage
- Assignment 2.1: Sight-Reading Rhythms in 4/4
- Assignment 2.2: Making It Real—Onstage Performance
Lesson 3: Is the Song in Major or Minor and Transcribing Rhythms in 4/4
- Major or Minor—Gut Feeling
- Finding the Root of the Scale, Finding Do
- How to Determine If the Song is in a Major or Minor Key
- Using Conducting and the Counting Method for Transcribing Rhythms in 4/4
- Assignment 3.1: Is the Song in Major or Minor?
- Assignment 3.2: Rhythmic Transcription in 4/4
Lesson 4: Introducing the Major Scale and the Movable Do Solfège System
- Introducing the Major Scale
- Movable Do Solfège
- Fixed Do Solfège
- Singing the Major Scale with Numbers and Solfège Syllables
- Introducing the Sol-Fa Method
- Using the Vertical Tone Ladder
- Transcribing Rhythms in 4/4 Using the Rhythm Grid
- Assignment 4.1: Singing Sol-Fa
- Assignment 4.2: Rhythm Transcription in 4/4
Lesson 5: More about the Sol-Fa Method and Memorizing Rhythm Words
- Using the Sol-Fa Method as a Translator when Listening to Music
- Determining the Sol-Fa to Familiar Melodies
- Making Sol-Fa Real with Popular Song Melodies
- Memorizing Two-Beat Rhythm “Words”
- Assignment 5.1: Transcribe the Melody Using the Sol-Fa Method
- Assignment 5.2: Compose, Notate, and Perform an Original 12-Bar Rhythm Song in 4/4
Lesson 6: Music Literacy: Reading and Writing Major Key Melodies
- Taking a Look at the Melody
- Navigating the Treble Clef
- Using the Dry Solfège Method
- Reading and Sight-Singing Stepwise Melodies in the Major Key
- Notating Simple Stepwise Melodies
- Combining Sol-Fa Method and Standard Music Notation
- Open the Book—Reading and Listening to Rhythms Together
- Assignment 6.1: Reading and Singing Major Key Melodies Using Solfège
- Assignment 6.2: Melodic Dictation Featuring Stepwise Motion
Lesson 7: Introducing the Tonic I Chord and Tendency Tone Pairs
- Hearing the Tonic I Chord
- Tendency Tone Pairs
- Memorizing the Tendency Tone Pairs Song
- Recognition of Tendency Tone Pairs in Melodies
- A Musical Experiment: Checking in with the Melody of ‘Bolero’
- Spotlight on Reading Rhythms in 3/4
- Making It Real: Rhythmic Reading in 3/4 for the Audition
- In the Audition Waiting Room: Practicing the Chart
- At the Audition: Using ‘Play Alongs’ to Practice the Groove
- Assignment 7.1: Sing the Tendency Tone Pairs Song from Memory
- Assignment 7.2: Rhythmic Reading in 3/4
Lesson 8: Harmonic Hearing: Adding the IV and V Chords
- Relating the Tendency Tone Pairs to I, IV, V Harmony
- Adding the IV and V Chords
- Defining Dominant and Subdominant
- Identifying the Chord Progression
- Hearing the Root Motion
- Reading and Notating Bass Lines in the Bass Clef
- Navigating the Bass Clef
- Rhythm Transcription in 3/4 time
- Assignment 8.1: Harmonic Dictation
- Assignment 8.2: Reading and Singing Bass Lines in Bass Clef
Lesson 9: Memorizing I, IV, V Chord Progressions and Blues Harmony
- Hearing Progressions that include the I, IV, and V Chords
- You Gotta Know the Blues!
- Making It Real: The Benefits of Memorizing Common Chord Patterns
- Applying the Vertical Approach for Hearing Harmony
- Really Making It Real: Transcribing the Chord Progression of Recorded Song
- Open the Book: Transcribing Rhythms in 4/4 Using Opening Clues
- Assignment 9.1: Sing the Blues Bassline with Solfège Syllables
- Assignment 9.2: “Making It Real” Harmonic Transcription
Lesson 10: Melody + Bassline = Harmony and Composing a Melody
- The Relationship between Melody and Harmony
- Melody + Bassline = Harmony
- Singing harmonic duets
- Compose a Chord Tone Based Melody
- The Lead Sheet Notation of a Melody
- Assignment 10.1: Duet Reading and Performance, Featuring the I, IV, and V Chords
- Assignment 10.2: Compose and Perform a Chord Tone Melody
Lesson 11: Improvising—Playing by Ear
- Using Improvisation as Part of the Practice Routine
- Using the Hand Mapping Method
- About the Blues
- Improvising Using the Blues Pentatonic Scale
- Melodic Song Form in the Blues: AAA or AAB
- Determining the Exact Rhythmic Notation of the Melody Using the Lyrics
- Assignment 11.1: Improvising in the Major Key
- Assignment 11.2: Singing or Playing the Blues (or both!)
Lesson 12: Review Rehearsal and the Final Encore Performance
- Rhythm
- Summary of Goals and Methods
- Rhythm Practice Outcome
- Melody
- Summary of Goals and Methods
- Melody Practice Outcome
- Harmony
- Summary of Goals and Methods
- Harmony Practice Outcome
- Putting It All Together: Dress Rehearsal
- Assignment 12.1: The Final Encore Performance
Requirements
Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements
Prerequisite Courses, Knowledge, and/or Skills
Completion of one of Music For Beginners, Music Application and Theory, Music Theory 101, or Music Theory and Composition 1 or equivalent knowledge and experience is required.
Textbook(s)
- Reading, Writing and Rhythmetic: the ABC’s of Music Transcription by Roberta Radley (Sher Music Co, 2016)
Recording
- Students are required to record video for their assignments. Options for recording video include:
- Smartphone
- Digital camera
- Webcam (using either video recording software, or the video recording tool that is built into the learning environment)
Software
Student Deals
After enrolling, be sure to check out our Student Deals page for various offers on software, hardware, and more. Please contact support@online.berklee.edu with any questions.
General Course Requirements
Below are the minimum requirements to access the course environment and participate in Live Classes. Please make sure to also check the Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements section above, and ensure your computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements for all software needed for your course.
Mac Users
PC Users
All Users
- Latest version of Google Chrome
- Zoom meeting software
- Webcam
- Speakers or headphones
- External or internal microphone
- Broadband Internet connection
Instructors
Author & Instructor
Roberta Radley retired from Berklee’s Boston campus in 2021 and was awarded the honorary title of Chair Emeritus, leaving behind the legacy of a 50-year teaching career. She had served as the assistant chair of the Ear Training department since 1997.
A Berklee graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in composition (and a Master’s degree in Linguistics from University of Massachusetts), she joined the faculty in 1976. Since then, Roberta has taught a wide range of ear training and theory classes, using innovative methods to help students hear music more analytically, and has earned recognition for outstanding achievement in music education. As assistant chair of Berklee’s Ear Training department, she oversaw and co-authored the core curriculum, Ear Training 1–4. She has also written two ear training books published by Sher Music, The Real Easy Ear Training Book, and Reading, Writing and Rhythmetic.
One of its leading pioneers, Roberta joined the Berklee Online School in 2002 and continues to be active as an author and instructor. She is the author of several Berklee online courses: Harmonic Ear Training, Ear Training 1, and Ear Training Fundamentals. Since retiring from her administrative duties on campus, Roberta finds teaching in the online school a wonderful new chapter in her seasoned academic career. Thriving in the online environment, Roberta is quoted as “I’ve found my peeps with the online student community.” She received two awards for her teaching excellence in 2020: Berklee’s Distinguished Faculty Award; and The Online and Professional Education Association (UPCEA) New England Regional award—both honoring Radley’s commitment to online teaching.
A life-long lover and maker of music, Roberta also is a knitting activist (ask her about that!), a jigsaw puzzle aficionado, and a year-round lover of gardening. But above all, what brings her true joy… is teaching. Read Less
Instructor
Saxophonist-Composer, Cercie Miller leads the Cercie Miller Quartet, a group nominated as “Outstanding Local Jazz Act” (Boston Music Awards) and “Best Local Jazz Act” (Boston/ Phoenix/ WFNX Best Music Poll). Ms. Miller attended New England Conservatory where she was a pupil of Joseph Allard, and was awarded National Endowment of the Arts Study Grants to study with saxophone masters David Liebman and Jerry Bergonzi. While still at NEC, Ms. Miller was a founding member of Your Neighborhood Saxophone Quartet. Ms. Miller has worked with many other artists including singer-songwriter Patty Larkin, jazz vocalist Lisa Thorson, harpist Deborah Henson- Conant and vocalist Didi Stewart. The Cercie Miller Quartet has released two recordings to critical acclaim: “Dedication” (Stash) and “Blue Vistas” (Jazz Project).
Cercie Miller is a passionate music educator. Ms. Miller is Assistant Professor of Ear Training at Berklee College of Music. Ms. Miller is also Jazz-World Music Program Director at Wellesley College, where she is Senior Music Instructor of Jazz Saxophone, and the Director of Wellesley BlueJazz Big Band . Ms. Miller has taught Jazz History and Jazz Theory at Wellesley College, History of Jazz at Northeastern University, and received the Bok teaching award for her assistant teaching in Jazz History at Harvard University. Read Less
Instructor
Bill Brinkley is the developer and former director of the Center for Computer Aided Instruction in Music, Berklee’s first research facility investigating the use of computer technology in a music curriculum. A Berklee graduate with a degree in composition, Bill joined the faculty in 1976. During his 15 years at the college, Bill was also a highly respected professor, teaching ear training, solfege, arranging, harmony, jazz counterpoint, ensembles, and private guitar lessons, and authoring two jazz counterpoint courses and a music copying course. Bill started out as a rock and R and B guitarist in his native Georgia, eventually joining Motown to work with David Ruffin after the singer left the Temptations. He became one of Boston’s most proficient jazz guitarists, playing in numerous bands with top area musicians like Jerry Bergonzi, Grover Mooney, and Garrison Fewell. An in-demand music copyist and transcriber, Bill has worked for Harry Connick Jr., the Boston Pops, George Benson, Lyle Mays, and classical composer Thomas Oboe Lee. He continues to work as a musician, as well as a graphic designer and music technology consultant.
Instructor
Paul Stiller is a graduate of Berklee College of Music and the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. He has been on the Ear Training faculty at Berklee since 1995 and has taught Ear Training 1-4, Rhythmic Ear Training, Performance Ear Training for Voice 1 & 2, Voice lessons, and a choral ensemble.
Aside from teaching, he has been an active adjudicator and clinician with numerous college and high school groups throughout the US and Japan.
He is a founding member, producer, arranger, and vocal percussionist for the a cappella group Vox One, which is comprised of all Berklee faculty.
He has opened for Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ray Charles, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Dwight Yoakam, Chicago, and the Woody Herman and Count Basie Orchestras.
Commercial work includes Sears, TCBY Treats, State Farm Insurance, Hood Milk, Pontiac/GMC, Superior Coffee, International Trucks, Sharp, and Dr. Pepper.
Paul received the 2012 Berklee Distinguished Faculty Award, and the 2013 Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. Read Less
What's Next?
When taken for credit, Ear Training Fundamentals can be applied towards the completion of these related programs:
Related Certificate Programs
Related Degree Majors
Related Music Career Roles
Employers look for skills learned in this course, when hiring for the following music career roles:
Accompanist
Conductor
Music Director (Church)
Music Director (Orchestra)
Music Director (Performing Artist/Band)
Piano Tuner
Session Conductor
Transcriber
Questions?
Contact our Academic Advisors by phone at 1-866-BERKLEE (U.S.), 1-617-747-2146 (INT'L), or by email at advisors@online.berklee.edu.
