Learn The Emotions Of Notes And Chords [Ear Training For Guitar]

Summary

In this video, Simon Candy from Acoustic Guitar Lessons Online.net collaborates with ear training specialist Dylan Andrews to explore the emotional aspect of guitar intervals and chords. They discuss the significance of associating specific emotions with musical intervals and chord progressions, rather than just memorizing note distances. Through effective ear training exercises, viewers learn to identify and connect with the feelings evoked by different chords, enhancing their musical expression and creativity. The video also offers tips on how to make these exercises more challenging, ultimately aiming to improve one's ability to transcribe and create music by tapping into the emotional language of music.

Takeaways

• 🎼 **Emotional Connection**: Learning guitar involves understanding the emotions and feelings that notes and chords evoke, which is crucial for expressive playing.
• 🔍 **Intervals and Emotions**: While intervals are the distances between notes, focusing on the emotional impact they create in melodies and chord progressions is more significant.
• 👂 **Ear Training**: Effective ear training involves associating specific emotions with the intervals and chords, enhancing one's ability to transcribe and create music.
• 🎶 **Musical Expression**: Recognizing and expressing emotions through music is fundamental to becoming a more expressive and creative guitar player.
• 📈 **Chord Progression Emotion**: Common chord progressions, like the I-VI in the key of C, should be associated with distinct emotions to aid in music creation and transcription.
• 📝 **Emotional Vocabulary**: Having a list of emotions can help in associating specific feelings with different chords, making the ear training process more effective.
• 🔄 **Iterative Process**: Ear training is not a one-time exercise; it requires repeated listening and refining the emotional associations with each chord.
• 🎵 **Personal Interpretation**: There is no universal 'right' emotion for a chord; it's subjective and personal, based on individual experiences and feelings.
• 👨‍🏫 **Guidance from Experts**: Dylan Andrews, an ear training specialist, shares his insights on how to develop the skill of identifying emotions in music.
• 📚 **Further Resources**: The video encourages viewers to explore additional resources, such as an ebook on melodic finger-picking patterns, to enhance their guitar skills.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video in terms of guitar training?

The main focus of the video is on ear training for guitar players, specifically learning the emotions and feelings associated with notes and chords, rather than just the technical aspects of intervals.

Why are intervals important in guitar ear training?

Intervals are important because they represent the distance between any two notes, and understanding them helps in recognizing melodies and chord progressions.

What does the video suggest is more important than just learning intervals?

The video suggests that it's more important to learn the feeling or emotion that intervals create in melodies and chord progressions.

Who are the hosts of the video discussing ear training for guitar?

The hosts of the video are Simon Candy from Acoustic Guitar Lessons Online and ear training specialist Dylan Andrews.

What is one of the key tips for developing a great ear for music mentioned in the video?

One of the key tips mentioned is focusing on the emotions and tendencies of intervals and chords, rather than just memorizing the distances between notes.

How can associating emotions with chords help in music transcription and creation?

Associating emotions with chords can make transcribing and creating music easier because it allows the musician to hear and express emotions more directly, rather than just hearing sounds.

What is the benefit of identifying emotions in chord progressions?

Identifying emotions in chord progressions makes playing, creating, and listening to music more enjoyable and expressive, as it allows the musician to understand and convey what the artist is trying to express.

How does the video suggest one can identify emotions in chords?

The video suggests having a list of emotions on the side, listening to chords, and picking the emotions that the specific chord is expressing. This process may need to be repeated multiple times to refine the associations.

Why is it recommended to have a different feeling for each chord?

It's recommended to have a different feeling for each chord to avoid generalizations and to develop a more nuanced understanding of the emotional content that each chord can convey.

What is the significance of the discussion on the emotional content of the 'three' chord in a major key?

The discussion on the 'three' chord signifies the importance of personal interpretation of chord emotions, as it may feel bold and mysterious to one person and something entirely different to another.

How often is it suggested to practice associating emotions with chords?

It is suggested to practice this once or twice per week to continue refining the emotional associations with each chord.

Outlines

00:00

🎶 Understanding Emotions in Music Intervals

In this video, Simon Candy from acousticguitarlessonsonline.net discusses the importance of recognizing the emotional impact of guitar notes and chords during ear training. Intervals, the distance between two notes, are crucial to learn, but the emotional quality they convey is even more significant. The video features Dylan Andrews, an ear training specialist, who shares effective methods to memorize the emotional responses to notes and chord progressions. This skill is vital for becoming a more expressive and creative guitarist, as it allows one to connect with the music on a deeper level and enhances the ability to transcribe and create music.

05:01

🎵 Developing Emotional Perception in Ear Training

The second paragraph delves into the third tip for ear training, which focuses on the emotional and tendential aspects of intervals and chords. Instead of memorizing the mathematical distances between notes, the emphasis is on internalizing the feelings that specific chords and notes evoke. Dylan Andrews suggests associating a unique emotion with each chord, such as a major chord or a minor chord, regardless of the key. This approach aids in music transcription and creation, as it allows musicians to understand and express the emotions intended by the original artist. The discussion highlights the importance of personal interpretation and the absence of a 'correct' answer, as emotions felt can vary among individuals.

10:02

📚 Expanding Musical Expression Through Emotion

In the final paragraph, the conversation continues on the importance of ear training that goes beyond theory to embrace the emotional depth of music. The speakers agree that while basic emotions like happy or sad can be associated with certain chords, a more nuanced understanding is necessary for true musical expression. They discuss the value of connecting chords to specific emotions that can be recalled during music creation or improvisation, allowing for more intentional and expressive performances. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for viewers to explore their own emotional responses to chords and intervals, emphasizing the individual nature of this aspect of musical understanding.

Keywords

💡Ear Training

Ear training is the practice of developing one's listening skills to identify or reproduce musical elements such as pitches, intervals, chords, and rhythms. In the context of the video, ear training is crucial for understanding the emotional content of music. The script emphasizes the importance of ear training to recognize not just the intervals between notes but also the emotions they evoke, which is key to becoming a more expressive and creative guitarist.

💡Intervals

Intervals refer to the musical distance between two notes. While intervals are often taught in ear training, the video script suggests that it is equally important to learn the emotional impact of these intervals. For instance, the script mentions the 'one to six' interval in a chord progression, which is a common movement from the tonic to the submediant chord, and encourages learners to associate specific emotions with such intervals.

💡Emotion in Music

The video script underscores the significance of associating emotions with musical elements like notes and chords. It suggests that instead of merely memorizing the distances between notes, one should focus on the feelings and emotions these intervals and chords create. This approach helps in making music more expressive and enjoyable, as it allows musicians to connect with the emotional intent behind the music they play or compose.

💡Chord Progressions

Chord progressions are sequences of chords that provide the harmonic foundation for a piece of music. The video script discusses the importance of understanding the emotional quality of different chord progressions, such as moving from the 'one' to the 'six' chord. This understanding aids in transcription and composition, as it allows musicians to evoke specific feelings through their music.

💡Expressiveness

Expressiveness in music refers to the ability to convey emotions through performance. The video script highlights that by associating emotions with musical intervals and chords, guitarists can become more expressive. This is exemplified when the script mentions how understanding the emotional content of chords can make playing and creating music more enjoyable and meaningful.

💡Musical Creativity

Musical creativity involves the generation of new musical ideas and the ability to innovate within musical compositions. The video script implies that by understanding the emotional aspects of music, guitarists can enhance their creativity. This is because they can intentionally select and arrange chords and intervals to express specific emotions in their compositions.

💡Transcription

Transcription in music involves the process of writing down or reproducing a musical piece from listening to it. The video script suggests that understanding the emotional content of intervals and chords can make transcription easier. This is because musicians can identify not just the notes but also the feelings behind them, which can guide their transcription process.

💡Technical vs. Emotional

The script contrasts the technical aspects of music, such as the theoretical understanding of intervals, with the emotional aspects. It argues that while technical knowledge is important, it is the emotional understanding of music that truly brings it to life. This is evident when the script discusses the need to go beyond just recognizing a minor chord as sad and to delve deeper into the specific emotions it conveys.

💡Finger Picking Patterns

Finger picking patterns are specific techniques used in guitar playing to pluck the strings with fingers. The video script mentions that while patterns are technical, it is the emotional expression through these patterns that makes music sound musical. This relates to the video's theme by suggesting that technical proficiency should be combined with emotional understanding to enhance musical expression.

💡Musical Ingredients

The term 'musical ingredients' is used in the script to describe the elements like intervals and chords that musicians use to create a particular emotional impact in their music. The script suggests that understanding these ingredients and how they can be combined to express specific emotions is crucial for mastering musical expression.

Highlights

Emotions and feelings of notes and chords are crucial for ear training on guitar.

Intervals are the distance between any two notes, but their emotional impact is more important.

Learn the feeling or emotion that intervals create in both melodies and chord progressions.

Simon Candy from acousticguitarlessononline.net discusses ear training with Dylan Andrews.

The lesson focuses on learning and memorizing the emotions of notes and chord progressions.

Ear training drills and exercises are demonstrated to develop familiarity with musical feelings.

The importance of learning emotions and feelings of notes, not just intervals, in ear training.

Dylan Andrews discusses effective ear training methods to identify emotions in music.

The benefit of associating emotions with music for transcription and creation.

Music is about expressing emotions, and understanding this can enhance enjoyment.

Focus on the emotions and tendencies of intervals and chords for ear training.

Memorize the feeling and emotion of chords and notes, not just the distances.

Identify a specific emotion for common chord progressions, like the I-vi in the key of C.

The importance of associating emotions with every chord in a key for both major and minor.

Having a list of emotions can help in associating feelings with chords.

The process of identifying emotions with chords is iterative and personal.

Different people will associate different emotions with the same chord.

The value of ear training lies in tapping into the emotions that chords express.

Ear training is not just about theory; it's about understanding the emotional depth of music.

The importance of expressing specific emotions through music and how chords can contribute.

There is no 'right' emotion for a chord; it's subjective and personal.

The process of ear training should be repeated to refine the emotional associations with chords.

The emotional depth in music can be a powerful tool for expression in playing and composing.

A free ebook is offered on melodic finger picking patterns with video examples.

Encouragement for viewers to comment on what acoustic guitar topics they'd like to see in future videos.

A call to action for viewers to like, subscribe, and enable notifications for new videos.

Transcripts

in this video you learn the varied

emotions and feelings of notes and

chords on guitar in ear training

intervals are important to learn and an

interval is the distance between any two

notes but what's more important is to

learn the the feeling or the emotion

that interval creates both in Melodies

and in chord progressions so that is

what we're going to be looking at today

hi this is Simon candy from acoustic

guitar lessonsonline.net and in this

lesson I sit down with e-training

specialist the Dylan Andrews to discuss

and demonstrate the very best ways to

learn and memorize the feelings and the

emotions of the notes and chord

progressions you play on guitar so in

this lesson we will look at why it's so

important to learn the emotions and the

feelings of the notes not just the

intervals which are so often taught in

ear training in a near training context

Dylan will also take us through some

really effective ear training drills and

exercises to develop this skill of

familiarizing yourself with the feelings

and identifying the feelings you get the

emotions you feel and and relate to when

you play certain things on guitar and

he'll also show you how you can easily

make these exercises more challenging

and easy ways to do them but also then

to make them more challenging so you can

further tune your ear and be a much more

expressive and creative guitar player as

a result so let's get into it how about

the third tip for developing a great

idea done what do we got there the third

one is I find one of the most important

ones and probably my favorite one is

focusing on emotions and tendencies of

intervals and chords what I mean here is

instead of trying to just memorize

distances which isn't a bad thing but

instead of trying to memorize distances

you're memorizing the feeling and

emotion that a particular chord and note

has so for instance a very common chord

progression is to go one and then to the

six so if we're in the key of C this

would be C to a minor and what you want

to do is when you hear that one to six

you want to try to identify a very

specific emotion that you feel that

chord progression has and again it

doesn't matter the key that one to six

no matter what key you're in is going to

have that particular feeling and the big

benefit to this is it makes it so much

easier to transcribe music and create

music

because you're not just hearing sounds

you're hearing emotions everything in

music is expressing something and when

you can tap into that it makes playing

music creating music just listening to

music so much more enjoyable because you

hear what that artist is trying to

express and you want to do this for

every single chord the four chord the

five chord the three and so on when

you're doing this like I said when you

can finally get to the point where you

can hear all these emotions it makes

everything more fun and enjoyable but a

lot of people find trying to attach an

emotion to a chord really difficult like

for example if I play a C

[Music]

if I play a C chord

and then I play the a minor the six

if I ask you what emotion this is like

I'll do it again

foreign

and I say what emotion do you think that

is a lot of people are going to draw a

blank like I have no idea what emotion

that is and when I first doing this when

I was first doing this that's exactly

how it was for me but a way a thing that

can really help you is to have a list of

emotions on the side you can Google this

you can write them down or whatever and

when you listen to that chord you can

pick what emotions you feel like that

specific chord is expressing and you

want to do this for the six the two the

three every single chord in the key for

major and for minor as well and this

isn't a one and done Exercise either

you're going to come up with a lot of

different emotions the first round you

do it and then you do it again and you

kind of narrow it down more and then

more and then what you thought

the six felt like doesn't feel like that

anymore so you change it but this is the

most valuable thing you can do for your

ears to tap into what emotions the

chords are expressing and I really wish

that I could just say the six chord

feels like this the four chord feels

like this the V chord feels like this

and so on but we're all different we all

have different opinions different

experiences so for instance when I hear

the three chord in a major key this is a

very bold and mysterious chord to me I

would I also think of the the word

whimsical when I hear that chord and

that's just what it feels like to my ear

so when I hear the three that

immediately pops into my brain but you

might feel like the three sounds

completely different so you have to

figure out what the chords feel like to

you what you think they are and like I

said before you want to do this once to

two times per week and continue doing it

and hearing these things and narrowing

it down until you're confident that the

three sounds exactly like this the five

sounds like this also to just say this

again is you need to have a different

feeling for each chord so you don't want

to say the six chord feels sad because

it's a minor chord because the two and

the three are going to feel sad as well

you want to pick an emotion that's very

specific to that chord but that is a

really big one and this is one when I

see a lot of people talking about ear

training when people are training their

ears I find that this is a big missing

piece for a lot of people but to me is

just the most important and fundamental

thing that you can do when you're

training your ear because you want to

tap into these emotions you want to be

able to listen to music and understand

what they're doing so that is my number

three tip and I think it's

maybe the biggest one of today of the

five but yeah listening out for emotions

absolutely I agree for sure it's it's

easy to get caught in the just the whole

Theory and you know that says a minor I

mean you've got Majors happy mine is sad

that's true to a point but you know

there's more than just happy and sad

right right emotions

um

you know you have to go deeper and

figure out well what how specifically is

it sad you know specifically is it happy

and when when you go into that it's just

it's just so much better I mean happy

sad is a starting point but uh you want

to dig a lot deeper there and you're

right it's it's hard if you draw blanks

I I do too I have as well you know and

then you sort of think well what is the

right answer here and there is no right

answer it's how you hear it how it

sounds to you how it may makes you feel

what it might bring up for you memories

of past experiences you know maybe you

think more visually and you can sort of

attach it to an experience from the past

so that could hint at the emotion that

it's bringing up in you you know and

then when you're writing music or

improvising music you know it's not hit

and miss trial and error you can go well

I want to express this emotion so I know

that if I bring these ingredients in in

this particular way I'll have that

emotion so you know it's a real way to

master you know expression with your

music which is everything really isn't

it oh yeah it's absolutely everything

and like when you listen to your

favorite guitar players take a solo and

you can feel what they're doing and you

feel like the guitar is talking it's

because the guitar is talking he's

taking the player is taking exactly what

he feels like if he wants to express

desperation or longing or Joy there are

specific ingredients that you put

through specific order of intervals that

you can play that level directly Express

that and yeah and also like you said

there is no wrong answer you know for me

I mean just vaguely the six is a minor

chord so it falls into that sad category

but if someone told me that they feel

like the six is the happiest chord of

the key and every time they hear it they

can accurately identify it then you're

right you're right for you you know what

whatever is going to work but you have

to find what it feels like to you when I

was first learning this in my teachers

my my question was is can you just tell

me what what it is like I don't want to

listen to it and then try to identify it

and go through the process I just want

you to tell me the six is this the five

is this yeah and unfortunately we can't

do that yeah

you know what I feel like it is is going

to be different for you you know so so I

really wish we could if you like this

video you'll love this able complaint

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finger picking patterns you can learn in

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it's because you believe in one or more

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one you need to know a lot of patterns

to have your finger picking sound

musical too only Advanced finger picking

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minutes let me know in the comments

section what acoustic guitar topics

you'd like to see covered in future

videos I love hearing from you I read

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a new video this is Simon candy from

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lessonsonline.net as always thank you

for watching this video I really

appreciate your time and I also look

forward to seeing you in the next video

[Music]

thank you