Your Learning Path
Master essential ear training skills step by step
Overall Progress
Unison & Octave: The Frame
Learn the identity interval (unison) and the octave — the frame every other interval lives inside. Hear the octave leap both rising and falling across the staff.
Seconds: Half Step vs Whole Step
Master the two smallest building blocks of melody. Every question contrasts the minor 2nd (half step) with the major 2nd (whole step), ascending and descending.
Thirds: The Major/Minor Colour
The third defines major versus minor. Learn its bright (major) and dark (minor) colour in both directions until the distinction is automatic.
Perfect 4th & Perfect 5th
The two open, resonant pillars of harmony. Learn to tell the 4th from the 5th in both directions — the foundation of every melodic skeleton.
Steps vs Leaps: First Synthesis
Bring lessons 1–4 together: seconds, thirds and perfect intervals in one pool, both directions. Your first cumulative test of the small-interval vocabulary.
Sixths: The Expressive Leap
The sixth is melody's most expressive leap. Learn to separate the warm major 6th from the yearning minor 6th, rising and falling.
Sevenths: Tension Before the Octave
Sevenths sit one step short of the octave and carry strong tension. Contrast the gentler minor 7th with the razor-sharp major 7th in both directions.
The Tritone Among Its Neighbours
Place the restless tritone against the intervals that surround it — major 3rd, perfect 4th and perfect 5th. Learn why it demands resolution.
Quality Hearing: 3rds & 6ths
Thirds and sixths are inversion partners that carry the major/minor colour. Train quality discrimination across both families in both directions.
Consonant Leaps
All the stable leaps in one pool — 4ths, 5ths, 6ths and the octave. Build fluent recognition of melody's consonant jumps in both directions.
Chromatic Precision: Small Intervals
Every interval from minor 2nd to the tritone, with answer choices deliberately drawn from the nearest neighbours. Half-step precision is the goal.
Chromatic Precision: Large Intervals
The upper half of the spectrum — perfect 5th to octave — with nearest-neighbour answer choices. Wide leaps in both directions.
Inversion Pairs: 2nds↔7ths, 3rds↔6ths
An interval and its inversion add up to an octave: seconds invert to sevenths, thirds to sixths. Hear both sides of each pair and their major/minor swap.
The Full Twelve
All twelve intervals in a single pool with nearest-neighbour choices — the complete chromatic vocabulary in the treble range, both directions.
Master: The Twelve in Bass Register
The capstone: all twelve intervals in the bass clef's low register (C2–C4). True mastery means recognizing every interval regardless of register.
Steps: Up or Down
Stepwise motion is the backbone of melody. Hear half steps and whole steps rise and fall, and learn to feel the smallest possible change of direction.
Thirds: The First Leap
The third is the smallest true leap. Track minor and major 3rds in both directions and feel how a leap outlines the start of a chord.
Perfect 4th & 5th
The open, hollow leaps of the perfect 4th and 5th. Their strong, stable sound makes them ideal for anchoring your sense of up and down.
The Octave Leap
The octave — the same note in a new register. Learn to tell instantly whether the melody jumped a full octave up or a full octave down.
Synthesis: Step or Leap
Seconds and thirds together — the four most common melodic moves. Build fluent, automatic direction calls on the intervals melodies use most.
Sixths: Wide and Sweet
Minor and major 6ths span most of the octave. Wide leaps can fool the ear — learn to track their direction without losing the first note.
Sevenths: Maximum Tension
The 7ths reach almost a full octave and carry the strongest melodic tension. Judge their direction confidently despite the dissonant stretch.
The Tritone and Its Neighbours
The unstable tritone sits between the perfect 4th and 5th. Hear all three mid-range leaps in both directions and keep your bearings.
Low Register: Steps & Thirds
The same steps and thirds, now deep in the bass range (C2–C4). Low pitches blur more easily — sharpen your directional hearing where it is hardest.
Consonant Leaps
All the stable leaps in one pool — perfect 4th, 5th, both 6ths and the octave. Tell wide consonant leaps apart by size and direction.
The Full Twelve: High Register
Every interval from minor 2nd to octave in the middle-high range (G3–G5). Complete directional command of the register melodies live in.
The Full Twelve: Low Register
The complete chromatic set moved into the bass range (C2–C4). True mastery means the register never changes your answer.
The Full Twelve: Middle Register
All twelve intervals in the middle range (C3–C5) — the zone shared by voices, viola and cello, where up and down are subtlest.
Extremes Drill: 2nds vs 7ths
Rapid-fire contrast between the smallest and largest moves — tiny seconds against huge sevenths. Build instant, automatic direction calls.
Master: Every Interval, Every Register
The capstone: all twelve intervals, with each question drawn at random from the low, middle or high register. No interval, no register should surprise you.
Octave & Fifth: The Pillars
The two most stable simultaneous sounds: the octave (the same note doubled) and the open perfect 5th. Learn the resonant frame all harmony is built on.
Perfect 4th vs Perfect 5th
Both sound open and hollow, yet they differ by a whole step. Learn to tell the wider, grounded 5th from the tighter, suspended 4th when they ring together.
Thirds: The Major/Minor Colour
The third gives harmony its emotional colour — warm and bright (major) or dark and melancholic (minor). Master the distinction that defines tonality itself.
Seconds: The Clash
The dissonant seconds sounded together: the biting minor 2nd against the softer but still tense major 2nd. Learn to hear inside the clash instead of flinching from it.
First Synthesis: Small Dyads
Lessons 1–4 combined: seconds, thirds and perfect intervals in one pool. Your first cumulative test of naming simultaneous sounds.
Sixths: The Sweet Consonance
Sixths are the warmest of the wide consonances — the backbone of parallel harmonization. Separate the bright major 6th from the wistful minor 6th.
Sevenths: Harmonic Tension
Sevenths carry harmony's strongest pull toward resolution. Contrast the dominant-chord minor 7th with the razor-sharp major 7th as simultaneous sounds.
The Tritone Among Its Neighbours
Place the restless tritone against the intervals that surround it — major 3rd, perfect 4th and perfect 5th. Hear why it demands resolution while they rest.
Quality Hearing: 3rds & 6ths
Thirds and sixths are inversion partners that carry the major/minor colour. Train quality discrimination across both families of sweet consonances.
Consonance vs Dissonance
The core categorical skill of harmonic hearing: stable open consonances (4th, 5th, octave) against sharp dissonances (2nds, tritone, 7ths) in one pool.
Chromatic Precision: Small Dyads
Every dyad from minor 2nd to the tritone, with answer choices deliberately drawn from the nearest neighbours. Half-step precision is the goal.
Chromatic Precision: Wide Dyads
The upper half of the spectrum — perfect 5th to octave — with nearest-neighbour answer choices. Wide dyads blur easily; learn to keep them apart.
Inversion Pairs: 2nds↔7ths, 3rds↔6ths
An interval and its inversion add up to an octave: seconds invert to sevenths, thirds to sixths. Hear both sides of each pair and their major/minor swap.
The Full Twelve
All twelve dyads in a single pool with nearest-neighbour choices — the complete chromatic vocabulary of simultaneous sounds in the treble range.
Master: The Twelve in Bass Register
The capstone: all twelve dyads in the bass clef's low register (C2–C4), where close intervals blur the most. True mastery is register-independent.
2nd vs 3rd: Step or Skip?
Hear the boundary between a step (2nd) and a skip (3rd), in both their major and minor forms. Each pair appears on many different roots, with the larger interval sometimes played first, sometimes second.
3rd vs Perfect 4th
The 4th sits just above the third — one or two semitones apart. Learn this adjacent-category boundary against both the major and the minor 3rd, across many roots.
Perfect 4th vs Perfect 5th
One single, essential contrast: the two open pillars of harmony, a whole tone apart. Nothing else in the pool — drill this pair on every root until the difference is automatic.
Wide Contrast: Small vs Large
Clearly small intervals against clearly large ones. Wide contrasts are the easiest to judge — build confidence and anchor your inner sense of "small" and "large" before the close calls.
Minor 3rd vs Major 3rd
Your first one-semitone close call: the dark minor 3rd against the bright major 3rd. One focused pair, many roots, both orders — until the colour difference becomes a size judgement.
5th vs 6th
The stable perfect 5th against both sixths — one and two semitones above it. Learn where the open 5th ends and the warmer 6th region begins.
Minor 6th vs Major 6th
The notoriously tricky pair: minor 6th against major 6th, one semitone apart. A single focused contrast — no distractions — until this famous stumbling block is solid.
Half Step vs Whole Step
The most fundamental size discrimination in music: minor 2nd against major 2nd. The engine moves this single pair through every root, in both orders, until the judgement is instant.
The Tritone Zone
The restless tritone measured against both stable neighbours: perfect 4th below, perfect 5th above. Learn to place the tritone precisely between them by size alone.
6th vs 7th
The category boundary in the upper register: every sixth against every seventh. The 7th is always larger and tenser — learn to hear that edge regardless of quality.
The Sevenths Zone: m7 vs M7
The subtlest region of the octave: minor 7th against major 7th — one semitone apart at the very top — anchored by the major 6th below them. Maximum-precision listening.
Semitone Apart: Full Sweep
Every one-semitone contrast in the octave, from seconds to sevenths, in one pool. The complete fine-discrimination test: you never know which register the close call lands in.
One Tone Apart: Full Sweep
Every whole-tone contrast in the octave, from the bottom to the top of the range. Slightly wider than a semitone — but spread across every register, so nothing can be judged by habit.
Speed Drill: Rapid Size Judgement
Every pairing from a six-interval pool — contrasts from huge to subtle, shuffled without warning. Train fast, automatic size judgement across the whole octave.
Master: Any Two Intervals (Bass Clef)
The capstone: every possible pairing from the full chromatic pool (m2–M7), written and heard in the bass clef's low register. True comparison mastery is register-independent.
Whole Steps: Build Major 2nds
Build the whole step above every natural root. E and B force your first sharps — F# and C# — the moment note spelling becomes a real skill.
Half Steps: Build Minor 2nds
Build the half step above every natural root. Only E–F and B–C are natural half steps; every other root needs a flat — learn why C rises to Db, not C#.
Thirds: Spell the Major/Minor Colour
Build major and minor 3rds above every natural root. The 3rd decides major versus minor — count two letter names up, then check the semitones: four for major, three for minor.
Perfect 4ths & 5ths: The Pillars
Build the two pillars of harmony above every natural root. All are pure letter counts except the F–B pair — a perfect 4th above F needs Bb, a perfect 5th above B needs F#.
First Synthesis: 2nds to 5ths
Lessons 1–4 in one pool: build any interval from minor 2nd to perfect 5th above any natural root. Your first cumulative construction test.
Sixths: Think in Inversions
Build 6ths above every natural root. The shortcut: a major 6th is an inverted minor 3rd, a minor 6th an inverted major 3rd — think down a 3rd, then up an octave.
Sevenths: Count Down from the Octave
Build 7ths above every natural root. Work from the octave: one semitone below it is the major 7th, two below is the minor 7th — far faster than counting up.
The Tritone: Six Semitones Exactly
Build the tritone — exactly six semitones, splitting the octave in half — above every natural root. Only F–B needs no accidental; every other root demands one.
Building Downward: Steps & Thirds
A new dimension: build 2nds and 3rds BELOW the given note. Descending construction reverses your habits — a minor 2nd below E is D#, not Eb.
Building Downward: 4ths to 7ths
Build the wide intervals below the given note. Use inversion to stay fast: a perfect 5th below lands on the same letter as a perfect 4th above, one octave lower.
Build from Sharp Roots
Start from C#, F# and G# instead of naturals. The accidental travels with the letter arithmetic — a perfect 5th above C# is G#, never Ab. Nearest-neighbour answer choices punish sloppy spelling.
Build from Flat Roots
Construction from Bb, Eb and Ab — the roots band and orchestral players live on. Flat-side spelling keeps the letter chain intact: a perfect 4th above Bb is Eb, not D#.
The Full Twelve
Every interval from minor 2nd to the octave above any natural root, with answer choices drawn from the nearest semitone neighbours. Complete upward construction fluency.
The Full Twelve, Both Directions
All twelve intervals, built above or below the given note at random. Reading the direction before you build is now part of the skill.
Master: Construction in the Bass Clef
The capstone: every interval, both directions, written in the bass clef's low register (C2–C4). True construction mastery is clef-independent.
Anchor Notes: C and G
Identify C and G in every octave of the treble staff. C is the tonal center; G sits a perfect 5th above — the two anchors of tonal music.
C Major Pentachord
The five notes from C to G form the pentachord — the core of most beginner melodies. Learn every degree across the full treble range.
Upper Tetrachord: G to C
The four notes from G up to C complete the C major scale. Master the upper tetrachord in every octave of the treble staff.
Full C Major Scale
All seven natural notes — the white keys of the piano. Combine both tetrachords and identify any degree of the C major scale.
G Major: Meet F#
G major replaces F with F#. Learn to hear and spot the raised leading tone among the natural notes.
F Major: Meet B-flat
F major replaces B with Bb. Your first flat — hear how it softens the character of the scale.
D Major: Two Sharps
D major carries F# and C#. Track both sharps at once inside a full diatonic set.
B-flat Major: Two Flats
B-flat major carries Bb and Eb. Learn to recognise both flats inside a full diatonic set.
Chromatic Steps I: C to F
Every half step from C to F. Focus on hearing the difference between a natural note and its sharpened neighbour.
Chromatic Steps II: F# to B
Every half step from F# to B — the upper half of the chromatic scale.
All 12 Chromatic Notes
The complete chromatic set on the treble staff — no key labels this time. Full pitch recognition across every octave.
Bass Clef: Natural Notes
Natural notes on the bass staff (C2–C4). Reading and hearing in the low register.
Bass Clef: All 12 Notes
The full chromatic set in the bass register. Low pitches demand the most careful listening.
Alto Clef: Natural Notes
Natural notes on the alto staff (C3–C5), where middle C sits on the centre line.
Master: Alto Clef, All 12 Notes
The ultimate single-note challenge: the complete chromatic set on the alto staff with an unlabeled keyboard.
The Major Scale
Learn the major scale inside out — its bright, confident character comes from the raised 3rd, 6th and 7th degrees. Every question sets it against its dark mirror, the natural minor.
The Natural Minor Scale
The natural minor scale in depth — the lowered 3rd, 6th and 7th degrees give it its melancholic colour. Anchor its sound against the major scale until the contrast is automatic.
The Harmonic Minor Scale
The harmonic minor raises the 7th degree, creating an exotic augmented 2nd between the 6th and 7th. Learn to catch that signature leap against the plain natural minor.
The Melodic Minor Scale
The melodic minor raises both the 6th and 7th degrees — smoother than harmonic minor, one shade darker than major. Distinguish it from both of its minor siblings.
Synthesis: Major & the Three Minors
The beginner capstone — all four foundation scales in one pool. Major against every minor variant; the subtle 6th- and 7th-degree differences demand deep listening.
Dorian Mode
Dorian is the natural minor with a raised 6th — the "cool minor" of jazz and rock, from "So What" to "Scarborough Fair". Every question tests that single degree against plain minor.
Phrygian Mode
Phrygian darkens the natural minor with a lowered 2nd — the Spanish-flamenco colour that opens the scale with a half step. Learn to catch that first-step signature instantly.
Lydian Mode
Lydian is the major scale with a raised 4th — the dreamy, floating sound of film scores. A single degree separates it from plain major; train your ear to hear exactly that.
Mixolydian Mode
Mixolydian is the major scale with a lowered 7th — the bluesy major of rock, blues and folk. Spot the softened leading tone against the true major scale.
Aeolian & Locrian
The two darkest modes. Aeolian is the modal name for the natural minor; Locrian lowers the 2nd AND the 5th — the only mode with a diminished tonic triad. Answer options stay strictly modal.
All Seven Church Modes
The complete modal system in one pool — Ionian through Locrian, heard ascending and descending. Purely modal answer options; total fluency across all seven colours.
Pentatonic Scales
Five-note scales that power folk and pop worldwide. Major versus minor pentatonic — the same open sound, opposite emotional poles — heard rising and falling.
The Blues Scale
The blues scale is the minor pentatonic plus one note — the flat-5 "blue note". Every question hinges on hearing whether that extra chromatic sting is present.
Symmetric Scales: Chromatic & Whole Tone
Scales with no tonal centre — the chromatic scale (all half steps) and the whole tone scale (all whole steps). Impressionist, dreamlike colours that break every diatonic rule.
Master: All Scales, Bass Clef
The capstone: fourteen scale types from any natural root, ascending or descending, heard in the bass clef's low register (C2–C4). True scale mastery is register-independent.
Major vs Minor
The most fundamental quality distinction in music: only the middle note changes. Train yourself to identify bright vs dark instantly, from any root.
Diminished & Augmented
The two tense triads side by side: the diminished (two stacked minor 3rds — dark, wanting to resolve) and the augmented (two stacked major 3rds — wide and unsettling). Tell the two dissonant colors apart, and from major and minor.
The Four Triads
Synthesis: all four triad qualities from any root. Major, minor, diminished, augmented — the complete basic vocabulary of tonal harmony in one exercise.
Arpeggiated Triads
The same four triad qualities, now played one note at a time. Arpeggiation exposes each interval in sequence — hear the quality through the melodic line.
Sus2 & Sus4 Chords
Suspended chords replace the 3rd with a 2nd or 4th — open, floating, neither major nor minor. Learn to hear which neighbor tone replaced the 3rd.
Add9 Color Chords
A triad with the 9th added on top — bright, open and shimmering, without the pull of a 7th. Hear how the added 9th recolors both the major and the minor triad.
Dominant 7th & Major 7th
The two bright 7th colors on a major triad: the restless dominant 7th (minor 7th on top — the engine of tonal tension) against the lush, dreamy major 7th. Tell the tension apart from the shimmer.
Minor 7th & Half-Diminished 7th
The two dark 7th colors: the mellow minor 7th against the tense half-diminished 7th (minor 7th with a flattened 5th — the ii° of minor keys). Only the fifth changes; learn to hear it drop.
The Four 7th Chords
Synthesis: dominant, major, minor, and half-diminished 7ths from any root. The complete essential 7th chord vocabulary of jazz and classical harmony.
Arpeggiated 7th Chords
The four 7th qualities, unrolled one note at a time. Arpeggiation lays each chord tone bare in sequence — track the 3rd, 5th and 7th as a melodic line and name the quality.
The Diminished Family
Three shades of diminished: the bare triad, the half-diminished 7th, and the fully diminished 7th. Learn to hear exactly how far the darkness goes.
6th Chords
The 6th replaces the 7th with a consonant added tone — the classic swing-era and bossa color. Distinguish major and minor 6ths from the 7th chords they resemble.
First Inversion Triads
Major and minor triads with the 3rd in the bass — every question is in first inversion. Recognize chord quality when the root is no longer the lowest note.
Second Inversion Triads
Major and minor triads with the 5th in the bass — every question is in second inversion. The most unstable voicing; recognize quality when the perfect 5th is the lowest note.
Master: All Chords, Bass Clef
The ultimate challenge — the full chord vocabulary of this path, any root, any inversion, in the low bass register. Professional-level harmonic hearing.
The Pulse: Quarter Notes & Rests
The quarter note IS the beat. Two-bar patterns of quarter notes and quarter rests in 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 — count the pulse and catch every silence.
Half Notes: The Two-Beat Note
One sound, two beats. Hear where the half note falls among quarter notes — in 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 — and feel duration against the pulse.
Whole Notes & Long Silences
The whole note fills the bar; the half rest empties half of it. Two-bar phrases that train you to keep counting through long sounds and long silences.
The Waltz Bar: 3/4 & Dotted Half
Three beats per bar — the waltz. The dotted half fills the whole measure; halves, quarters and rests carve it up. Two-bar waltz phrases.
Eighth Notes: Splitting the Beat
Eighth notes divide each beat in two — "1-and-2-and". Learn to hear exactly which beats are split and which stay whole, in 2/4 and 4/4.
Eighth Rests & the Off-Beat
A rest on the beat, a note off the beat — the figure behind funk, reggae and Latin grooves. Learn to place the sound on the "and".
Dotted Quarter + Eighth: Long-Short
The dotted quarter borrows half of the next beat, making the classic "long-short" of anthems and marches. Hear it in 3/4 and 4/4.
Sixteenth Notes: Four to a Beat
Sixteenths divide the beat into four — "1-e-and-a". Pure even subdivision: every beat is whole, split in two, or split in four.
Eighth + Sixteenth Groups
The two asymmetric beat shapes: eighth + two sixteenths ("1-and-a") and two sixteenths + eighth ("1-e-and"). Learn to tell them apart instantly.
Dotted Eighth + Sixteenth: The Snap
The sharpest long-short inside one beat — the galloping snap of marches and folk dance, forwards (long-short) and reversed (short-long, the Scotch snap).
Syncopation: Off-Beat Accents
The eighth–quarter–eighth figure and off-beat rests shift the weight between the beats — the driving energy of jazz, funk and Latin music.
Compound Meter: 6/8
In 6/8 the beat is a dotted quarter that splits into three. Learn every basic shape of the compound beat: whole, quarter+eighth, eighth+quarter, three eighths.
Compound Subdivision: 6/8 & 9/8
Sixteenths and dotted eighths inside the compound beat, in both 6/8 and 9/8. The full inner life of the dotted-quarter pulse.
Triplets: Three in the Time of Two
The eighth-note triplet squeezes three even notes into one beat. Hear the "tri-pl-et" roll against straight eighths and quarters.
Alla Breve: Cut Time (2/2)
In cut time the HALF note carries the beat — two big beats per bar. The same values you know, felt at a different level of the pulse.
Master: Two-Bar Phrases
Everything combined: all note values, dotted figures, rests and syncopation in two-bar phrases across 4/4 and 6/8. The complete rhythm recognition challenge.
Stepwise Motion I: Do–Re–Mi
Your first dictations use only C, D and E, moving by step. Learn to hear a line rise, fall or repeat a note — the core decision behind every dictation you will ever write.
Stepwise Motion II: The C Pentachord
The five-note pentachord Do–Sol, still purely by step. Track where the line sits inside the five scale degrees — the span in which most beginner melodies live.
The Tonic Triad Frame: Do–Mi–Sol
Melodies built only from C, E, G and high C — the tonic triad. Learn the sound of the arpeggio skeleton that frames nearly every tonal melody.
Scale Lines: Full C Major
Stepwise lines across the whole C major octave. Feel how scale runs gain direction and momentum, and where they come to rest.
Steps Meet Skips
Steps and small skips (thirds, an occasional fourth) now mix in one line. Learn to catch the moment a melody jumps instead of walking.
Rhythm Enters: Quarters and Halves
The first true rhythm dimension: quarter and half notes. Hear which tones are held twice as long — duration is now part of the answer.
Eighth-Note Pairs
Beats now subdivide: paired eighth notes double the speed inside a beat. Learn to write two pitches where one pulse falls.
Dominant and Tonic: The Sol–Do Pull
Phrases that end on Do (rest) or on Sol (suspense). Learn cadence hearing — the single most useful anchor in real dictation — over a register reaching down to G3.
Minor Colour: A Natural Minor
The same skills, moved into A natural minor — no accidentals, pure minor colour. Anchor your ear on La as the new home tone.
G Major: Hearing the Sharp Side
All the structures so far — steps, skips, cadences, mixed rhythm — now in G major with F#. Re-anchor Do onto G.
F Major: Hearing the Flat Side
The same structures in F major with Bb, reaching up to F5. One flat, a higher register, and a new home for Do.
Triple Metre: Dictation in 3/4
One dedicated dimension: the waltz metre. Bars of three beats change where the stress falls — learn to hear the dotted-half arrival and the 3/4 barline.
Harmonic Minor: The Leading Tone
A minor with one dramatic change: G rises to G# whenever the line climbs home to La. Learn to spot the leading tone — the sharpest signpost in minor.
Melodic Minor: The Rising 6–7–8
Ascending lines raise both F and G on the way to La — the smooth melodic-minor climb. Contrast it with the natural descent in the same melody.
Chromatic Approach Tones
Full treble range (G3–G5), with up to two chromatic approach tones sliding a half step into a scale note. Hear colour outside the key without losing the key.
Master: Four-Bar Dictation, Mixed Keys
The capstone: four-bar melodies in C, G or F major over the full treble range, with the complete rhythm palette including dotted values. Everything the path taught, in one long phrase.