Your complete guide to learning songs by ear

For thousands of years, cultures across the globe have passed songs on orally to the next generation. This requires much repetition as well as active listening.

However, this is no longer a dominant part of many cultures today. What is the best way to learn a song by ear?

Take your time! Being unable to learn songs quickly doesn’t define your singing talent

One of the many reasons why people say that they can’t sing is that it takes them ages to learn a song.

photo by Takashi Hososhima

But that’s OK. Even professionals take time to get a song under their belt.

Learn to harmonise using your favourite domestic appliance!

I was singing along with my electric shaver the other day – as you do.

I realised that it was a great way to explore harmonising in the privacy of your own home.

Why singing together is magical and unique

There is something special about a group of people singing together.

photo by Jason Paris

And it’s not just about sense of community and the health benefits. It really is a unique activity.

What is a ‘Natural Voice’ choir?

I am a member of the Natural Voice Network and all my work is based on their ethos.

But what exactly is ‘Natural Voice’ and how do Natural Voice choirs differ from other kinds of choir?

Your mouth knows more than your brain does

I’ve pointed out before that too much thinking is bad for singers. See The curse of confusion: why thinking is bad for singing.

In fact, your mouth knows far more than your brain does when it comes to songs!

The pep talk I give before every singing workshop 3: learning songs (it takes time)

I give an introductory pep talk at the start of all my singing workshops.

The aim is to give out useful information, but also to reassure and relax the singers.

Why you might need lyric sheets for even simple songs in English

I usually try not to use lyric sheets at all. I’d rather have singers with their heads up, watching me and each other.

photo by Sheila Scarborough

But sometimes, if a song is in a foreign language, or has lots of words, I’ll put lyrics up.

Are written lyrics a hindrance or a help when learning a song?

Many choir leaders hand out sheet music or lyric sheets to their singers when teaching a song.

photo by freeimageslive.co.uk - gratuit

But does this do more harm than good? Is it better to learn the lyrics by ear?

How I teach harmony songs

An interesting question popped up on a Facebook group: How do you teach harmony parts to your singers?

There were several different approaches, some of them using recordings or keyboards. Here is how I do it.

6 different ways of presenting lyrics when teaching and learning songs

There are many different way of offering lyrics to singers, more so if your choir doesn’t use sheet music.

None of the options are perfect. Let’s look at the pros and cons of each.

Honouring the song 2: what does the song mean?

When you learn a song — especially if it’s by ear — you take on trust what you’re told about the song’s meaning. This is particularly relevant if the song is in a foreign language.

 

But meaning is a slippery thing. Incorrect meanings get passed on like Chinese whispers. Some inexperienced song teachers even make stuff up if they’re not sure (see Bele mama from last week’s post).

How much should you polish a song before moving onto the next one?

Some songs are quick to learn and some take a while before they bed in.

photo © Oast House Archive (cc-by-sa/2.0)

How long should you spend on a teaching/ learning a song before moving onto the next one?

Why ‘learning by rote’ can be an insult

Somebody asked on Facebook the other day for suitable songs to ‘learn by rote’.



I imagine they meant songs to ‘learn by ear’ rather than by reading sheet music. I must admit, I was insulted. Here’s why.

A little rant: don’t diss those who don’t read music

Somebody wrote to me recently about how other choir members look down on them because they don’t read music.



It made me very angry that this sort of thing is still happening.

Learning songs by ear: what should you do while other parts are being taught?

When a harmony song is being taught by ear, you can find yourself not singing whilst other parts are being taught.



Rather then zoning out or getting bored, there are plenty of things you can do which can help your learning. Here are some of them.

Have you become too dependent on your choir leader? You might be denying your own abilities

I’ve been noticing something interesting recently: when I move away from a part when I’m teaching them a song, they tend to fall apart.



Since I’m not actually doing anything for them at this point, I wonder what’s going on.

What to do if you think someone in your part is singing it ‘wrong’?

There are times when you hear someone in your part singing something different from you. Especially when you are learning a new song.

photo by Peter O'Connor

What’s the best thing to do in this situation? Let’s look at some of the options.

How to work with a mixed group of music readers and non-readers

I always teach songs by ear. As a member of the Natural Voice Network, our ethos is to make singing accessible to as many people as possible. This means we never assume any prior musical experience or knowledge.



But, sometimes there are music-readers in my singing groups who ask for the sheet music. How can you accommodate these demands whilst keeping the work accessible to everyone?

How to bring harmonies to life when teaching a song

To teach a harmony song to a group, you don’t want whole sections standing around waiting their turn.

photo by COD Newsroom

Not only should you break the song into chunks, but you should build the harmonies as you go along. Here’s how.