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Learn Ear Training

Hear a melody or chord and know what it is, without guessing.

Free to start. Built from a single prompt. No credit card.

Ear training, or aural skills, teaches you to identify what you hear: the distance between two notes, whether a chord is major or minor, which scale degree a melody note lands on, and which chords move under a song. It is the skill that lets musicians play by ear, transcribe solos and improvise. Most of it is trainable with short, regular practice rather than special talent. Beginners start with intervals and chord qualities, then move to scale degrees in a key and simple dictation. Learnr builds a personalized ear training course from one prompt and teaches it through short interactive listening and singing drills.

How to learn Ear Training, step by step

Learn intervals with reference melodies. Link each interval to the opening of a song you know, then test yourself ascending and descending. Move from guessing between two intervals to all of them, since a smaller set builds accuracy faster.
Sing what you hear. Singing intervals and short melodies connects your ear to your voice. Even a quiet hum helps. If you can sing it back accurately, you are much closer to identifying it.
Identify chord qualities. Start with major and minor triads, then add diminished and augmented. Listen to each as a whole sound and also arpeggiated, noticing how the middle note changes the mood.
Hear scale degrees in a key. Play a cadence or drone to set the key, then identify which scale degree a note is, using numbers or solfege such as do, re and mi. This functional approach is what helps with playing songs by ear.
Recognize common progressions. Listen for the bass line and the feeling of tension and release, and learn to hear I, IV, V and vi in songs. Learnr lessons can drill these patterns with short daily exercises that build a streak.
Transcribe short melodies. Pick simple melodies and figure them out on an instrument, then write them down. Slow down recordings if needed. Transcription combines every ear training skill into real music.

What you'll learn

Recognize intervals by sound, ascending and descending
Identify major, minor, diminished and augmented chords
Hear scale degrees relative to a key center
Recognize common chord progressions by ear
Write down short melodies and rhythms

What's inside your Ear Training course

A sample path Learnr builds for Ear Training. Your real course adapts to your goal and level.

1. How hearing pitch works
2. Intervals and reference songs
3. Chord qualities
4. Scale degrees and solfege
5. Chord progressions by ear
6. Melodic and rhythmic dictation

How long does it take to learn Ear Training?

With 10 to 15 minutes a day, many people recognize basic intervals and chord qualities within 1 to 3 months. Hearing scale degrees and progressions reliably usually takes 6 to 12 months, and transcription skill keeps growing for years. Short daily practice works better than long, occasional sessions.

What you need before you start

Basic music theory helps, especially intervals and scales, but you can learn both together. A piano, keyboard app or ear training app is useful for reference pitches.

Common mistakes to avoid

Practicing only interval drills in isolation. Always connect the skill to real music, such as melodies and chord progressions.
Trying to learn every interval at once. Start with a few, and add more only when you identify those reliably.
Guessing instead of singing. Sing the notes first, then decide what you hear.

How Learnr builds your course

Type your topic

Tell Learnr you want to learn Ear Training, or get as specific as you like.

Get a personalized course

Learnr instantly builds a full Ear Training course tailored to your goal and skill level.

Learn and level up

Move through bite-sized lessons and interactive practice, earning XP and keeping your streak.

Ear Training questions, answered

Is perfect pitch necessary for ear training?

No. Most musicians use relative pitch, hearing notes in relation to each other or to a key, which is the skill ear training develops and the one that matters for playing by ear.

Can anyone improve their ear?

Yes. Relative pitch skills improve with regular practice for most people. Starting with simple intervals and building gradually keeps progress steady.