Ear Dexterity Pattern #4
A challenge for strengthening your ear for improvisation
How to play this exercise:
This exercise is part of a series of ear-training challenges that will focus your attention more deeply on the relationship between the harmony and your playing so that you start to perform more what you feel and hear inside. This will help you become more connected with your instrument.
This is a hear it and play it type of exercise over a pair of chords. The following three rhythm tracks accompany you through all 12 keys of this exercise.
The Single Note Through Circle of Fifths
This track provides you with the first note of a pattern's phrase so that you can practice finding that one note on your instrument or first singing it to make it easier. The chord sequence is made up of two chord flowing through the circle of fifths.
Random Single Note For Playing the Pattern
This track consists of the rhythm track of random chord sequences and the first note of the pattern for each chord pair. Find that first note then play the rest of the pattern.
The Demonstration Track
This is a recording of the full pattern played though the 12 keys. Use this if you have difficulty finding the notes of the pattern after being given just the first note. Your goal should be going back to one of the single note tracks above and finding those first notes and hearing the pattern.
About This Pattern:
This pattern is comprised of three descending major second intervals. Descending intervals tend to be more difficult that ascending ones. The added degree of difficulty is the three whole tones in a row that land on the 4th of the dominant chord causing a suspended feel. Feel free to resolve to the major third of the dominant chord on beat three of the second bar making this a four tone pattern.
Listen to the Demonstration Track to get the pattern in your ear, then sing the pattern over the two single note tracks before playing it on your instrument. Listen for the hint note coming on the 'and' of four of the previous chord.
As with every pattern in this series, I recommend that you sing as an important part of hearing and playing through this pattern.
The pattern is built off of this:
Feel free to resolve the fourth by playing this:
Once you have the sound of the chord sequences in your ear, practice improvising over the two tracks. How quickly can you lock into the changing key centers? THIS is the skill great jazz players master.
Circle of Fifths Rhythm
Random Chord Rhythm
