Resources:
Learning by Ear

This Learning By Ear module resource (PowerPoint presentation, PDF, films and website content) can be used and shared free of charge for non-commercial educational use only. Permission must be sought from Orchestras for All and EFDSS for any other use of this material. 

Introduce the tune

Watch 1 (video 1)

The great thing about teaching music aurally is that your ensemble have to listen actively in order to collect clues about musical context and understand its shape for themselves with more depth.

Here's Emily, introducing her tune to LYFE:

Reflect

• What does Emily ask her ensemble to consider while listening to the tune, and why?

Watch 2 (video 2)

Have a listen to the tune:

 
The first thing to do when teaching music aurally is to make sure that the basic shape and structure of the music is embedded in your ensemble members' minds.

So, before you begin to teach it, make sure your ensemble have had time to hear it several times through. Give them the chance to sing it through unaccompanied as this will help them to internalise and recall it independently.

Practise

Listen to the tune again. What steps would you take to help young musicians learn this tune without notation?

Introduce the musical context

Watch 3 (video 3)

By actively listening to the music, your ensemble should have picked up some clues about its context and structure. Allow space for them to discuss this. While it's a good idea to ask questions that gently lead towards useful musical and contextual facts, allow your group to discuss freely, even if some ideas are different to the true source of the music.

Reflect

• What questions does Emily ask LYFE in order to help them to reflect more deeply on the musical context?

Introduce the musical structure

Watch 4 (video 2)

Thinking carefully about structure, watch Emily performing the tune again:

Practise

Write down the structure for this tune

Watch 5 (video 4)

Here's Emily and LYFE discussing the tune's structure:

Reflect

LYFE are quite experienced with learning tunes aurally, so quickly worked out the structure. However, an understanding of a melody's structure is crucial to musicians of any experience, and can be achieved effectively with the right support.

• How would you break down the music and scaffold your questions to help a less experienced group with this activity?
• Make a list of questions you would use to help Sharp Orchestra to work out the structure of this piece of music

Introduce the tonal context

Watch 6 (videos 5 and 6)

To help your ensemble internalise the sound world and, practically speaking, form a clear understanding of the notes that will be used, play through the scale or mode that the music is based, highlighting accidentals.

Now watch Emily play through the mode that will form the basis of LYFE's performance:

Practise

Watch again and play through the mode with the group.

Reflect

• What do you notice about how Emily sets up and scaffolds the mode play activity to help the group play accurately?
• Imagine you are introducing Sharp Academy Orchestra to this scale. What challenges would be faced by Seb and Grace at this stage?
• How would you mitigate these challenges for them?

You can refresh your memory of the needs of Seb and Grace here.