Listen vs Practical Ear Training

Recognize intervals, chords, and scales with this minimalist, listen-only, hands-free ear training app. Configure your training, and just listen. The app will play the sound and then tell its name after one second, in a loop.

Practical Ear Training helps musicians recognize what they hear and connect it to the notes they play. Practice five essential listening skills: • Melodies — listen, explore the piano, then reproduce each phrase • Intervals — identify every interval from unison to octave • Chord progressions — recognize common, functional, minor-key and modal patterns • Chord qualities — distinguish major, minor, diminished and augmented triads • Scales — learn major, minor, pentatonic, blues, modal, whole-tone and diminished sounds MAKE PRACTICE YOUR OWN Choose the key, scale, octave and tempo. Focus on exactly the intervals, chords, scales and progression types you want to learn. Start with simple root-position chords and short melodies, then add inversions, open voicings, rhythmic chords and longer phrases. LISTEN WITH DIFFERENT SOUNDS Train with sampled grand piano, nylon guitar, trumpet and clarinet sounds. Changing the instrument helps you recognize musical ideas by pitch and structure instead of memorizing one timbre. PLAY, SEE AND UNDERSTAND Use the touch piano to find notes before answering or to perform a melody. After revealing the answer, follow it on an animated piano roll, piano keyboard, guitar, bass, ukulele or mandolin fretboard. Chord exercises show both chord names and Roman numerals. CHECK YOUR SKILLS Take a balanced 20-question ear test covering melodies, intervals, chord progressions, chord qualities and scales. See an overall result plus a score for each skill, then repeat the test later to compare your progress. BUILD A PRACTICE HABIT Track recent accuracy, completed exercises and individual strengths. Your practice history and test results stay on your device. Practical Ear Training is designed for music students, self-taught musicians, pianists, guitarists and anyone who wants a more confident musical ear. Practice as much as you like—no account, subscription or usage limit.