Product Description

This book and 3 accompanying audio CDs is a compilation containing all the information and CDs found in the following books: Ear Training One Note Beginning, Ear Training One Note Intermediate and Ear Training One Note Advanced. The ear training method presented is a highly effective way to dramatically improve relative pitch skills. While it has been used with great success in classroom situations and in private study, it is equally rewarding and accessable for the self taught musician. Study can be accomplished (and is actually recommended) during spare time such as driving to work, riding on a train, or sitting in a waiting room. This compilation contains all three levels so that a student can steadily and methodically improve their ability over time. It is recommended primarily for beginning and intermediate students; more advanced students should purchase Ear Training One Note Advanced. The muse-eek.com website features a FAQ section where students can ask the author questions that may arise as they work. This book provides a solid basis for the development of good relative pitch and is the required text at both New York University and Princeton University.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #287835 in Books
• Published on: 2001-04-01
• Released on: 2003-07-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 2
• Binding: Spiral-bound
• 56 pages

About the Author
Guitarist Bruce Arnold has developed an extensive reputation as a composer educator and guitar virtuoso. He has created a unique signature sound that stems from his combination of jazz techniques and 20th Century compositional methods. He has played with such diverse musicians as Stuart Hamm, Peter Erskine, Joe Pass, Joe Lovano, Randy Brecker, Stanley Clarke, the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Arnold is also deeply devoted to music education and had written more than 60 music instruction. He heads the guitar departments at NYU and Princeton University and is the director of the New York University Summer Guitar Intensive He has taught at some of the most prestigious music schools in America, including the New England Conservatory of Music, Dartmouth College, Berklee College of Music, New School University, and City College of New York.

Customer Reviews

Not for the Faint of Heart (or Ear)
My only previous ear training was from my piano instructor a number of years ago. It was interval based, and useful to a limited extent. Mr. Arnold's method of ear training is very straight forward and logical. I must admit that the first word that comes to mind to describe using the One Note ear training CDs is FRUSTRATING. I really gave it my best shot for a couple of months and had virtually no progress. It is distressing to read so many reviews that say things like "I am looking forward to great progress." I did not see very many that claim significant progress. Like myself, they see the logic of the method but have not "gotten it" yet.

I have the luxury of having a good bit of time to listen to these during my commute to and from work on public transport. Not driving has it's advantages. However, I have to say that I can not listen to the CD for more than about 10 minutes without wanting to use it as a Frisbee.

I addressed my frustration to Mr. Arnold via e-mail and he told me that many people listen for a year (maybe more) before they make significant progress. Unfortunately, I could not make myself do that. Frankly, I just got too bored of guessing the wrong notes to a point that I could not pay attention. I began to dread listening to it and finally just gave up.

There are stories of success on his website, but most of the reviews here on Amazon sound like the people are still in the initial phases of the learning process, just as I was.

I rate this book/method four stars for potential for practical application and apparent logic of method. If I had to rate it on what I got out of it the first time around, my rating would have to be much lower. However, I suspect that my impatience was more to blame than the method, so I will give it another try.

It would be interesting to see follow-up reviews from readers here that have continued using the CDs and can now report more success (or not) than in their initial reviews. I, for one, could use the encouragement.

RHB

The pluses and the minuses.
It appears that like other reviewers I am in the midst of using this book to improve my "ear" as I write this review. I've had a month to work with it, mostly for about 5-10 minutes a day, because it is a rather intense workout. I like Arnold's approach: that rather than memorize every single tone possible (good lord!) and rather than relying on the "interval" method (which is incredibly deceptive), we should learn notes in relation to the whole, so that we can play within/comprehend that whole--isn't that the point, after all? Kudos to Arnold for going to some length to explain this in the book, and even for including commonly asked questions, complaints, and reports of progressive. It helps make sense of his approach, and his explanations are what I'd consider accessible to students at any level. Three discs are included with a slim booklet; that is quite nice. Each disc has 99 tracks, of course only seconds long but that's all that's required. The music and pause time before answers is shorter in each of the three discs. The booklet includes written answers as well.

The method seems helpful, and it is set up quite nicely. ... Was this a needless expense? I guess the explanatory essay might be worth it, but it mostly serves as a reassuring authority of the "relation" principle--for example, no matter what key you are in, or how many octaves apart the tone is, the root note is the root note; the seventh is the seventh; the flat sixth is the...you get the idea. The cds might be worth it for convienience's sake alone, perhaps. (By the way make sure your player has shuffle, or you'll memorize the order of answers. Also, the exercises are with piano, not guitar. I find this no problem, but you might.) Another annoyance is Arnold's acceptance of the Key of C paradigm that pervades music instruction. All three cds use C. Why not use different keys on each disc? Just to prove your point? It should not make a difference if the premise is right, but it would be refreshing to the student and increase her or his confidence.

Take note this is a frustrating set. (But this is coming from someone who has never been able to play anything "by ear".) The learning process is intense for the "ear-challenged" such as myself, but this seems like it'd work better than the other methods, or by random luck or wishful thinking. You are basically asked to proceed by intuition, or some likewise indescribable way of learning. A serious trial by fire. If you need a "how do I do it" guide this is not the place to come. It's more like learning a language by being surrounded by it for a long time, and *not* by someone handing you a vocab list and rules for turning the present tense into the past: you'll learn it, and you might even be better at it because it's *in* you, so to speak, rather than *on* you. But it is an intense and probably prolonged experience.

I hope this helps you decide whether this is for you, and if it is worth the price. I haven't noticed any improvement in myself that I am not convinced isn't just luck; but it could be so subtle I don't see it yet. I do imagine it will help. Time will tell.

Works great for SERIOUS Musicians
Let me say first off that this ear training method that bruce arnold uses is for SERIOUS MUSICIANS ONLY. To use his method effectivly, you have to do this every day for at least an hour, in 15-20 minute intervals.

Bruce Arnold's method is totally different than any other method that is out there for ear training. It is NOT easier. In fact at first it seemed next to impossible to accomplish. After I read how he wanted me to establish relative pitch, my instant thought was "This is Crazy!" But after doing the lessons with his other book, "Fanatic's guide to ear training and sight reading", I saw how his methods totally dominate the ear training market.

Most ear training books and universites teach you how to recognize intervals. For instant, they will play a c, then a G, and you are supoosed hear that it is a perfect fifth. Bruce arnold does not teach this method at all. he will play a candence (a set of chords in a key) and teach you how to recognize the what interval it is from the key. This produces SPONTANIOUS ear training. For instance, if someone is playing a song in the key of C, and you hear a G, F, and D in the melody, you will be able to pick up on that instantly because you were taught how to hear the notes within the key and not by learning intervals.

This method can take months or even years for a person to establish kind of note identity. but for me, if it even takes years, it will be worth it in the long run, cause I live to be a musician, period.

I would also mention that you cannot really do this without his other book, "Fanatics guide to ear training and sight reading". You have to learn how to sing the notes within a certain key so you know what you are listening for with the ear training book. This doesn't mean you have to have a good voice, you just have to be able to sing the note in tune.