How many people can play by ear?
By CFstats
@CFstats (82)
March 4, 2012 9:18pm CST
Hi,
Someone told me a statistic that I would like to find out if it's true or not. They said, "One out of ten people can play an instrument by ear." I happen to be able to play songs on my harmonica's by ear. If I hear or know a song in my head, I can just play it. I don't know why or how my mouth knows where to go and whether to blow or draw. I just hear it in my head and then just play it! Is that really unusual? I can also pick out a melody on the piano but can't put the chords to it yet because I need to learn the chords. How usual or easy is it to play musical instruments by ear? Are the statistics one out of ten or what? Does anyone know? I would like responses, thank you!
CFstats.
2 responses
@Glitznglitter (389)
• Canada
5 Mar 12
Not a chance, there would be no way that I could play an instrument and have it sound like anything but noise. I guess I am the 9/10 people who can't play by ear.
@CFstats (82)
•
6 Mar 12
Really, wow that is interesting. Because I know that I could easily pick up any instrument and pick out a tune. I used to play the guitar in high school and I learned the chords, then I took classical guitar in college and I did pretty good memorizing songs. Now I forgot all the notes and chords but I tried playing someone's guitar not too long ago and picked out a tune without even remembering what notes the strings are. It's very interesting that I can easily do what some other people can't! Thanks.
@perdy123 (15)
•
5 Mar 12
hey there, i also can play by ear, i have tried too learn many instrements through my life but never stuck with it. my sister had a sax wen i was about 10,when she was out i used to try playing it, i could play quite a lot different songs i have loved. i dont know how this is, i have always loved music of all kinds and longed to learn to play an instrement properly.i dont know about stastics but i think if music is in you heart then the limits can be endless
@CFstats (82)
•
6 Mar 12
Thank you for your comments! I suggest you start with piano lessons because then you can really understand how music works. I started with piano lessons but I learned the wrong way. Instead of practicing my sight reading on different pieces everyday, I worked on one piece everyday until I memorized the whole piece from beginning to end. So I had memorized a lot of songs, and then when I didn't get to practice for 5 years in a row because I didn't have my piano with me, I can now only play the beginnings and forget the rest and it's very frustrating not to be able to finish a piece! And now I am very rusty with sight reading. So I sure am glad that I'm able to play by ear!! But it's really not good enough for me, I wish I could sight read fast! It just takes a lot of time of practice!
