Learn the language

I know, I know. The analogy of music as a language is incredibly old and cliché and overdone … but it can be useful.

Often music shares pieces of “language.” When I listen to music I try to hear those different pieces of language. I personally use tools like solfege and roman numeral analysis to figure out those different pieces of language, but you can use whatever tools you have.

Try to hear the pieces of language.

Use songs to help you with this. One common group of notes that are used are sol – mi – la or G – E – A. Those are the only notes that make up “Rain, Rain Go Away” and “Ring Around the Rosie.” Start with those. Then learn do – re – mi. That’s “Three Blind Mice”, “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction and “Closer” by Chainsmokers. It’s so many different songs. Another common group of notes to be able to hear is do – re – mi – sol. Those are the first four notes of the pentatonic scale. They’re used in “Hey, Soul Sister” by Train and the traditional song “Going Home”. Learn to hear them and that’ll give you a good start.

Another example. The progression of notes of C E F G is in a bunch of different songs. But whenever I hear it, I hear it as do – mi – fa – sol and “When the Saints Go Marchin’ In.” I use that song to remember the sound of that piece of musical language.

The more you do this the easier it will get. You’ll have more pieces of language to reference when hearing music.

Learn the language.

ISJ