A short while ago, we asked users of our Chordelia: Triad Tutor app what they wanted to learn next. And the answer came back resoundingly:

Seventh chords!
It’s easy to see why. Seventh chords are versatile and can provide a wide variety of interesting sounds. They’re essential in jazz, and can add that special spice or sparkle to any music.

At a glance, they seem simple enough: a triad chord with an extra note added – the seventh of the scale.

But by varying the type of triad and the scale you can produce many types of seventh chord. Dominant, Minor, Major, Minor/Major, Diminished, and so on. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, even before you try to tell them apart in context by ear!

Most musicians never get past the most basic grasp of seventh chords, and so limit their harmony skills by never moving beyond the core triads – or perhaps just learning the dominant seventh chord.

Our new app, Chordelia: Seventh Heaven, is the first dedicated tutor for seventh chords in the App Store and will teach you to hear all the important types of seventh chord easily and reliably – whether they’re played one note at a time or all together, and whichever inversion of the chord is used.

Why learn seventh chords?

If most musicians get by without ever really understanding seventh chords, why should you bother?

Well, if you’re a jazz musician you’ll already know the answer! For rich, interesting harmonies, seventh chords are where it’s at. You’d be hard-pushed to find a jazz standard which doesn’t utilise one or more types of seventh chord. By developing your ear to recognise seventh chords quickly and easily, you’ll be hugely increasing your potential as a player. Just ask the guys over at JazzAdvice.com!

Seventh chords aren’t just reserved for jazz though. Click to read the rest…

Music exists in every known culture to man. From indigenous Australian aborigines exploring nature through sound to an elementary schoolroom in Japan learning the Suzuki method to American high schoolers jamming to a hopping jazz tune in New Orleans, each cultural group shares its own unique story through music.

All over the world, children learn music

Japan

The Japanese Suzuki method, widely adopted both in the East and West and created by educator Shinichi Suzuki, educates the whole child using music[2]. Children study music by ear at three years old. They learn in groups, and teachers test them on classical literature. Parents actively involve themselves with their child’s music education, regardless of their own musical background. The combination of parent involvement, ear training, a positive learning environment, and group learning helps Suzuki students mature quickly in music.

Sweden

Swedish schoolchildren create their own rock bands in music class, choose a few snazzy tunes, and jam together[5]. Educators developed this curriculum to counter traditional music education. Kids have fun teaching each other through self-expression and organic ear training.

South Africa

In South Africa a children’s orchestra brings joy to the Sowetto community, where hope is almost nonexistent for youths[5]. Founded by British violist Rosemary Nalden, the ensemble has grown to over 80 members. Children learn to overcome hardship and express themselves through music instead of violence.

Germany & Canada

Click to read the rest…

Cutting edge ear training technology today transforms your laptop, iPhone, iPad, and other electronic gadgets into mobile music devices. Anyone who wants to improve their pitch, rhythm, voice, and ears need only download an app or push a button.

The latest music technology tools help singers, instrumentalists, music educators, and music lovers improve pitch, rhythm, vocal quality, and timbre in a variety of innovative ways.  Recent technological innovations in the field of music robotics and music technology for both the visually and hearing impaired have broken new ground in music education tech tools. Exciting music apps and music education software tools integrate the latest touch technology to make ear training fun for beginning musicians and students.

What ear training technology is available today? What does the ear training technology of the future look like? Let’s take a look into our music tech crystal ball and check out the latest in ear training tools!

RoboMusic and I-Blocks

The Centre for Playware in Denmark has developed music robotic building blocks which train young children how to compose music and recognize different musical styles and instruments by ear[1]. The “I-Blocks” (intelligent blocks) communicate with other blocks and use a 3D accelerometer to detect gravity. Color coded to indicate instrument type and filled with a large library of musical segments, the I-Blocks in the RoboMusicKids system create new exciting compositions as the children manipulate the blocks.

RoboMusic allows children to create exciting compositions as they manipulate the robotic buikding blocks

Practica Musica

For many music educators looking for a comprehensive music program suitable for elementary and secondary education, Practica Musica “Your Personal Music Tutor” offers a wide range of ear training and music theory tools. These music education tools allow students to Click to read the rest…