Ear Training: Singing the Roots of Chords to Recognize Progressions | Berklee Online

In this video, Berklee Online instructor Gaye Tolan Hatfield introduces you to some beginner ear training techniques to help you identify chord progressions. She explains that picking simple three-chord or four-chord songs and singing the root note of each chord as it passes can help develop your ear to recognize chord progressions. She uses the song “Under the Boardwalk” by the Drifters as an example of this, singing the root notes in solfege as she plays the song.

About Gaye Tolan Hatfield:
Gaye Tolan Hatfield is a professor in the of Berklee College of Music’s Ear Training department. She has also taught in the Harmony, Voice, and Ensemble departments. She co-wrote and teaches the Berklee Online courses Ear Training 2 and Music Foundations. Her work outside of the college includes writing, arranging, transcribing, and performing locally as a vocalist, pianist, and flutist. She has assisted orchestrators for the Boston Pops, and in the summer of 2013, wrote a choral arrangement that was performed at the Pops 4th of July concert.

About Berklee Online:
Berklee Online is the continuing education division of Berklee College of Music, delivering online access to Berklee's acclaimed curriculum from anywhere in the world, offering online courses, certificate programs, and degree programs. Contact an Academic Advisor today:
1-866-BERKLEE (US)
1-617-747-2146 (international callers)

Ear Training | Chord Progressions | Harmonic Patterns | Gaye Tolan Hatfield | Under the Boardwalk | The Drifters | Root Note | Root Motion | Berklee Online | Berklee College of Music

[joshosswald]

Thanks! Always learn something from the Berklee vids

[AOK]

HEY! I'm A punk rock hillbilly death metal basic rock polka dude...1/4/5s are my life...throw in a 6 or 9 and I'm lost man!! Just kidding. Very well done and that lesson IS needed ie 101. I was surprised to see no one replied THEN saw I was one of 234 views of what was released TODAY! Got to buy a lottery ticket. "Yeah man...I learnt my 145s at Berklee. Next we learn counter timings...or something like that....paradiddles anyone...." Anymore eggnog? God bless. jv

[RorxorProductions]

Thanks! What is the music used at the beginning and end of this video? It is beautiful

[bboymac]

Board walk...Board walk!! Sorry couldn’t resist 😁

[jasonramirez]

It’s kind of hard to sing the root note, when u don’t have the natural ability to know what it is. Especially with the inversions and stuff. How can teach yourself to instantly feel the root note and sing it right away????

[andreumateulamas]

You write G but you sing Sol. This is like writing table and reading the Spanish word mesa. So Weird.