.

'

The Relative Pitch

Ear-Training SuperCourse
Virtuoso music instruction by 'David Lucas Burge

Levei 1 Footnotes
POINTS TO READ BEFORE GOING THROUGH THE COURSE:
* Be sure you have listened to the Introductory Talk and have passed Lesson 1 before starting LEVEL 1.

* Do not worry if you feel that beginning tapes are easy at first. This is the way to culture the ear-start
with the simple things and work up gradually to a solid, established Relative Pitch. Even if you already
have a good ear, we can make it even better just by following the instructions innocently and "tuning
up" from scratch. Always do all Lessons in their proper sequence.

*levei.
If you like, listen to the CDs or tapes through headphones. ln ali cases, keep the volume at a medium
Do not tum up the volume in order to "hear what's going on better:' The ear will hear more and
more as we condition it-NOTby forcing loud souhds into it! Avoid a headache-just listen easily and
comfortably-no effort, no strain.

* Note for musicians with Perfect Pitch: These lessons have been produced with special attention to
ensure that the pitch levei is accurate. They were recorded with piano and synthesizer just slightly sharp
(the way 1 like it). However, the actual pitches could vary on your player. If you find them sharp or flat,
do not worry. This Course is concerned with Relative Pitch, you need listen only to pitch relationships.

- -
* If you hear a faint echo of music or talk a few seconds before the actual audio content: This is called
""print-through; and is a common occurrcncc in the production of analog master tapes. It is gene1=ally--,..,_..-
not noticed with music tapes because the music sim ply covers up these "echoes." ln these lessons we
don't mind or become concerned at all if we should notice this. Regardless of what else is going on-
even in the outside room around us-we can always do our ear-training. Remember: ln the "real" musi-
cal world, many things do go on at once. It is the art of ear-training to be able to separate out sounds in
the real world and understand them.

* How to use these Footnotes: Each lesson has special footnotes which apply to various points you will
be learning. Before starting each lesson, check these Footnotes. Read only the notes that apply to you at
a particular time. Be sure not to read ahead of where you are, as these Footnotes contain information
that will benefit you best when read at the proper time (and they sometimes contain answers to ques-
tions which you should not see until the proper time).

* It is good to practice Relative Pitch drills for about 20 to 30 minutes per day. Work on a lesson for as
many days as is necessary to complete it, then move to the next lesson.

* Never rush. Just ENJOY!

LESSON 2:
-Read after hearing Lesson 2:
* Musicians who have Perfect Pitch should simply practice the techniques and drills in exactly the sarne
way as those without it. Allow your attention to favor the feeling of relationship.
* Practice pitches you use for the Grand Round may be either standard concert pitches (what the pitch-

1
es are called on a piano) or what they are on your own instrument Example: A concert a is a D# on a .BI.
trumpet; the trumpet player may prefer to call the tone D# while practicing his Grand Rounds. This is
fine. Relative Pitch is only concemed with relationships-it doesn't matter what you call the tones.
* 1 do wish 1 had a better singing voice to demonstrate this drill, but 1 think you get the ideal (This les-
son should shatter the myth that Perfect Pitch automatically ensures an extraordinary singing voice!)
However, vocalists who develop their ear with Relative Pitch (and Perfect Pitch) will quickly become con-
vinced that their vocal skills are vitally dependent on their ear's ability to sense pitch. Ear-training will
produce wonderfully rich results for vocalists who know how to otherwise use their voice.

LESSON l:
-Read just before starting tests:
* Even though you can pass with up to two strikes, be sure you .,correct the mistakes" in your own
mind and ear so you won't make them again. On sound tests, just back up the CD or tape for a few sec-
onds and listen again; on spelling tests, stop the tape a mornent to think through the spelling and to
understand the correct answer.
* When taking tests you should not look at keyboard reference chart, keyboard, fretboard or any instru-
mentas an aid to visualizing the intervals. Any visualizations should be done only in your own mind!

-Read after passing tests:

* Musicians who are already familiar with musical spelling will simply pass these spelling tests quickly
and move on-sarne with sound tests if you already have a good degree of Relative Pitch. However,
these tests ensure a very fine tuning of the ear and intellect which rnay never have occurred in past
musical training-a real strengthening which will becorne apparent as the listening becornes more com-
plex and you complete the Course.

-Read when finished Lesson 3:

* Even with excellent vocal control, equal-ternperament of musical instruments makes ít impossíble for
anyone to sing "absolutely perfectly" in tune compared tõ the instrument-because even a perfectly
tuned instrument is itself slightly out of tune! (More on this in Lesson 37.) When practicing we simply do
our best to stay in tune without making a big <leal about it
* When practicing Grand Round of Fourths, you will not need to use these spellings: Q/P,, B#/E#.

J.ESSON 4:
-Read before tests:
* Remember to STOP the tape and immediately review your perfect fourths if you slrike out on a test
Learn them thoroughly and try again the NEXT DAY (don't allow yourself more than one daily "try").
Better still: learn the assignrnents better the first time so you avoid striking out!

-Read after passing tests:

* Never allow background noises to bother you. Regardless of where you are, you can always think of
pitches even when other music or distractions are there. The key is to not mind them.

-Read when finished Lesson 4:

* Technically, a chord is composed of three or more tones, but 1 often loosely refer to two or more tones
as a chord.
* Check your reference chart for the correct signs for double flats and sharps. See that somewhat diffi-
cult sign for double sharp? It's much easier to write a simple "x"-everybody does it this way.

LESSON >:
-Read after passing tests:
* By learning your spellings-and singing them in correct pitch when practicíng your intervals and tak-
ing tests-you are also culturing your ear for Perfect Pitch (or strengthening your Color Hearing if you
already have it).
2
•

-Read just before starting first Lightning Round [29:35]:

* Listen to all Lightning Rounds on a Lesson at full speed the first time through. Then, go back and
repeat all the drills where you got two or more strikes (do this for your homework assignment). Having
listened once to each Lightning Round, it's now a good idea to backtrack the audio and immediately
relisten whenever you make a mistake. Hear the example again correctly. This way your ear will leam to
understand each sound. This is how the ear becomes cultured-by making errors and correcting them.
Work each drill until you can get through it at full speed with one strike or less.

-Read after listening to all Lesson 5 drills once through:

* Even when you repeat a drill so often that you memorize the order of the answers, this is fine. When
your mind already knows the answer, then allow your ear to "check" the answer to hear for itself why it
isso. As long as the ear listens, ear-training is happening.
* If you already knew your basic intervals before starting the Course, you may find these first Lightning
Rounds easy. But can you pass them without your ear getting tired and starting to make mistakes? These
drills will give your ear a workout and keep it in shape.
*For musicians with Perfect Pitch: You might also like to do all Lightning Rounds again-this time you
can play lhe actual tones on your instrument as you hea r them. ExcelJent drill!
* On drills, don't just think the answer-say it out lOud!

-Read after completing Lesson 5:

* Spellings of the minor thirds are trickier than previous intervals; study them thoroughly so they won't
trip you up during testing!

LESSON 6:
-Read before last Lightning Round [33:55.l:
- * Yõll don't get to hear chords long in this Lightning Round! Don't try to think about them--toe-much as
you listen-just judge quickly whether they "feel" major or minor.

-Read before Pu7.Zle Drill [38:10]:

* If you have Perfect Pitch, simply identify and spell the chords (properly of course) that you hear in the
Puzzle Drill.

-Read after h earing all Lesson 6 drills once through:

* You need only repeat the drills where you got two or more strikes.
* Make sure you know your major and minor chord spellings quickly. On our test in Lesson 7 you will
not have long to answer, and you don't want to strike out!

LESSON 7:
-Read after listening to Lesson 7 once through:
* Yes, there are some child ren playing in the background of the lightning Round at times. I've left them
here on our lesson to remind us that we want a practical hearing awareness-one that is able to tell
intervals and tones regardless of outside influences. We're never concerned with blocking out distrac-
tions-just with enjoying the music we're listening to.
* Lightning Rounds build up the ears endurance.

LESSON 8:
-Read after listening to Lesson 8 once through:
* Music which has harmonies and chords built up in fifths is in "quintal harmony'.'

3
* On Rela tive Pitch Identification Drill (17:30): Even if you know the tones with Perfect Pitch, you still
have to identify the kind of interval and the correct spellings of tones-still a true test for Relative Pitch.
Perfect Pitch tells us the actual pitch, but absolutely nothing about the rdarionship of one pitch to anoth-
er. When you are spelling intervals, use only the standard intervals and spcllings we are working with.
Correct spelling indicates proper perception of the relationship.
* When writing down intervals for drills, use abbreviations like PS for "perfect fifth" and m3 for "minar
third." There's no time to write things completely out!
* Don't worry about memorizing the arder of answers in drills and tests-just PASS them! Even when
you know the answers your ear is becoming cultured.
* Avoid making the sarne spelling error twice in drills and tests. Just stop the CD or tape and write
down your mistakes. Later, study them ali so they don't trip you up again. When you make a sound
errar on drills with mixed intervals, stop and relisten. (On lightning Round drills, however, always listen
the first time through at full speed without slopping or writing.)

LESSON9:
-Read before exam:
* ln this Exam its a good idea to backtrack the tape when you make mistakes and relisten to the tones
a
(or stop a moment to write down and understand spelling error). Then you may avoid getting that
question wrong again! (On Lightning Round sections, however, always listen the first time through at full
speed without stopping.)
* Musicians with Perfect Pitch who also have good Universal Colar Discrimination [see The Perfect Pitch
Ear-Training SuperCourse] will be able to answer Part 2 of the synthesizer section using their Color
Hearing. Its an excellent drill!

-Read after listening to Exam once through:

* The challenge of drills, tests and exams is 1) to get the answer IN TIME, 2) for the ear not to be con-
fused by what just carne before, and 3) for the ear not to become tired too fast, but rather to keep up its
lístening endurance. When mistakes are made, however, we k:now that the ear is growing. As long as we
end up passing perfectly, we know we have done our part for our ear and have derived maximum ben-
efit from that particular drill or test

-Read when you· have completely passed entire exam:

* Note for musicians who already had Relative Pitch: Were you able to complete all Levei One drills,
tests and exam sections WITHOUT ERRORS? Tf not, this shows that some areas of weakness were there
in your ear, and now-by going back to the basics-we have strengthened those areas.
*For everyone: Was this levei easy for you? It may have been for most. This was the basic level-the
fundamentais of ear-training. Now that you are familiar with the techniques, drills and testing proce-
dures, we can really focus on fine tuning your ear. ·See how we do not rush the ear? We start with tLlSY
things to listen for which do nol lax the ear much. Then we 9radually work up to all the more complicated
sounds we will be studying (see directory of upcoming Iessons). This method of slarting tLlSily and gradual-
ly culluring the ear is the way to 1horou9hly work your ear to make it POWERFUL You are now just steir
ping onto Established Relative Pitch, but we have just gotten our ears wet! There's much more to learn...

C1981-1999 by David Lucas Burge

4
 ..

THE DAVID L. BURGE EAR-TRAINING UBRARY for Higher Musical Awareness

THE RELADVE PrrCH EAR-TRAINING COURSE

LEVEL 2 FOOTNOTES
LESSON 10:
- Read before starting Lesson:
* Be sure to back up the tape when mistakes are made to relisten. Let it be the last time you get that exam-
ple wrong!

LESSON 11:
- Read before tests:
* Remember, you can still say your answer after I say "time," but you must say it before I say the answer,
otherwise it is a strike.
- Read after passing tests:
* Don't worry about memorizing the order of answers in drills and tests-just PASS them! Even when you
know the answers your ear is becoming cultured.
* You don't get much time to answer test questions-that's how fast you should know them!
- Read after passing ali drills:
* Note to advanced theorists: Prope-; voice leading may ormay not occur during drill exam.ples on this
Course-the focus being the study at hand. Parallel fifths are not avoided, as they occur commonly in
modem music~
* ln future tapes we will listen a little to the Baroque style of music to hear inversions and how they are
used in music. (Bach, which we will listen to later, is from the Baroque period.) These more traditional
sounds are a key to help unlock any modem sounds-from rock to progressive styles. .

LESSON 12: * Don't fo rget to do your unlocking technique a few minutes daily.
LESSON 13:
*
- Read before tests on Lesson 13: Remember thé'J,t you can stop the tape and warm upa little before
your sound tests-makes it easier than starting cold!
* With these larger intervals (M6) you may need to transpose actual pitch on tape up or down an octave in
order to sing your interval correctly. If you wish, you need only sing the tone which is the correct answer-
you are not required to sing the starting tone in sound tests.
*
- Read before starting drills: When doing the Inversion Drill [30:35], listen for the keynote of each
arpeggio (for example, A in an A major chord). This will help clue you in to the inversion and the spelling.
Remember, however that it is the bottom tone which determines the inversion.
* Don't worry if you start to memorize the order of the drills. Remember, your ear is being cultured even if
you know the answers. Just PASS the drills!
LESSON 14:
- Read after completion of Lesson:
* Make sure you also understand the spellings of the augmented fifth chord. If you made errors, see why.
Remember, just take a regular major chord and raise the fifth a half step.

LESSON 15:
*
-Read before Relative Pitch Identification Drill [28:35): Spell m6 sounds as m6, not #5 for this drill.
* Even if you know the tones with Perfect Pitch, you still have to identify the kind of interval and the cor-
rect spellings of tones-still a true test for Relative Pitch. Perfect Pitch tell us the actual pitch, but nothing
about the relationship of one pitch to another. When you are spelling intervals, use the standard intervals
we are working with. Correct spelling indicates proper perception and understanding of the relationship.
* When taking drills and tests, use abbreviations like PS for "perfect fifth" and m3 for "minor third."
There's no time to write things out!

LESSON 16:
*
-Read before starting Moving Inversions Drill [22:45): When writing answers, use the following abbre-
=
viations: M = Major, m = minor, R = root position, ·1 first inversion, 2 = second inversion.
- Read after completing Lesson 16:
* Repeat these synthesizer drills in a week or two to see how you do then. You may be surprised to find
that your ear has opened considerably in that time.
* Review any past tapes as needed to freshen up in preparation for exam.
* Make sure you know your spellings thoroughly and quickly so you may ace the upcoming spelling test
first time (Part 1 of the Exam on Lesson 17). That way you may avoid having to sit through a boring
spelling test again! (Careful-i knowyour unusual spellings with double sharps and flats!)

LESSON 17:
- Read before Part 1 of Exam:
* Remember, we listen all the way through each section of entire exam before going back to repeat sections
a second time.
*
- Read before Part 2 of Exam: Watch it! Drill is fairly fast. We are trying to stretch your ear and brain to
work more quickly. Just repeat as needed. (Also: 1 spell all three tones when using chords, but it is a pass if
you just write the two that you are seeking.) '

- Read before Part 6: *1 have spelled the answers·for descending arpeggios from bottom to top.
However, it will not count as an error if you spell them in the order played. The main point to recognize is
that the bottom tone determines the name of the inversion, which is not necessarily the first tone played.
*
- Read after completing Lesson 17: When I say we don't make it easy, I mean that we are constantly
requiring the ear to listen faster and clearer-it's not a superficial kind of drilling which allows us to stay in
one place. You may in fact find the exercises fairly easy ( though sometimes quite challenging), and we do
climb the mountain ata COMFORTABLE pace and slope. If you always find drills very easy, then you are at
the head of the dass. But see if your friends can pass some of your drills and tests-they may be surprised
at the speed of recognition which is required, whereas YOU ARE BECOMING USED TO IT!

* No homework for now!

THE DAVID L. SURGE EAR-TRAINING LIBRARY
for Higher Musical Awareness
THE RELATIVE PITCH EAR-TRAINING COURSEtm

LEVEL 3
FOOTNOTES
LESSON 18:
--Read before Keynote Drill [18:35]:
*We have three kinds of keynotes: 1) keynotes of individual chords, as on our drills on this
Lesson (Exarnple: F# is the keynote of an F# minor chord); 2) keynote of an entire piece
(Example: a piece is in the key of G major, so G is the keynote of the piece -- the whole piece
gravitates towards the G, which is the "safest base," in the work); 3) keynotes of sections of
music (music can temporarily change key, but after rwming to "first base," "second base," and
"third base," a piece usually returns to its home key - to be discussed later).
*Another name for "keynote" is "tonal center." Another name for "key" is "tonality" {for instance:
F# major tonality or key of F# major).
*On this upcom1g drill, I will sometimes play four or even five tones. It is not a bad mistake if
you don't hear one or two of the tones -- what is important is that you hear the keynote and
the bottom tone (which tells the inversion), and that you can tell major and minar. Even a highly
trained ear could easily miss some tones when they are duplicated in a chord (like having two
F#'s), but t.hey make a fun challcnge for you. i-ccl frcc to backtrack thc tape bcforc I tcll the
answer if you want more time to list.en. Hearing duplicated tones in a chord is further
complicated by the fact that all tones in a chord are not (and should not) necessarily be played
with equal force - welcome to the real musical world! It's extra crcdit when you get these
"extra" tones.
*Follow the instructions step by step. Don't strain yourself by geuing ahead of the instructions.
Take it easy and enjoy!

--Read after completion of Lesson: *Diminished fifth chords can be called "flatted third/flatted
fifth" chords - perhaps a bit too wordy! ·
*Learn the minar sevenths well -- they are a vital part of countless chord structures. The m?
plays an important role in music harmony, as we shall soon hcar.

LESSON 19:
-Read after completion of Lesson:
*It is very tempting to go up an octave and Ülen down a half step to find the M?. Once again,
do your best to learn Üle "real interval."

LESSON 20:
--Read after completion of Lesson:
*After you do your "Star Spangled Banner" assignment, check yourself by playing what you've
written to see if you are correct. ·

LESSON 21:
-Read after completion of Lesson:
*Don't worry if you make mistakes and have to go back to do correction procedures. Error-free
listening is everyone's · goal, but most everyone ·makes a mistake now and then. Yet by striving
for perfection, the mistakes become far less.
*When we do upcoming Lightening Rounds with scale degrees you will f md that your skill with
intervals becomes even further stabilized, which will produce an even greater accuracy wiili your
ear. The feeling of scale degrees is based on the feeling of intervals.
*It is not possible to study every inversion of every kind of chord, not just because we have

• • • ..
only 4 1 Lessons, but because it is not too practical unless you have time to go lhrough
thousands of chords which can be constructed. The key is to be good at your major and
minor inversions so you can unlock more complicated chords.

LESSON 22:
--Read after completion of Lesson:
*Because a tenth is really the third of a chord, and a twelfth is like a fiflh, we do not really
have "tenth chords" or "twelfth chords." But ninths, elevenlhs, and lhirteenths add new tones
to the chord structure, and therefore create new chord sounds--which we will be listening to.

LESSON 23:
--Read before Relative Pitch ldentification Drili [34:45]:
*This is your first complete Relative Pitch drill, because this is lhe first time we are using
our ful l set of intervals. Use only standard spcllings we have learned.

LESSON 24:
--Read after m9 Test:
*If you have any difficulties, just work on your own until you feel cornfortable with lhe m9.

--Read after Dominant Sevenlh Chords (13:50]:

*IMPORTANT: To notate a dominant sevenlh chord, just write a 7 -- the "dominant" is
understood. Examples: an F# dominant sevcnlh chord would be written like this: F#7. It is
usually called just "F#seven." Whenever you hear or see "seven," it means "dominant sevenlh"
UNLESS it is a MINOR seventh chord (F#m7), or a MAJOR seventh chord (F#maj7), or
some other kind of seventh chord is specified. Remember - a "7" B Y ITSELF means
dominant seventh. Also remember: When you're talking about lhe chord, you can just say
"seven" (like F#7; F sharp seven) and people will know you mean dominant seventh. [Note:
The sarne applies to dominant ninth chords (F#9), dominant eleventh chords (F#ll) and
dominant thirteenlh chords (F#l3). Dominant is understood in lhcse cases.]

--Read before Relative Pitch ldentification Drills:

*Watch it -- you have to think fast on these! Spell tritones as aug4 (#4).

--Read when finished Lesson:

*When we do 9th chord Lightening Rounds, your ear will then be able to put the ' M9 and
m9 sounds in a beuer context. This wíll stabilize these sounds for you.

LESSON 25:
--Read before Chords: Sound and Spelling [4:35]
*lt's a good idea to review your chord spellings before starting this one - especially your
augmented and diminished chords.

--Read aftcr completion of Lesson:

*Note for singers: Your sight-singing now has lhe basis for becoming highly refined - ali lhe
interval sounds are in your ear! A good drill for you: Take an unfarniliar vocal score and
slowly sing it, using your knowledge of intervals. Practice will produce more and more fluent
and faster reading - especially later when we have studied our "scale degrees."
*For everyone: Recause you now own all your intervals, you now have a basic Relative Pitch!
We just have to stabilize it, work with it, and refine it to make it Established....
The Relative Pitch
Ear-Training SuperCourse
Virtuoso music instruction by David Lucas Burge

Levei 4 Footnotes

LESSON 26:
-Read after Talk 1:
* Although in theory we can have ANY kind of a chord (9th, lOth, 11 th, etcJ, we would virtually always
spell a "minor 1Oth" chord as a 19 chord, which we will listen to later.
* We never forct the ear, but we do chaUm9t the ear to keep pace with more rigorous Lightning Rounds.
We practice these fast drills easily and effortlessly without straining. And we do them thoroughly.
* Now that you've etched your intervals into your ear in raw form, we will be using different ways of
listening to refine them further-Lightning Rounds with chords, scale degrees, etc-different angles for
different stabilities. Everything is based on these intervals which you now own!

-Read after completion of Lesson 26:

* Although 1 say that Figured Bass terms (used in classical theory training) are better left out of this
Course, 1 do not mean to imply they have no value. The serious musician or music major who studies in
great depth will gain quite an additional comprehension by this type of analysis. Our "Dominant 2"
label comes from the Figured Bass system.

LE.SSON 27: · - ·........ -

.... -~-

-Read after listening to Lesson once through:

* When requested to sing various degrees (the 7th, Sth, 3rd, and root) in the Dominant 7th Drill. Part 1
l50:50l you may have ended up singing them with your Relative Pitch even without actually hearing
them in the chord. This is great.that you found them on your own in this way, but also go back and
relisten so that you actually htar those tones where they are located in the chord.
* Include O major in your scale spellings.

LESSON 28:
-Read after completion of Lesson:
* The Circle of Fifths also tells you the orda of notating sharps and flats on a musical staff when writing
key signatures. ln E major, for instance, you would notate the four sharps on the staff in this order: R, a,
Q,D#.
* When you
.
learn to think. hear, and spell in any key, transposition of songs into other keys is made
mu d l eas1er.1

LESSON 29:
-Read before Lightning Rounds:
* If you have Perfect Pitch, name the speliing and the scale degrees on second Lightning Round [12:20}.

-Read after "Perfect Pitch and Relative Pitch Work~ng Together" (16:15}:
* Transposition skills and the ability to play by ear are the natural results of your Relative Pitch skills.
The clearer you can hear the scale degrees (and later, chord degrees), and the quicker your speed recog-

1
nition of intervals and chords, the better you will be able to improvise, transpose, and play by ear.
Training your ear is the foundation for all these skills-it is irnpossible to be even slightly proficient at
these abilities without having a correspondingly developed EAR Rernernber, however, that these skills
are the natural OUTGROWTH of a good ear-they are natural, but you have to practice thern. Exarnple:
Strength, coordination, and a healthy body are necessary to be a good gyrnnast-but just because you
have these things does not rnean you are autornatically good at gyrnnastics-you still have to PRACTICE
handsprings, rolls, routines on rings, etc. in order to gain proficiency in these areas. ln the sarne way, a
good ear does not rnean that you can automatically transpose, play by ear, etc. You still have to gain
experience in these areas through practice. We say that Relative Pitch becornes a MASTER KEY to these
abilities; once you have the key, you still have to unlock the doors of your choice. The EAR is always the
key-without a good pitch foundation, there is no possibility to unlock rnany musical doors. With the
MASTER KEY of Relative Pitch (and also the MASTER KEY of Perfect Pitchl, huge avenues of musical skills
become accessible-but you still have to explore them yourselfl Yet even without practice, a good ear
can't help but improve ali these areas of rnusicality. Both Perfect Pitch and Relative Pitch have the irre-
pressible tendencies to solidify and ripen all of our musical talents and experiences.

-Read after cornpletion of Lesson:

* See keyboard reference chart for notations of 7th chords.

LESSON 10:
-Read.before Lesson:
* Rernernber, start by saying the degrees of each tone 1 play-then later narne the actual sptllin9s after 1
say ..name."
* Perfect Pitchers should continue to narne scale degrees in addition to actual tones after 1 say "narne"
(added responsibility!).
* Mastery of these drills will also speed your progress with your Color Hearing Technique exercises,
because_you are listening from a new angle..w.hile narning.tht_ çorreq pitches.

LESSON 11:
-Read before Ali Chords Lightning Round [22:35]:
* Watch it! It's easy to confuse dirninished fifth chords with dorninant seventh, and augmented fifth
chords with m/M7 chords. Compare their structures and sounds and you'll see and hear why.

-Read after hearing Lesson once through:

* Rernernber: get through ali drills PERFECTLY before passing Lesson.

LESSON 12:
-Read after completion of Lesson:
* See-all your work with intervals is now paying off. You can learn the chords at lightning speed with
the foundation you have built!
* Don't confuse "dominant chord degrees" with dominant 7th chords. Dominant chord degree simply
means a five chord (V chorcD-any chord built on the fifth degree of the scale. (ln the sarne way a tonic
chord means any chord built on the first degree and a sub-dominant chord means any chord built on
the fourth degree.) A large percentage of the time a dorninant chord (fifth degree chord) will be a dorni-
nant 7th chord structure Chence the sirnilarity between their names), but often times a dominant chord
will simply be major.

2
LESSON ;;:
-Read before Exam:
* If you have Perfect Pitch, just write down what you hear, but in addition listen to the piece and hear it
(and think it throughl in terms of relationships.

-Read after Instructions for Exam Answers [21 :30]:

** Bach answers are on following pages. .
Did you think you heard an E and D together in the right hand? This was not a playing error, but
rather an "'aural illusion" on synthesizer which 1 noticed when listening to the master tape. lhe E in the
left hand produces a high E overtone which is next to the D in the right hand, giving a feeling of two
tones being played together in the right hand. Such aural illusions are common when using synthesizer
due to overtones which are so pronounced.

-Read after completion of Lesson:

* Speed Recognition might not seem at first like a "'perception" (when we are discussing the Eight
Essential Perceptions). Speed Recognition is just the highly refined ability to quickly hear and recognize
intervals, chords, scale degrees, etc. You could have Speed Recognition with intervals, but not absolute
pitch color. Or you could have Speed Recognition with scale degrees, but not some other factor. The rea-
son 1 am calling Speed Recognition a "'perception" is because it is DlFFERENT than the basic "'slower"
perceptions. For instance, recognizing intervals on your Lightning Rounds is quite different than listening
to intervals slowly in order to analyze them. Speed Recognition applies to each of the other seven fac-
tors, but I think it~ wise to list it as a separate consideration.

C1981-1999 by David Lucas Burgc

3
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THE DAVID L. SURGE EAR-TRAINING LIBRARY
for Higher Musical Awareness
•
THE RELATIVE PITCH EAR-TRAINING COURSEtm

LEVEL 5
FOOTNOTES
LESSON 34:
-Read after completion of Lesson: ·
*Be sure to sit awhile and sing the chord centers before you go back to listen for them. Just get
the basic feel of the flowl

LESSON 35:
--Read after Lesson:
*The suspended 4th chord usually does not contain a major third because the fourlh replaces iL
However, you can include the third wilh the fourth if you wanl.

LESSON 36:
-Read after completion of Lesson:
*Major anel minor sixth add nine chords are usually just callcd "major six/nine" and "minor
six/nine" chords. *As with major scales, melodies in a minar key tend to stay in the minor scale
framework, wilh occasional deviations outside the scale which tend to come right back to lhe
minor scale degrees -- an important note for listening purposes.

LESSON 37:
-Read before Lightening Rounds: *Remember to try each chord Lightening Round at full speed
the first time. Then - for your homework - study lhe sounds by stopping and taking more time
wilh lhe chords. Work lhe drills through until you can pass thcm at full specd perfectly. (Sarne
wilh upcoming Lessons) '
*For Perfect Pitchers: Name the actual chord, for instance E9,F#6/9, etc. Use your ear!

-Read after completion of Lesson:

*For additional chord confidence, pass chord Lightening Rounds perfectly and then come back to
them in a week or so and reword them through again. It will add anolher good layer or two of
listening!

ANSWERS TO MINOR SCALE SPELLINGS (assignment from Lesson 36)

Remember: To find out the relative minor for any major key, just go down a minor third.

Here are ali the major keys, wilh lheir relative minor keys and minor scale spellings. Look at the
answers to lhe first one or two. lf you do no t get lhem correct, go back and review the ta1ks on
minor scales on Lesson 36, lhen try again. When you make any errors, make sure you understand
why the follow ing spellings are correct (review Lesson 36 as necessary). Special note: Remember
to use your natural sign when necessary. When do you need it? (Review talks on Lesson 36.)

H = HARMONIC MINOR SCALE M = MELODIC MINOR SCALE

C MAJOR/A MINOR:
Am (H) = A, B, C, D, E, F, G#, A
(M) = A, B, e. D, E, F#, G#, A. G, F, E, D, e. B, A
 LESSON 38:
--Read before actually starting minor scale degree drill (9: 15):
*Even though we say "lowered fifth degree," we still write it as b5. ''Raised fourth" is #4.
Sarne wilh "lowered lhird degree" (b3), etc.
*Remember to choose between b5 and #4, and between b2 and #1 when you hear them.
Choose the scale degree so it ends up in "stepwise motion." (Note: Stepwise labels do not
have to be observed when going back and forlh between b3 and 3, b6 and 6, and b7 and 7,
bccause we are just moving freely between minor to major degrees.)

--Read before 9th and 6th Chords Lightening Round [22:05]:

*Listening Technique: To distinguish "add 9" chords from other 9th chords, listen for the
missing 7lh.

--Read before llth Chords Lightening Round [36:35}:

• An "add 11" chord could also be called a suspended 4th chord -- it depends on how you
want to look at it. But whenever a seventh is also present, lhe chord is definitely some kind
of lllh chord.
*Be sure you always include a minor third in your ml 1 chords -- otherwise · you will have a
domll sound. You can eliminate the third in lhe domll (and other llths as well), but you
must have the minor lhird in a ml 1 chord -- otherwise it isn 't minor! (Be careful when
listening as well! Listen for lhe third. You don't have to zoom in on lhe lhird. Just sense
whelher or not lhe chord has a minor quality -- that's the way to unlock lhe third wilh speed
recognition.)

LESSON 39:
--Read while working on cadences:
*Of course, musical phrases do not have to end with the cadences (final progressions) that we
l .-, are studying. The composer is free to end phrases wilh ANY chords as he or she chooses.
But lhese chord formulas are common, and when you become fanúliar with them by ear lhey
will significantly improve your Relative Pitch. They are like sounds in a foreign language
which you learn to put togelher to understand as one word.
--Read before drill on chord progressions [26:35}:
*Do not start lhis drill until you have listened enough to the explanations of all the cadences
and olher items on lhis Lesson and have also experimented with their sounds by playing them
for some time.
*Listen carefully to five chords to determine if they are just plain "five" chords, or "five-
seven" chords -- V7 (a fiflh degree chord that is also a dominant seventh).
*When writing your chord degree answers (progressions) on paper, use Roman Numerais -- see
your keyboard chart.

--Read while studying 13lh chords:

*Remember, even though the chords we are listening to have the 13th on top, lhat 13th could
be voiced elsewhere wilhin the chord, with any other tone on top.

LESSON 40:
--Read after "How to Label Any Chord" (1:00):
*The obscure chords which I mentioned would be notated like lhis:
Chord: C, F#, B Notation: C/#4M7 (Put / after C to make sure chord is read as C #4
rather than C# 4.)
Chord: C, F, Db Notation: C4b9
Just spell out lhe intervals of lhe chord from lhe root if you cannot classify a chord any other
way.

Here are some other examples. What would call these chords? Refer to your reference chart
if you need help with notation. (Write out answers in space provided, then check answers
below. Don't worry if you make mistakes-just understand lhe answers. Tum off tape and
spend some time here without rushing-these are BRAIN TEASERS!)

WRI1E ANSWERS HERE

Example: D, F#, A, C# Dmaj7
1.) C, E, G, Bb, Db, A
2.) C, E, G#, Bb, D
3.) G, Bb, D, F#, A
4.) A, C#, Eb, G, B#
5.) C, Gb, B
Unscramble and label:
6.) Eb, Bbb, C, Gb
7.) E, B, D, G#, C
8.) F#, D, A, E#

REMEMBER, CHORO LABELING IS NOT A STRICT SCIENCE! Do not try to pin down
exact and precise labels for all chords, and do not worry about small variations or
inconsistencies. Use your own imagination and judgment!

ANSWERS:
1.) Cl3b9, C lhirteen Flat Nine (Dominant 13 Flat Nine Chord)
2.) C9#5, C Augrnented Dominant Ninth (C° Nine Sharp Five Chord)
3.) Gm/M9, G Minor/Major Ninth
4.) A 7#9b5, A Seven Sharp Nine Flat Five [7 means Dominam here]
5.) Cb5M7, C Aat Five Major Seven
6.) Cdim7, C Diminished Seven
7.) E7b13 , E Seven Flat Thirteenth [7 mcans Dominant here]
8.) Dadd#9, D Add Sharp Nine
See, chord labeling is really not so hard, but it can be a little tricky. Just use your sense
of logic, but don' t try to be TOO intellectual. 1 think you have the hang of it

-Read before drills [8:50]:

*Perfect Pitchers name tones plus name intervals involved--it will give you something extra
to do!
*For everyone: Be sure to spell chords from the bottom tone in "stepwise" fashion.
Remember--two adjacent tones should be spelled with two different letter names whenever
possible. Also, whenever possible, avoid spellings which result in theoretical intervals. The
spellings given in drills are the most logical for each example. If you spell a tone
enharmonically, figure out why 1 chose a different spelling of that tone. (Also: Take your
time and listen to each example as much as you like bcfore hearing answer.)

LESSON 41:
--Read after Exam answers:
*Also: There is a short melody in the right hand that goes from E, down to B, and up to
C. This occurs during the Fmaj9 chord.

. -
 Am (H) =A, B, e, O, E, F, GI A
(M) =A, B, C, O, E, FI GI, A, G, F, E, O, C, B, A
Q MAJOR/ AIMINOR:
Alm (H) = AI. BI, Q, OI, EJ, FI. Gx, AI
(M) =AI. BI. Q, OI, EI, Fx, Gx, AI. GI, FI, EI, OI, CI, BI, AI

mMAJOR I mMINOR:
B~m (H) =m, C, O~, EJ., F, G~, A~, m
(M) =B~. e, ~. FJ,, F, G~. A~~. m. Al.. G~. F, FJ,, m. e, m
O MAJOR I B MINOR:
=
Bm (H) B, CI, O, E, FI, G, AI, B
(M) =B, Q, O, E, FI. GI, AI. 8, A, G, FI, E, O, CI, B

FJ, MAJOR/ C MINOR:

Cm (H) =C, O, f.l., F, G, M, B~. C
(M) = C, O, FJ., F, G, A~, B~. C, B~, A~. G, F, E!., D, C

E MAJOR/ CI MINOR:
Clm (H) =CI, OI. E, FI. GI, A, BI, C1
(M) =CI, DI, E, FI, GI, AI, BI, q, B, A, GI, FI, E, OI, q

F MAJOR/ O MINOR:
Om (H) = O, E, F, G, A, B~. CI, O
(M) = O, E, F, G, A, B~. CI, O, C, B~. A, G, F, E, D

FI MAJOR/ OI MINOR:
Olm (H) = OI, EI, FI, GI, AI. B, Cx, OI
(M) = OI, EI, FI, GI, AI. BI, Cx, OI, CI, B, AI, GI, FI, EJ, OI
• 4 • • .. ~ ~............~ ·-~~~·--
G~ MAJOR/ Elo MINOR:
E~m (H) = E~. F, G~. Al., m, O, m. E~
(M) = E~. F, G~, Al., B~. C\, Oq, E!., D~. d, m, AI., G~. F, E!.

G MAJOR I E MINOR:
Em (H ) = E, FI, G, A, B, C, OI, E
(M) = E, FI, G, A, B, Q, DI, E, O, C, B, A, G, FI, E

AI. MAJOR! F MINOR:

Fm (H) = F, G, ~. B~. C, ~. E\, F
=
(M) F, G, Al., B~. C, O~. E~. F, FJ., ~. C, B~. AI., G, F

A MAJOR / FI MINOR:
Fim (H) = FI. GI, A, B, CI, D, EI, FI
(M) = FI, GI, A, B, q, DI, EJ, FI, F., O, q, B, A, GI, FI

B~MAJOR / G MINOR:
Gm (H) = G, A, m, e, D, E~. FI. G
(M) = G, A, m, e, o, E~. FI, G, F, E!., D, e, B~. A, G

B MAJOR/ GI MINOR:
Gim (H) = GI, AI, B, q, OI, E, Fx, GI
OO=~Al.B.aDl.U~~~E.Dl.~B.Al,GI

C~MAJOR/ A~MINOR:
A~m (H) =A~, B~. d, O~. B, ~. G~, AI.
(M) = AI., B~. d, m, FJ,, F~, Gq, M, G~. ~. E!.. m. d, m, AI.

.
1 ----------- . ~ ......
THE DAVID L. BURGE EAR-TRAINING LIBRARY for Higher Musical Awareness
THE RELATIVE PITCH EAR-TRAINING COURSE™
Remember: The knowledge of these items is only part of the development of RELATIVE PITCH.
More important is the ability to recognize all these musical structures BY EAR! When the mind
catalogs the sounds that the ear hears, then we have established RELATIVE PITCH.
C# DI F# G# AI
Db E b Gb Ab 81>

B e D E F G A
Cb BI F I> E#

SIGNS: INTERVALS: SCALE DEGREES:

P1 = Perfect Unison 1

-b
q
= Sharp

= Flat
m2
M2
m3
M3
-= Major
Minor Second
Second
= MinorThird
= MajorThird
2

3
~2

~3

= Natural
P4 = Perfect Fourth 4
X
= Double Sharp aug4, +4 = Diminished Fifth . - (Flat Five)
Augmented Fourth #4 (Sharp Four)
-- dim5, -5 = ~-. ~5
bb - Double Flat PS = Perf ect Fif th 5
m6 = Maj or Sixth
Minor Sixth ~6
M6
m7
=
- Major Seventh
Minor Seventh
6
~7
M7 = Perfect Octave 7
P8 = Augmented Octave 8
INTERVAL NOTATION:
aug8 = Minor Ninth #8
M =Major
m9 = Major Ninth ~9

m = Minor
M9 = Perfect Eleventh 9
P = Perfect
P11 = Augmented Eleventh #11 (Sharp Eleven)
11

-= Minor
aug11
aug, + = Augmented m13 Thirteenth ~13
dim, - =
Diminished M13 = Major Thirteenth 13

CHORO DEGREES:
1 = One Chord (Tonic)
li =
Two Chord
Ili =
Three Chord
IV =
Four Chord (Subdominant)
V =
Five Chord (Dominant)
V7 = Five-Seven Chord (Dominant Seventh Five Chord)
VI = Six Chord
bVI = Lowered Six Chord
VII = Seven Chord
bVll =
Lowered Seven Chord
Reference chart for The Relatlve Pltch Ear-T ralnlng Course'" © 1986, 1992 by David L. Burge. Audio cassettes distributed by American
Educational Music Publications, lnc., Music Resources Building, 1106 E. Burlington, Fairfield, IA 52556. FAX: (515) 472-2700; Tel.: (515) 472-3100
ICHORDSI
SYMBOL NAME FORMULA EXAMPLE
M, maj Major 1, 3, 5 C# (major is understood)
m Minor 1,b3,5 C#m
aug, + Augmented 1, 3, #5 C#aug, Cl/#5 , C# +
dim, o Diminished 1,b3, b5 C#dim,C#O
7 Dominant Seventh 1, 3, 5, b7 C#7 (dominant understood)
M7, maj7 Major Seventh 1, 3, 5, 7 C#M7, C#maj7
m7 Minor Seventh 1, b3, 5, b7 C#m7
n5 Dominant Seventh Flat Five 1, 3, b5, b7 C#7b5
7#5 Augmented Dominant Seventh, or 1, 3, #5, b7 C#7#5
Dominant Seventh Sharp Five
m/M7J m/maj7 Minor/Major Seventh 1, b3, 5, 7 C#m/M7, C#m/maj7
m7b5 Diminished Minor Seventh, or 1, b3, b5, b7 C#m7b5
Minor Seventh Flat Five, or
Hall Diminished Seventh
dim7 Diminished Seventh 1, b3,b5, bb7 C#dim7
sus, sus4 Suspended, Suspended Fourth 1, 4, 5 [3 optional) C#sus, C#sus4
msus, msus4 Minor Suspended, Minor Suspended Fourth 1
1, b3, 4, 5 C#msus, C#msus4
6 [or M6] Sixth [or Major Sixth] 1, 3, 5, 6 C#6
m6 Minor Sixth 1, b3, 5, 6 C#m6
6/9 [or] Six/Nine, or 1, 3, 5, 6, 9 C#6/9
6add9 Sixth Add Ninth C#6add9
m6/9 [or] Minor Six/Nine, or 1, b3,5,6,9 C#m6/9
m6add9 Minor Sixth Add Ninth C#m6add9
add9 Add Nine 1, 3, 5, 9 C#add9
madd9 Minor Add Nine 1, b3, 5, 9 C#madd9
M9, maj9 Major Ninth 1,3,5, 7,9 C#M9, C#maj9
m9 Minor Ninth . 1, b3, 5, b7' 9 C#m9
9 Dominant Ninth 1,3,5,b7,9 C#9
7#9 Dominant Sharp Nine 1, 3, 5,b7, #9 C#7#9
7b9 Dominant Flat Nine 1, 3, 5, b7, b9 C#7b9
m11 Minor Eleventh 1, b3, 5, b7, (9 op), 11 C#m11
11 Dominant Eleventh 1, (3 op), 5, b7, (9 op), 11 C#11
7#11 Dominant Sharp Eleven 1, (3 op), 5, b7, (9 op), #11 C#7#11
maj#11 [or] Major Sharp Eleven, or 1, (3 op), 5, 7, (9 op), #11 C#maj#11
maj7#11 Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh C#maj7#11
maj13 Major Thirteenth 1, (3 op), 5, 7, (9 op), (11 op), 13 C#maj13
m13 Minor Thirteenth 1, b3, 5, b7, (9 op), (11 op), 13 C#m13
13 Dominant Thirteenth 1, (3 op), 5, b7, (9 op), (11op),13 C#13