“Listen!” yells the conductor as the students struggle to find the right pitch. It’s true; listening is important, but what exactly do we listen to? Do our students know what we mean when we tell them to listen? Do we even know?
I was lucky enough to grow up taking private lessons from some great teachers who taught me well. By the time I got to college, I was already a proficient violinist and musician but I lacked confidence. Despite my professors telling me that I played exceptionally well in tune, I didn’t even feel certain I could tune my own instrument correctly. One professor asked me if I could hear the beats when things were out of tune and I felt humiliated because I had no idea what he was talking about. He kept telling me to listen for the beats, and I couldn’t hear it. I had taken years of private lessons and played in lots of orchestras but no one had ever taught me what to listen for.
That’s not entirely true. My teachers actually taught me quite a lot about intonation and what to listen for, but they never made it fully explicit. I learned by playing and getting feedback when things weren’t quite right, like most people. I knew what to listen for; I just didn’t know that I knew.
That’s what we can do better for our students. Yes, they can learn what “in tune” sounds like through experience and trial and error, but some students won’t figure it out on their own. Some students will, but it will take years before they figure it out. If we explicitly, intentionally teach students what they need to listen for, they will start playing in tune earlier and more consistently.
Talk About Sound
To understand what to listen for, students have to have a basic knowledge of sound. At the beginning of every year, I teach a lesson about sound waves and a little bit of the physics that goes along with that. We talk about the vocabulary associated with sound waves and what it all means, like wavelength, Hz, and amplitude. My students need to know this vocabulary for when we start tuning our instruments and looking at a tuner. They need to understand what A440 means and how to adjust their tuner for that. They should know a little bit about harmonics and how they interact. They should know what “beats” are and why they happen.
Just knowing a few basic concepts about sound can be game changing for students. My first year teaching high school, I taught this lesson to my orchestra and I had one student that was so interested that he went to his physics class and started his own experiments to see how slightly different pitches interacted. He created some audio clips that he sent to me and I still use with my classes every year. (Thanks, Caleb!)
Teach Students What “In Tune” Sounds Like
Explaining the physics of sound is only the first step. Students need to hear and experience sound waves in action, starting with what it sounds like to match a unison pitch. Start with ear training first before trying to match pitch with their instrument. Actually playing and manipulating pitches adds a whole new level of difficulty. Allow students to listen and experience the sound before they have to recreate it on their instrument. By doing ear training exercises first, you’ll start to see which students already know what to listen for and which students need extra time and practice.
I’ve found with my own students that sometimes just explicitly explaining a concept will often result in immediate improvement. For example, most students have a tendency to tune flat. They’ll bring the pitch up just high enough to be in the right pitch range and then stop. Just pointing this out to my students immediately improves the problem. I tell them they need to keep going, keep adjusting the pitch until their pitch disappears into the reference pitch. I have them listen to me adjusting a pitch and they tell me when they think it’s in tune. Within a short amount of time, most students are able to match a pitch accurately.
I love these “quick fixes” because they work and they keep working. Yes, some things take years of practice and ear training, but sometimes the students just need to grasp a concept. We could let them figure it out by trial and error over years of playing, or we can explain it once or twice for the same (if not better) results.
Listen to Recordings
Get students listening to high-quality recordings, the more, the better. They need to experience what “in tune” sounds like over and over again so they know what they’re trying to recreate. I always try to provide at least one professional recording of each one of our ensemble pieces for my students to listen to, and I try to make sure they can easily access those recordings on their own so they can use them in their practice.
We also need to listen to recordings with our students and help them to listen more actively. We are inundated with music in our society. It’s everywhere, from the movie theater to the grocery store. While music plays such an integral part of our culture, it’s often used as background or filler. Many students never actively listen to music. When we listen to music in our classes, we need to discuss it with our students and help them to listen in a new way. Point out the things the performers do well. Talk about what things you want to imitate in your own performance. Compare and contrast different recordings of the same piece. Even better, record your ensemble and compare and contrast that with a professional recording.
You Can Do This!
If you lack confidence in your own ability to tune and listen, you’re not alone! I’ve been there. I still don’t always trust myself to tune correctly, but I know from experience that you can get better. My perception of pitch and intonation continues to evolve and refine. As you do ear training exercises with your students, your own listening will improve.
Next time you tell your students to listen, ask yourself if they know what to listen for. Even better, ask your students if they know and see what their responses are. When you find the gaps in their understanding, take the time to teach them explicitly and intentionally. It will make a world of difference.