Benefits of having BigEars

Ear training will improve your ability to transcribe, improvise and compose. BigEars is simple but powerful ear training software that includes the basics as well as advanced harmony making it an excellent choice for learning jazz chords.

Content area

Beginning ear training students can drill on intervals and triads using the program in evaluation mode. An activation key is required to access the remaining ear training modules which includes:

Scales - all modes of the major, harmonic minor and melodic minor scales and four symmetric scales
Seventh chords - all inversions with root note in bass optional
Ninth chords
Dominant chords - suspended chords, 9th and 13th chords and altered dominants

Accurate voicings..like a piano player would actually use!

Chords are more than mathematical constructs of intervals -- they have to be voiced right to sound good. BigEars voices triads, seventh chords and ninth chords the way a piano player would actually play them. Triads are played in root position and inverted with closed and open voicings. Chords with extended harmonies are voiced using shells -- 3rd and 7th in one hand and 5th and 9th in the other.

Voicing samples

C7 #9#5

Bmin9 b5

Ab7 sus

Eb7 #9#5

Focus on the areas where you need to work the most

BigEars allows you to choose the content you want to work on. You control the parameters affecting the difficulty of the problems. Within each of the ear training modules you can specify precisely which sounds you want to hear.

Try before you buy

You are welcome to download BigEars. The program will run in evaluation mode until you purchase an activation key. In evaluation mode only the Intervals and Triads modules are accessible.

Ear Training Modules

Intervals

Played ascending and descending, harmonically or melodically.

Minor 2nd, Major 2nd, Minor 3rd, Major 3rd, Perfect 4th, Augmented 4th/Dim 5th, Perfect 5th, Minor 6h, Major 6th, Minor 7th, Major 7th, Octave

Scales

Played ascending or descending

Major Scale and Modes: Major, Dorian, Phyrgian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian

Harmonic Minor Scale and Modes: Harmonic Minor, Locrian #6, Ionian #5, Dorian b5, Phrygian Dominant, Major #9 #11, Altered Diminished

Melodic Minor Scale and Modes: Melodic Minor, Phygian #6, Lydian Augmented, Lydian Dominant, Mixolydian b13, Locrian #2, Altered or Diminished-Whole Tone Scale

Symmetric Scales: Diminished WH, Diminished HW, Augmented, Whole Tone

Triads

Played in all inversions with open and close voicings

Major, Minor, Augmented and Diminished. All inversions; open and close voicings.

Seventh Chords

All inversions. Optionally played without root in bass.

Major 7th, Dominant 7th, Dominant 7 sus4, Minor 7th, Minor 7 b5, Diminished 7th, Major 7 b5, Major 7 #5, Dominant 7 b5, Dominant 7 #5, Minor-Major 7th, Diminished-Major 7th

Ninth Chords

All inversions.

Major 9, Major 6 9, Major 9 b5, Major 9 #5, Dominant 9, Dominant 9 sus4, Dominant 9 b5, Dominant 9 #5, Minor 9, Minor-Major 7 9, Minor 6 9, Minor 9 b5

Dominant Chords

All inversions

Dominant 9, Dominant 9 sus4, Dominant 9 b5, Dominant 9 #5, Dominant 7 b9, Dominant 7 #9, Dominant 7sus4 b9, Dominant 7 b9b5, Dominant 7 b9#5, Dominant 7 #9b5, Dominant 7 #9#5, Dominant 13, Dominant 13 b9, Dominant 13 #9

Flat 5 Software

Ear Training Software