Active vs Passive Listening Skills
Hey, fellow guitar enthusiasts! How you listen to music can significantly impact how quickly you improve your guitar skills. Active listening is a skill that requires practice. It will elevate your ability to understand music on a deeper level and make it more enjoyable to play with other musicians. Your capacity to interact with them will be a cut above everybody else.
Most people listen to music on a very surface level. It's a soundtrack to their daily activities, making everything they do more enjoyable. And there's nothing wrong with listening to music this way, but it will not help improve your skills.
In this video, you will learn the different levels of listening. By actively engaging with the music, you will understand it on a deeper level and get a clearer picture of how to improve your music abilities in the process.
Level 1
The first step of active listening is to set aside dedicated time for it. Just listen—no distractions, no multitasking. If needed, close your eyes to eliminate distractions. Using a good set of headphones or speakers with a broader range of frequencies will help you hear more effectively.
The first time through, focus on listening. Are there any parts that stand out to you? Do any riffs catch your ear? Does the vocal melody have a hook? It's okay if you notice these things, but don’t take any notes the first time through. You can repeat this step a few times.
Take note of anything that stands out the second and third time through. You should hear more each time you listen without distractions.
Level 2
For this level, you want to concentrate on one instrument during active listening. Imagine having a mental mixing board where you can lower the volume of all the other instruments and raise the volume of just one. If you play the guitar, start by listening to the guitar parts. Can you hear the electric guitar, acoustic guitar, or multiple-layered guitar parts?
Does it sound like the guitar player's using effects?
Are they strumming, playing riffs, or mostly single-note lead lines?
If it is instrumental music, like Andy Timmons or Joe Satriani, they fill the role that a vocalist would typically play in a band.
You can also include observations on the rhythms and dynamics being played.
Write down everything you can about what that one instrument is doing.
Now, select another instrument and repeat the process. Continue until you've identified as many elements as possible in the recording.
Level 3
Make a simple chart of the song. All you need at this point is a rough outline.
If it's a pop song, is there an intro, or does it start with a chorus or a verse? A stereotypical pop song structure is intro - verse – chorus - verse – chorus - maybe a bridge - and then a double chorus, and then out.
If you are listening to a blues song, is it your typical 12-bar blues? Is it an eight-bar blues, or did they extend it to 16 bars?
When do things repeat?
How many times does the form repeat for each section?
Does every verse have the same amount of lines?
Listening to music like this will help you learn songs much faster.
Level 4
This level might be challenging for some individuals if they have not trained their ears.
Can you write out the main rhythm of one of the instruments playing?
Can you identify the chord progression being played without picking up your instrument? You don't have to determine the key, as that requires perfect pitch, which most people do not have. However, everyone can develop relative pitch, which enables you to hear a song and recognize if it's a 12-bar blues, an I V iv IV pop progression, or a vi IV I V.
Once you find the starting note, you'll be able to play all the chords on your guitar. You should work on developing this skill over time because it makes playing easier and much more fun. It also helps you interact with music and other musicians on a much deeper level. If you have a trained ear, you can also fill in this information.
Sample Outline
Here is a sample outline for the song Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor.
This is a song that most people are familiar with. The music from the 70s and 80s tends to have more variations than most modern music, where every verse and every chorus is exactly the same.
Intro
Guitar 1 plays 16th notes alone for four measures, then keeps playing the same part.
Guitar 2 plays the main riff 2x starting in measure three, then switches to the second riff 2x
The bass is playing steady quarter notes
The Drummer accents, along with the riffs
Verse
Guitar 1 Continues to play 16th notes
No Guitar 2
Piano plays held chords
Bass play quarters and end riff
Simple drum pattern
Vocals
Chorus 1
Guitar’s play held chords and a riff
Bass
Simple drum pattern with accents and fills
Vocals
Interlude
Two measures
Guitar, I play 16th notes
Bass
Drums
Verse 2
No Piano
Harmony Guitar Line
Bass
Drum
Vocal
Chorus 2
Guitars held chords and end riff
Bass
Drums
Vocal
Interlude
Four measures
Guitar 1 plays 16th notes
Bass
Drums
Verse 3
No Guitar for the first half
Piano held chords like verse 1
Bass
Drums
Vocals
The guitar plays 16th notes in the second half
Chorus 3
Guitar plays held notes and end riff
Bass
Drums with accents and fills
Vocals: Hold the last note one extra measure
Interlude
Four measures
Guitar 16th note pattern
Bass
Drums
Outro
Guitar riff 1 2 x
Guitar riff two until the fade
A New Synth part comes in
Bass
Drums
Vocal Tag
This is a somewhat detailed outline. You can add a lot more information. Add as many details as you can.
The more you do this, the more detailed your outline will become. You will listen to music on a deeper level, whether doing it for fun at home, out enjoying a concert, playing with other people, or working on a new piece you want to play.
Exercises like this will enhance your ability to play the correct part and interact with other musicians. When you play with others, you want to have a musical conversation, and the ability to do this comes from active listening.
Having a better understanding of rhythm will not only improve your active listening skills but it'll also boost your creativity. Understanding and mastering timekeeping will help you write better riffs, strum patterns, and lead lines. Being able to generate rhythmic variations will add interest to your playing and to the songs you create. If you want to develop professional-level rhythm skills, even if you only play for fun, I highly recommend my course, Ultimate Rhythm Mastery. Ultimate Rhythm Mastery isn't a book. It's a comprehensive video course that will take you from the most basic to advanced rhythms. It covers everything you need to know about rhythms, time signatures, and how to unleash your creativity through these musical elements. You will learn how to apply each concept to the guitar in a practical way, and it will guide you through each step and demonstrate how to effectively practice the material for maximum progress. All the concepts are reinforced through exercises, ensuring you know exactly how to apply them. Click this link to learn more about Ultimate Rhythm Mastery.