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I previously introduced the saying, "The ear master is the true master," in the early part of the column.
It means that having an ear capable of distinguishing and judging sound is as important as the ability to produce good sound when singing well.
So, is a good ear something one is born with, or can it be developed through training?
Listening to a lot of music is different from listening to music well. Even with the same song, some people only remember the melody, while others hear subtle changes in pitch, rhythm, breath placement, and even how notes are connected and separated. The ability to recognize these differences can be developed through conscious training.
A well-trained ear establishes the standard for singing. This is because it allows one to specifically judge what is accurate and what is lacking, not only in other singers' performances but also in one's own recordings. This directly relates to practice efficiency. It is more effective to practice knowing where corrections are needed than to repeatedly sing without identifying problems. It also helps with vocal management by reducing unnecessary repetitive vocalization.
One method of training the ear is doubling, which involves singing over the original track. First, listen to the original track sufficiently to learn the melody, rhythm, and phrasing, then sing as closely as possible to the audio file (AR) that includes the singer's voice. The key is not simple imitation, but hearing the differences that arise between the original track and one's own sound.
If the pitches of the two sounds are out of alignment, a subtle discrepancy can be felt. Hearing this and adjusting the pitch becomes a training exercise for refining pitch sensitivity. Initially, it is best to repeat short sections of one or two bars at a time to improve accuracy.
Particular attention should be paid to the beginning and end of notes. Even when singing the same pitch, differences in the length of vowel sustention, the moment consonants are processed, and where the final sound is cut can change the rhythm and impression of the song. Practicing to match even the length of the final sounds with the original track is effective for refining phrasing. The completeness of a vocal performance is revealed not only by how powerfully high notes are produced, but also in these detailed treatments.
Once accustomed to doubling, sing alone to an MR (minus one) accompaniment that lacks the singer's voice. Pitch and rhythm that felt natural when following the original track may waver when only the accompaniment remains. Record one's own singing, compare it with the original track, identify sections with discrepancies, and make corrections.
The final step is a process of checking whether one can sing independently without the aid of the original track or accompaniment. Verify whether pitch, rhythm, and phrasing can be maintained stably even in an a cappella state. Start by attempting short sections, and re-check any wavering parts using the original track and accompaniment again. This is the stage where one fully implements what has been learned through repeated cycles of listening, singing, comparing, and correcting.
The results of such training do not end with accurately singing a single song. One begins to discover differences in expression when listening to other singers' songs, and standards for judgment are established when monitoring one's own singing. However, reproducing the original track exactly is not the ultimate goal. After going through the process of listening sufficiently and reproducing, one must be able to interpret and express the song in a way that suits oneself.
In vocal practice, it is easy to use how long and how much one sings as the standard for diligence. However, the quantity of repetition does not necessarily guarantee improvement in skill. What matters is what one listens to and what one corrects while singing. The reason the ear master creates the true master is that a well-trained ear does not make one sing more, but enables one to practice more accurately.
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
