Wake Up Drill (transcribed by ear)

Free Ear Training Tip!

Try this fun and simple exercise to sharpen your ear: Take a ringtone you know well and transcribe it by ear—see how close you can get!

Steps to Try:

1️⃣ Write it out first – Without using your instrument or any pitch reference, jot down what you hear.

2️⃣ Focus on relative movement – Think about the melody’s shape without worrying about the key yet.

3️⃣ Find a tonal center – Use an acoustic instrument, a music app, or another tool to establish the home pitch.

4️⃣ Determine the key – Once you have the tonal center, figure out the key to place your melody in the correct context.

5️⃣ Map it out with solfège or scale degrees – Convert your notes into the major scale system to organize your transcription.

🎶 Bonus Tip: If the pitches feel tricky, start by figuring out the rhythm first!

For my own attempt, I imagined the ringtone as a two-piano piece for children—one piano playing the treble clef, the other handling the bass. Try it out and let me know how it goes! 🎵

If you happen to have perfect pitch just skip to step five🤣