Tips for Improving Chord Recognition: How Do You Train Your Ears?

[michaelarrington]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been practicing chord recognition with EarMaster, and while I’m starting to identify major and minor chords more confidently, I still struggle with more complex chords like diminished, augmented, or extended jazz chords. Sometimes they sound too similar, and I get stuck guessing instead of really hearing the difference.

My questions for the community:

• What exercises or routines helped you distinguish tricky chords more effectively?

• Do you recommend focusing on intervals first and then building up to full chords, or practicing chords directly?

• How do you incorporate EarMaster into your daily practice so that recognition becomes more natural and musical rather than just a test?

I’d love to hear your tips, personal stories, or even recommended resources. I think many learners (including me!) would benefit from hearing how others overcame this stage of ear training.

Looking forward to your advice and experiences!

[esconfuse]

Hey! I struggled with extended jazz chords for a while too. One thing that really helped was breaking chords into smaller pieces—listen for the 3rd and 7th first, then try to hear the extensions. That way, your ear gets clues instead of guessing blindly.