"You Bring the Devil" Ear Training and Song Analysis
Added 2025-04-28 17:23:19 +0000 UTCWhere to Start • Lesson Archive • Recommended Lesson Plan • Book a Private Lesson
Hi Everyone,
I'm trying something new. I'm taking songs that YOU request and running them through a process:
First, I'll walk through my approach to figuring out the song by ear, one step at a time.
I'll start by figuring out general things - like what notes are going on in the bassline and melody - and from there I'll show you how to narrow down to the most likely keys. Then we'll figure out the chords and how they interact with the melody and bassline. From there, I'll give a roman numeral analysis and talk about any other cool or weird theory quirks about the song.
My hope is that by showing you my raw process, you might learn how to develop your own ear and gradually get better at this kind of ear training stuff. The benefits of developing your ear are pretty intense. Not needing TABs or sheet music is pretty great. Developing your ear cuts down on practice time. Over time, as you develop your ear, you'll have an easier time writing because you'll be able to play whats in your head, too.
If you think I could focus more on any aspect of the next song, let me know!
For example, I could spend more time on:
• the arrangement of the song (Intro-Verse-Chorus etc)
• analyzing the melody of the song
• specific chord voicings and fingering
POST A SONG YOU'D LIKE ME TO RUN THROUGH THIS PROCESS
Other helpful links: • Scott's Recommended Lesson Plan • Searchable Lesson Archive • How to Join the Community Forum • Scott's Jam Tracks • Scott's Main YouTube Channel
Comments
Excellent breakdown Scott! could you do the same for the Elton John tune "Captain Fantastic and the Dirt Brown Cowboy"? thanks
Alex McKenzie
2025-05-01 02:16:40 +0000 UTCI really enjoyed this! For another stripped down song you could try ERR's Blooms of Oblivion https://emmaruthrundle.bandcamp.com/track/blooms-of-oblivion
Weezley
2025-04-30 13:35:43 +0000 UTCThank you for doing this and this song. It is one of my favorites. The whole album is great. Your dissection and analysis was inspiring and illuminating. I really love how "sparse" this song is while still being very evocative. It is something I aspire to in my own compositions.
Jeff Sanders
2025-04-29 13:16:40 +0000 UTCI think hell yeah
Lauren Wise
2025-04-29 03:11:33 +0000 UTCAnother Horsedreamer’s Blues by Counting Crows would be cool
Matthew Haid
2025-04-29 01:12:15 +0000 UTCThis is very helpful. Seeing the diagrams of the chords and their places in the scale! Yes. Thank you.
Randy Black
2025-04-28 21:43:04 +0000 UTCI just filmed two more of these and I'm starting to feel like I could easily post one every Monday for a while - seems like a really good way to make sure my Patrons see how music theory applies to the songs you like. What do you think?
Scott Paul Johnson
2025-04-28 21:00:53 +0000 UTC'The Wreck of the old 97' by Johnny Cash. The live version played at San Quentin 1969 is the better version.
Pablo Marques
2025-04-28 19:04:55 +0000 UTCThis is great! Can you do Beware Of Darkness by George Harrison?
Ziggy Funkdust
2025-04-28 17:55:20 +0000 UTCCool .. interesting song. How about “shell of a man” saya gray
Erin
2025-04-28 17:54:36 +0000 UTC
