Functional Ear Trainer
July 18, 2024
More About Functional Ear Trainer
It is so important for a musician to know what you are hearing. A good musical ear helps when you are composing, improvising, transcribing melodies, or playing with others.
Most likely you have already tried different programs to learn to recognize intervals or even to acquire perfect pitch. However, although such programs develop your ear, but can you actually play any melody you hear as soon as you listen to it?
Imagine you could understand music… It is like when somebody is talking to you, you not only hear pleasant sounds, but you recognize words and their meaning.
One day I came across Alain Benbassat's program called “Functional Ear Trainer” and have been using it ever since. It is based on Alain's ear training method to learn to recognize tones.
The main difference between the Functional Ear Trainer and other methods is that it teaches you to distinguish between tones in the context of a particular musical key. You begin to recognize the role (or function) of each tone in this key, which is incredibly similar to its role in other keys of the same scale.
And it is *guaranteed* anyone can gradually develop this skill. It does not matter:
– who you are – an absolute beginner in music or a virtuoso professional musician;
– how old you are – a 3 yo kid or a 90+ adult;
– what musical instrument you play (you don't even have to play one).
The only requirement is to practice for 10 minutes a day.
I was so excited about this ear trainer that I have developed an Android app based on the Alain Benbassat method. I hope you will find it useful.
Download this app right now, and have fun with your ear training!
Latest Version
3.14.0
July 18, 2024
Kaizen9 Apps
Education
Android
1,174,538
Free
com.kaizen9.fet.android
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User Reviews
powerowl2120
2 years ago
Simple and easy to learn method, coupled with an in app reminder notification setting is really good for keeping on your basic ear training. I'm sure it gets more complex but I haven't gotten that far yet. Though I wish I could import my own sound or earn points to buy new sounds through practice or watching ads or something. Not a big fan of the piano sound
E Roach
3 years ago
I've been doing this every day for 10 minutes when I wake up, and I'm amazed at how much I've progressed. I started out having trouble being able to identify any relative pitches, but after about a month of consistent use, I'm able to pretty consistently identify any note (including chromatics) in a major scale. I really like the way the app is structured and all the stats they make available -- it makes it very easy to see your progress, which is helpful particularly when you hit a tough spot.
Vania H
3 years ago
Thought that this was the worst app for a while because of how hard ear training is and how many questions I was getting wrong. But after trying other apps, I can say this one is by far the most effective. I’ve really learned the personality of each note. I can identify all of C major in multiple octaves after just a couple of weeks. The new intro mode was amazing and made things so much easier. Excellent idea. I REALLY hope they keep adding more and add training for chords at some point.
A Google user
5 years ago
For a tin ear like me, it's so frustrating. That being said, it's working. I've increased my ability to correctly identify relative pitches to the tonic substantially. The more I use it, the better it gets. A bit difficult to find out how to change some of the options, like showing do, re, mi, instead of 1,2,3... I've figured it out by randomly exploring the app. -1/2 a star for that.
A Google user
6 years ago
I've used the original functional Ear Trainer for over two years, and got to the point where I could get 90% in major chromatic random extended scale... BUT I could still barely hear music played on the radio , TV, etc. I think the Basic Dictations exercise in this app is the next step in my own progression. I've been using the Basic Dictations exercises for about 3 weeks now, getting up the diatonic major scale 120bpm at about 87%... and I'm starting to hear a lot more music than before. I can catch a few phrases I could never hear, so I think the program is helping, especially with the adjustable speed. The original FET only played a single note at a very slow speed, which I think is good to build a foundation, but not to hear faster passages. I wish I could use the program as a call and response generator for my instrument. It would be awesome to use an instrument as an input device, using the mic of the device to detect correct or incorrect notes, for a hands free experience. I do use my instrument with Basic Dictations, but I have to keep putting it down to input the answer with my hands.
Morgan Martin
3 years ago
I've only had it for 45m, but it's probably one of the best free apps I've ever installed. No ads, free features are terrific to start, and paid features are reasonably priced. It's remarkable how quickly you can improve at the functional method! I thought it was missing harmonic intervals, but these are available in the "advanced" mode of "basic training". However, there's no user input or stats. Seems feasible to add, given the UI for melodic dictation (or, enter-your-own-score after each ?)
LeRoy Wood III (LeRoy3rd)
4 years ago
I graduated college with a major in music, then graduated from a conservatory, then taught music at a university. This is the most intuitive and useful tool and concept in ear training that I've seen, and it's free (without ads, no less). If you want to sharpen your ear, get this, and buy some of the add-ons to support the dev if you can afford it.
A Google user
5 years ago
An excellent app! Great interface, simple to use, and works very well. I have one suggestion which would turn this app from one of the best ear training apps, to the hands-down best ear training app: Add more options for listener mode! I run it in the background while doing household chores and it allows me to get a ton of practice in, I highly recommend doing this! But the fact that I can only hear one note at a time is very limiting in terms of long-term progression. When I want to start identifying multiple intervals played at the same time, or do melodic dictation, this requires me to physically interact with my phone, thus making it unsuitable for the hands free mode that I've found so helpful. I would gladly pay for an upgrade which allows for hands free dictation and harmony modes. I have a few ideas for how this could work, so feel free to ask if you're interested. But please please please make this a feature! This app is already one of the best, please add a few more features to make it blow the competition out of the water!
Michael Cerda
1 year ago
So far, just what I was looking for. The interface is plain but it works and is simple to use. The method this app uses established a tonal center and you practice intervals with that in your ear. None of these apps/methods are magic, you've got to practice. There are in-app charges but you don't need them. The sounds used in app are of the grands piano. I bought a option to allow other instruments. $5. The others add levels of melodic dictation, $10 and practice without touching the screen $5.
Thomas Mohr
3 years ago
This method definitely works! Stats let me see my progress and what I need to work on. Quite adaptable, many controls. Price for full version is reasonable and worth it. I rarely buy apps but will purchase this once I get >90% on all the free levels. You may get frustrated if like me you have hearing loss in some ranges - highest piano notes are difficult to distinguish; that may be resolved when I buy the multiple instruments pkg. The app is tidy, uncluttered - no BS.
G M
2 years ago
I think everyone in the world should use this app. Meets you where you're at and tunes your ear right up. I've done music for many years now and this app majorly exposed some of my weaknesses and slowly turned them to strengths. Reasonable, affordable upgrades too. Almost no limitations for free anyway, then just a couple dollars once you want to get quite advanced. More apps need to work like this. Just brilliant.
Tanner Farish
1 year ago
I've tried out a number of ear training apps and this is hands down the most effective relative pitch trainer I've found. I love that I can play it in the background so I can ear train in the car. Other apps may have more features and have different types of ear training, but this one is the best at the one thing it works on. Highly recommend it for musicians of any level.
Kevin Wu
1 year ago
By far the most useful ear training app I've used. I'm in my third year at music school, and this app has helped me more today than my theory classes have my first two years of college. The interface is excellent, and I love that the app offers a ton of freedom in sound settings and custom exercises. I rarely write reviews, but this app is exactly what I needed. In the future, I think it would be cool to have a premade "modes" exercise section. (Right now I have to make them as custom levels)
Justin Maresh
2 years ago
A less frustrating approach to ear training! This app trains interval recognition through absolute pitch. I like that it provides a cadence to tune you in to the scale before each test. I use multiple ear training apps, and this one has accelerated my progress in the others. Different apps help in different ways, but I would say this one is ESSENTIAL. Spend a few weeks with it, you will be surprised by your progress! I bought the upgrades, just to thank great the music teacher who wrote this.
Billy Vitale
1 year ago
This is the best app I have found for ear training. Like most things with music other methods also need to be learned to complete ones training. The app allows a lot of customization and has awesome statistics to help track your advancement. The dictation feature is essential but you will need to upgrade to really make use of this very essential feature. It is really worth it if you are serious about ear training. Also the instrument plug ins are useful...tambre matters too.
Diego Orellana
1 year ago
This is a good ear training app. I've improved my ear a lot by using it daily. But there's still room to make the app even better. I've found myself cheating a lot by perceiving the absolute pitch and then doing math to find which degree is in the key when I can't feel the relative pitch right away, which I think it's also some kind of ear training, but I feel I am becoming more reliant on it than I should, especially with chromatics. I'd love to have an option not to show the tonic note, eg. G
A Google user
6 years ago
Update: the new redesign is fantastic, and I LOVE that you can see the intervals on the piano. This app is the gift that keeps on giving This app is really amazing, the inclusion of a listener mode is really fantastic to be able to train hands free. Not to mention, the method works. When I first started there were other features I wanted, but once I used it enough those desires went away.
Jim Sharrow
1 year ago
I've only been ear training on this app for about half an hour and I really like it. It's so practical. A series of chords are generated, followed by a tone, then a choice between two tones are offered. Without thought, the chords train your brain to hear the difference between the tones. It couldn't be simpler, yet I am hearing and learning the tones. I'm going to use this app for ten minutes every night before bed to commit it to long term memory ❤️ !
Maximiliano Neblina
1 year ago
I left it unopened for a couple years because I failed so badly. Just picked it back up after a day at work and a serenade-y jam session for one of my coworkers who stayed later. Snagged a beer, headed to my nearest rooftop, put on my headphones and had the idea to return to this app. The right setting mentally and physically with full attention on the sound is what you need. It's broken down so simply. Truly a beautiful tool. Thank you.
Benjamin I. Swisher
1 year ago
Update:I identify all major scale notes, dictate better than ever, & created random levels to identify 135&7 given rando maj or min chord. Would love an option for given random chords (both maj & min) within the key to identify notes of chords. I picked it up fairly quickly. After months of playing casually, I picked it back up & was very surprised by my progress. Don't quite identify relative tones without some thought & singing them to the resolution, but I'm not far & can see it coming soon!
