Recognizing Melodies by Ear

Study Notes

Recognizing Melodies by Ear

The process of recognizing melodies by ear involves singing the lyrics, humming the melody, slowing down the melody, breaking it into smaller parts, listening carefully to each sound and feeling which number it is in relation to the tonal center, taking notes, writing down findings, singing the melody in numbers with the original recording, and playing the melody on an instrument in many keys while singing or visualizing the numbers.

Melodies by Range

Notes 1, 2, 3: "Free Fallin’" by Tom Petty, “My Father's House” by Bruce Springsteen, “Are You All Right” by Lucinda Williams (verse only), "Mary Had a Little Lamb"
Notes 1, 2, 3, 4: "One Love" by Bob Marley, "Every Breath You Take" by The Police (verse only), "One of Us" by Joan Osborne (verse only), "You're The One" by The Vogues (chorus only)
Notes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5: "Oh When the Saints Go Marchin’ In," "Ode to Joy" from Symphony no. 9 by L.V. Beethoven, “Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton (verse only), "Hot Cross Buns", "Lightly Row", "Jingle Bells" (verse only)
Notes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6: "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", "London Bridge is Falling Down", “Go Tell Aunt Rhody”, "Oh!Suzanna", "Blowin’ in the Wind" by Bob Dylan, "Stand by Me" by Ben E.King (verse only), "It's a Heartache" by Bonnie Tyler, "I Still Haven’t Found What I am Looking For" by U2 (verse only), "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen (chorus only), “Frère Jacques”
Notes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7: "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers (first melody of the verse only), "Superfriends" by River Cuomo (chorus only), “A Little Bitty Tear” by Hank Cochran
Melodies that start with notes 5-1: "Amazing Grace", "Auld Lang Syne", "Taps", "Star Wars Theme" by John Williams, "La Marsellaise", ”Here Comes the Bride" by Richard Wagner, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"
Melodies that start on note 5: "Happy Birthday", “What a Wonderful World” by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss, “When I Fall in Love” by Victor Young, "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain", "Red Red Wine" by UB40, "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean"
Melodies that stay in one octave from 1 to 1: "The First Noel", “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, "Redemption Song" by Bob Marley, “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison (verse only)
Melodies with a wide range of notes: “Swing Low Sweet Chariot”, Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder, “Waltzing Matilda”, “Yankee Doodle”, “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles, “Baby Can I Hold You” by Tracy Chapman, “Oh My Darling Clementine”, “Oh Danny Boy”, “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” by Elvis Presley, “Let it Be” by The Beatles, “Hey Jude” by The Beatles, “With or Without You” by U2, “I Say a Little Prayer for You” by Aretha Franklin, “Wild Mountain Thyme”, “Moon River” by Henri Mancini, “Adeste Fideles”, "My Girl" by The Temptations, “Titanic Theme”