Can you hear what they´re playing? a study of strategies among ear players in rock music

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to describe and explain strategies used by ear players to hear and play chord progressions when playing unfamiliar rock songs. To this end, three rock songs were written and recorded especially for the study. One song was designed to be very easy to play for experienced rock musicians, using three chords, combined in standard patterns. The second song was written to be a little more difficult, containing some unusual chord progressions; and the third song used chords and chord progressions that are very seldom heard in rock music. To find possible differences between instruments, and between players with formal education and players without such education, the six informants were one bass player, one keyboard player and one guitar player with formal education, and one bass player, one keyboard player and one guitar player without such education. In a combined test and interview, the informants one by one played to the three songs at first listening, without having heard the songs before and without knowing anything about the songs except which keys they were in. The informants´ playing was recorded on video and audio tape. Immediately after playing the songs, the informants watched the video tape and commented on their own playing... (cont.)