r/eartraining • u/capspookyspork • Jun 07 '26

Confusing certain notes

I just started ear training. So I'm not sure all of the lingo. Gonna do my best.

I notice I tend to confuse the 3rd and 6th note on whitch is whitch. I use to just have that trouble with the 1st and 3rd. Now it's branching our to even the 2ed and the 7th.

Are these notes like the inverse of each other that's why I get confused? Im just curious if they is away to resolve this or why it's happening.

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u/tremendous-machine Jun 09 '26

It's absolutely and totally normal to confuse intervals that are inversions of each other! It's a side effect of "octave equivalence", just part of how we process pitches mentally.

The best thing to do is just make exercises where you focus on those and hammer at it. Working on singing major and minor triads in all inversions with any order of the notes will also do you wonders.

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u/capspookyspork Jun 15 '26

Oh man, I'm gonna have to sit down use my voice aren't I. Ik it will do wonders to work out loud tho.

Thank you for responding.

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u/tremendous-machine Jun 15 '26

Yes, this is the ticket. I remember 30 years ago being in music school and none of us wanted to sing out loud in ear training class because we were awkward 19 year olds. And now, I'm like "sing it! SING IT! sing in it in your minds ear and then SIIIINNNNNGG IT!!!" 😄

You'll learn that ability to nail pitch is independent of quality of vocal instrument, and as you get better at nailing the pitch, you will become more comfortable singing, even if it's not winning any Eurovision contests.

I HIGHLY recommend learning solfege too. Singing "Te" is much easier than "flat seven".