60 FAQs About Developing A Musical Ear, by Juilliard Alumni David Livianu

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60 Frequently Asked Questions
ABOUT
MUSICAL PERFECT PITCH
AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS Of
The Importance Of Ear-Training & Sight-Singing
FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS
By Juilliard Graduate
DAVID LIVIANU

MELADOR BOOK PUBLISHERS, INC.
New York Los Angeles Paris London Moscow
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Livianu – 15 Commandments 4 Successful Learning
Success Starts With Dedicated Practice!
1. Use a professional and efficient method to develop a professional musical ear, under the guidance of a qualified
and dedicated teacher.
2. Get mentally and physically ready for your Ear-Training and Sight-Singing practice.
3. Be rested, focused, and willing to work hard, practice and learn; work in a quiet, comfortable place, with no visual
or audio distractions.
4. For best results sing with Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do, though it is o.k. to practice also with
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A; ideally you should learn both systems. Do not sing with movable Do or with numbers.
5. Practice lessons 1 & 2 which have the written names of the notes, until you are fluent with recognizing and naming
the musical notes. Go to lessons 17 & 18, which are identical, in the same key, but without the written names of
the notes to test your sight-reading skills. If you can complete lessons 17 & 18 fluently, then you are ready for the
other lessons.
6. If you are practicing alone, sing along while you listen or play the exercises on a well tuned acoustic piano; use the
music score provided as a PDF document which you can print or save a tree and read it on your electronic device.
7. Apply and integrate what you learn here with your instrumental practice or vocal training.
8. Read aloud, understand and memorize the supporting theoretical material, available in the intros and the MUSIC
THEORY Section. “Repetition is the Mother of Study”, in Latin “Repetitio Est Mater Studiorum”. This is a very
vague statement; you need to practice deliberately and with intensity, awareness, focus and concentration.
9. First time around practice each lesson for 1 week (6 times, with a day’s rest); follow the order of the lessons,
meaning that after lesson 1 you should go to lesson 2, and not skip. Integrate these exercises with your general
music education. This is the best way to master your ear-training and sight-singing skills.
10. Advanced students, after completing the 32 week - 32 lesson cycle, should run at least once more through the 32
lesson cycle, with 1 lesson repeated for 3 days; when the 32 lessons cycle is repeated for a 3rd time, run the cycle
in 32 days, 1 lesson a day. This is the perfect way to permanently encode, embed your acquired skill.
11. Each of the 32 lessons has 7 parts; every lesson is about 35 minutes long in Moderato speed, without the
theoretical intros in the YouTube free version; the Allegro version for advanced students is about 20 minutes per
lesson. The 7 parts in each lesson should be introduced by the music teacher, in conjunction with other vocal or
instrumental training.
12. Beginning students, and children under 9, should practice Lessons 1 & 2, parts 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5; this would be the
Do_C Major Scale & its relative, the la_a minor Harmonic Scale; there are no sharps or flats in these two scales;
to check if you can read and sing the 7 exercises without the words written underneath, try Lessons 17 & 18 which
are in Do_C & la_a.
13. Mid-level students, and children over the age of 9, who can read notes well and have the basic understanding of
tonality and scales should practice Lessons 1 - 8, & 17 - 24; these lessons cover the Major natural & minor
harmonic (relative) scales from 0 to 3 sharps, & 0 to 3 flats.
14. Advanced students, and children 12 and over, who are proficient sight-readers and have a well developed
understanding of tonality and scales should practice all 32 Lessons; these 32 lessons cover the entire spectrum of
Major natural & minor harmonic (relative) scales from 0 to 7 sharps (lessons 1-16) & 0 to 7 flats (lessons 17-32).
15. There are many variations on how to complete the 32 lesson cycle; here is one of my favorite formulas:
a) in 32 weeks (1 lesson repeated for 6 days, with the 7th day off); best for 1st time users.
b) in 96 days (1 lesson repeated for 3 days); good for 2nd time around as an accelerated practice.
c) in 64 days (1 lesson repeated for 2 days); good for 3rd time around.
d) in 32 days (1 lesson per day); excellent as a quick refresher, after a few months of rest.
e) you can also use faster tempo versions.
Good Luck,
David Livianu
Author & Music Teacher
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Livianu – 60 Frequently Asked Questions About Musical Perfect Pitch

CONTENTS
15 Commandments 4 Successful Learning Page 2
Table of Contents Page 3
60 Frequently Asked Questions About Musical Perfect Pitch

LIST OF 60 FAQs: (Presented In Alphabetical Order) Page 5
ANSWERS TO THE 60 FAQs Page 6
1. Can Anyone Learn Perfect Pitch & Solfege? Page 6
2. Can I Invite David Livianu To Teach A Master Class At Our
Page 6
School/College/University?
3. Can I Learn Perfect Pitch Using Other Methods? Page 6
4. Can I Learn Perfect Pitch Without Singing, Just By Listening? Page 6
5. Can I Learn To Sing Using Theses Exercises? Page 7
6. Can I Lose My Musical Perfect Pitch Skill If I Do Not Keep Practicing Again &
Page 7
Again?
7. Can I Play These Exercises On My iPhone, iPad, iTouch, Or iPod Player? Page 7
8. Can I Practice Alone? Page 7
9. Can I Print The 32 Lessons In Volume 1 And The Songs In Volume 2? Page 8
10. Can I Purchase The 32 Lessons In Volume 1 And The Songs In Volume 2? Page 8
11. Can I Share These 32 Lessons In Volume 1 And The Songs In Volume 2 With
Page 9
Others?
12. Can I Use This Material In School With My Students? Page 9
13. Do I Need Musical Perfect Pitch To Become A Good Musician? Page 9
14. Do I Need To Solfege w/Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do, Or Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La,
Page 9
Ti, Do?
15. How Do I Get In Touch With David Livianu If I Have More Questions, Ideas Or
Page 9
Comments?
16. How Do I Integrate These Exercises & Their Results In My General Musical
Page 10
Development?
17. How Do I Know When And If I Have Musical Perfect Pitch? Page 10
18. How Do I Practice These Exercises? Page 11
19. How Long Before I Can Sense Results That I Have Developed My Sense Of Page 11
Musical Perfect Pitch?
20. How Long Do I Have To Practice Before I See Results? Page 12
21. How Long Does Is Take To Complete The 32 Lesson Cycle In Volume 1? Page 12
22. How Many Times Should I Repeat The 32 Lesson Cycle In Volume 1? Page 12
23. How Many Volumes Are There In The iLearn Music, 4 Free Compendium, &
Page 12
What’s In Them?
24. How Much Do The 32 Lessons In Volume 1, & The Songs In Volume 2 Cost? Page 13
25. How Will Learning Musical Perfect Pitch & Sight‐Singing With Solfege Help Me As
Page 13
A Rock n’Roll Drummer?
26. What Age Should My Child Start Practicing These Lessons? Page 13

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27. What Are The Differences Between The Free Lessons On YouTube & The
Page 14
Downloadable Version?
28. What Format Are The 32 Lessons In Volume 1, & The Songs In Volume 2
Page 14
Available In?
29. What Is i Learn 2 Sight‐Sing, 4 Free, Volume 2? Page 14
30. What Is i Learn Music, 4 Free? Page 15
31. What Is i Learn Perfect Pitch, 4 Free, Volume 1? Page 16
32. What Is Musical Absolute Pitch? Page 17
33. What Is Musical Perfect Pitch? Page 17
34. What Is Musical Relative Pitch? Page 18
35. What Is Solfege & Solmization? Page 18
36. What Is The A, B, C Method Of Sight‐Singing? Page 19
37. What Is The Best Age For Learning Perfect Pitch & Sight‐Singing? Page 21
38. What Is The Best Way To Practice? Page 22
39. What Is The Livianu Method For Ear‐Training & Sight‐Singing for Young
Page 22
Musicians?
40. What Is The Solfege America Initiative? Page 23
41. What Other Ear‐Training & Sight‐Singing Exercises Should I Practice? Page 24
42. When Should I Practice? Page 25
43. When Should I Start Learning Perfect Pitch & Sight‐Singing? Page 26
44. Where Can I Find The i Learn Music, 4 Free Lessons? Page 26
45. Where Should I Practice? Page 26
46. Who Can Benefit From Learning Perfect Pitch & Solfege? Page 27
47. Who Is David Livianu? Page 27
48. Why Are There 7 Parts In Each Lesson In Volume 1, i Learn Perfect Pitch, 4 Free? Page 28
49. Why Are There 32 Lessons In Volume 1, i Learn Perfect Pitch, 4 Free? Page 31
50. Why Are There Songs From Around The World In Volume 2, i Learn 2 Sight‐Sing,
Page 33
4 Free?
51. Why Do I Have To Listen, Sing, Repeat? Page 33
52. Why Do I Have To Practice? Page 33
53. Why Do I Have To Sing, Since My Instrument Is The Piano? Page 34
54. Why Do I Need Musical “Perfect Pitch:? Page 34
55. Why Do I Need To Sing Songs After The Perfect Pitch Lessons? Page 35
56. Why Do I Need To Sight‐Sing With Solfege? Page 36
57. Why Is It Free? Page 36
58. Why Is Solfege More Efficient Than The Alphabet Method Of Sight‐Singing? Page 38
59. Why Should I Ear‐Train And Sight‐Sing With Solfege (Do, Re, Mi), Vs. The Page 38
Alphabet (A, B, C), Or Should I Learn Both Methods?
60. Why Should I Purchase The Lessons When I Can Practice Them For Free On Page 39
YouTube?
Advice 2 Students Page 41

Other Books and Manuals by David Livianu Page 45
Copyright Info Page 48
About David Livianu Page 49
5
Livianu – 60 Frequently Asked Questions About Musical Perfect Pitch
LIST OF 60 FAQs: (Presented In Alphabetical Order)

1. Can Anyone Learn Perfect Pitch & Solfege?
2. Can I Invite David Livianu To Teach A Master Class At Our School/College/University?
3. Can I Learn Perfect Pitch Using Other Methods?
4. Can I Learn Perfect Pitch Without Singing, Just By Listening?
5. Can I Learn To Sing Using Theses Exercises?
6. Can I Lose My Musical Perfect Pitch Skill If I Do Not Keep Practicing Again & Again?
7. Can I Play These Exercises On My iPhone, iPad, iTouch, Or iPod Player?
8. Can I Practice Alone?
9. Can I Print The 32 Lessons In Volume 1 And The Songs In Volume 2?
10. Can I Purchase The 32 Lessons In Volume 1 And The Songs In Volume 2?
11. Can I Share These 32 Lessons In Volume 1 And The Songs In Volume 2 With Others?
12. Can I Use This Material In School With My Students?
13. Do I Need Musical Perfect Pitch To Become A Good Musician?
14. Do I Need To Solfege w/Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do, Or Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do?
15. How Do I Get In Touch With David Livianu If I Have More Questions, Ideas Or Comments?
16. How Do I Integrate These Exercises & Their Results In My General Musical Development?
17. How Do I Know When And If I Have Musical Perfect Pitch?
18. How Do I Practice These Exercises?
19. How Long Before I Can Sense Results That I Have Developed My Sense Of Musical Perfect Pitch?
20. How Long Do I Have To Practice Before I See Results?
21. How Long Does Is Take To Complete The 32 Lesson Cycle In Volume 1?
22. How Many Times Should I Repeat The 32 Lesson Cycle In Volume 1?
23. How Many Volumes Are There In The iLearn Music, 4 Free Compendium, & What’s In Them?
24. How Much Do The 32 Lessons In Volume 1, & The Songs In Volume 2 Cost?
25. How Will Learning Musical Perfect Pitch & Sight‐Singing With Solfege Help Me As A Rock n’Roll
Drummer?
26. What Age Should My Child Start Practicing These Lessons?
27. What Are The Differences Between The Free Lessons On YouTube & The Downloadable
Version?
28. What Format Are The 32 Lessons In Volume 1, & The Songs In Volume 2 Available In?
29. What Is i Learn 2 Sight‐Sing, 4 Free, Volume 2?
30. What Is i Learn Music, 4 Free?
31. What Is i Learn Perfect Pitch, 4 Free, Volume 1?
32. What Is Musical Absolute Pitch?
33. What Is Musical Perfect Pitch?
34. What Is Musical Relative Pitch?
35. What Is Solfege & Solmization?
36. What Is The A, B, C Method Of Sight‐Singing?
37. What Is The Best Age For Learning Perfect Pitch & Sight‐Singing?
38. What Is The Best Way To Practice?
39. What Is The Livianu Method For Ear‐Training & Sight‐Singing for Young Musicians?
40. What Is The Solfege America Initiative?
41. What Other Ear‐Training & Sight‐Singing Exercises Should I Practice?
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42. When Should I Practice?
43. When Should I Start Learning Perfect Pitch & Sight‐Singing?
44. Where Can I Find The i Learn Music, 4 Free Lessons?
45. Where Should I Practice?
46. Who Can Benefit From Learning Perfect Pitch & Solfege?
47. Who Is David Livianu?
48. Why Are There 7 Parts In Each Lesson In Volume 1, i Learn Perfect Pitch, 4 Free?
49. Why Are There 32 Lessons In Volume 1, i Learn Perfect Pitch, 4 Free?
50. Why Are There Songs From Around The World In Volume 2, i Learn 2 Sight‐Sing, 4 Free?
51. Why Do I Have To Listen, Sing, Repeat?
52. Why Do I Have To Practice?
53. Why Do I Have To Sing, Since My Instrument Is The Piano?
54. Why Do I Need Musical “Perfect Pitch:?
55. Why Do I Need To Sing Songs After The Perfect Pitch Lessons?
56. Why Do I Need To Sight‐Sing With Solfege?
57. Why Is It Free?
58. Why Is Solfege More Efficient Than The Alphabet Method Of Sight‐Singing?
59. Why Should I Ear‐Train And Sight‐Sing With Solfege (Do, Re, Mi), Vs. The Alphabet (A, B, C), Or
Should I Learn Both Methods?
60. Why Should I Purchase The Lessons When I Can Practice Them For Free On YouTube?

ANSWERS TO THE 60 FAQs: (listed alphabetically)

1. Can Anyone Learn Perfect Pitch & Solfege?
Yes, anyone can develop a professional musical ear and learn to sight‐sing and sight‐read,
barring any medical problems (i.e. deafness, mental impairment, etc)!
You need 3 things to learn and master anything, including Musical Perfect Pitch & Solfege:
1. Personal motivation;
2. An effective learning method;
3. A dedicated teacher.

2. Can I Invite David Livianu To Teach A Master Class At Our School/College/University?
Yes, you can invite David Livianu to teach a master class at your school, college or university!
David Livianu is available for speaking and teaching engagements. Send your
invitation/proposal to david@livianu.com

3. Can I Learn “Perfect Pitch” Using Other Methods?
There many methods of teaching “Perfect Pitch” a.k.a. Ear‐Training. Some are antiquated,
others are good though incomplete, and a few are bogus. I am confident that my method is
possibly the best way to learn Musical Perfect Pitch. It is fast, simple and permanent. Try it for
free: www.youtube.com/ilearnmusic4free

4. Can I Learn Perfect Pitch Without Singing, Just By Listening?
Listening to ear‐training exercises alone is not enough to develop a professional musical ear.
Can you learn how to play the piano, tennis, or skateboarding just by watching? Of course not.
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Singing and listening is the best way to learn and experience music. You do not need to be a
great singer to sing. Listening gives you awareness. Singing is an internal process, a visceral
experience that reproduces the music you hear, read or imagine. Through singing you develop
your unique ability to create, understand, remember, recognize, perform and reproduce musical
sounds at will. When you sing, you are summoning all your senses, knowledge, and feelings to
produce musical sounds in a meaningful and unique interpretation.

5. Can I Learn To Sing Using Theses Exercises?
These exercises are not designed to teach singing, which is a different discipline in itself.
Belcanto is the classical method for learning how to sing and produce beautiful singing sounds
(Belcanto means Beautiful Singing, in Italian). You do not need to be a trained singer to sing
these exercises. You need to open your mouth and utter the sounds as close as possible to the
sounds produced by the piano.

6. Can I Lose My Musical Perfect Pitch Skill If I Do Not Keep Practicing Again & Again?
I don’t think so. It’s like learning how to ride a bike. Once you get it and do it for a while, you
can’t forget it. Also, as you always keep actively listening to music, this skill will always be with
you, as you will recognize and enjoy the many theoretical, conceptual, and aesthetical aspects
of the music you create, hear and/or perform.

7. Can I Play These Exercises On My iPhone, iPad, iTouch, Or iPod Player?
The lessons are designed so you can use them in various formats, including your iPhone, iPad,
iTouch, iPod, or other electronic media devices. The ideal way to practice is to print the music
sheet (or save a tree & use the electronic PDF document) and practice with the brilliant HD
quality audios & videos (available on a flash drive for a small fee). The free YouTube version has
a much lower audio quality because of the size limitation imposed by YouTube for faster
uploading. For best results I recommend you use the HD audios & videos. The recordings are
magnificent, and the piano used to record the lessons is the Grand Boesendorfer 290,
considered the Rolls Royce of pianos. We are in the process of developing Apps for the iPhone,
the iPad, and other electronic media devices so you can easily practice these exercises
anywhere you go. The advanced student should play the exercises on an acoustic piano (make
sure the piano is properly tuned).

8. Can I Practice Alone?
Yes, you can practice alone! It is the best way to develop a professional musical ear; of course
the work the student does in the classroom under the guidance of the music teacher is equally
valuable and important. You can also partner up with a friend and practice together.
When you practice alone, many positive things occur; among them:
1. There are no distractions, and the learning curve is much shorter;
2. You can focus 100% on the exercises;
3. No one rushes you to finish or stop along;
4. You can repeat an exercise as many times as you want to;
5. No one is watching over your shoulder, so making a mistake is not as stressful as in a
classroom setting;
6. You can take as many breaks as you want to, or whenever you need to relax.

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A few words of advice when practicing alone:
a. Try to be fresh and ready to sustain the entire ear‐training and sight‐singing lesson
without any stops, if possible;
b. Make sure there are no distractions, such as a TV or Radio playing in the background,
people talking close by, etc;
c. Stay focused on the exercise you are practicing;
d. The beginner student should use the videos and audios to aid in the practice (available
for free at www.youtube.com/ilearnmusic4free , or you can purchase the HD videos & Audios,
+ the sheet music for a small fee);
e. The intermediate student should use only the HD audios, or play at the piano with the
printable PDF sheet music;
f. The best way to practice, for the advanced student, is to sit in front of the piano with the
printed sheet music and play and sing the exercises (you can always use your computer to
read the sheet music, available as a PDF documents, if you are environmentally conscious, and
don’t want to waste ink and paper);
g.Try to use an acoustic piano rather than an electronic keyboard, if possible; make sure the
piano is well tuned.

9. Can I Print The 32 Lessons In Volume 1 And The Songs In Volume 2?
The ideal way to practice is to print the 32 lessons and the songs, or view the PDF document on
the computer (save the environment by not wasting paper and ink).

Advanced students should use the sheet music and play the piano part as well, without the HD
audios and videos, just as you see it on the YouTube version. Tactile experience, together with
the reading, listening, and singing of the exercises will accelerate and cement the learning
process. You can also read the PDF electronic sheet music on your computer in lieu of the
printed version (save the environment and not waste paper and ink; the 32 lessons in Volume 1,
iLearn Perfect Pitch, 4 Free, contain over 1,700 pages).

10. Can I Purchase The 32 Lessons In Volume 1 And The Songs In Volume 2?
Yes, the 32 lessons in Volume 1 and the songs in Volume 2 can also be purchased and
downloaded or ordered for personal use on your iPod or computer, and also for use by teachers
in a classroom setting.

The material created includes 3 separate parts:
1. The sheet music which comes as a PDF printable document. I recommend for the music
teacher or the advanced student to use the sheet music and play it on the piano, without the
use of the audio files;
2. The HD audio files so you can practice anywhere, anytime. This is very good for the
intermediate student, who will use the sheet music to practice together with the audio files;
they are recorded in 5 tempos/speeds from slow to fast.
3. The HD video files which include the HD audio and the written music. This is perfect for the
beginning student. By using this material you will have the HD audio quality of the original
recording.

The YouTube version has a much lower audio and video quality because of the size limitation
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imposed by YouTube for faster uploading and playback. The piano used in these recordings is
The Grand Boesendorfer 290 Piano, which is considered by many great performers as the Rolls
Royce of pianos, a few notches above the Steinway.

11. Can I Share These 32 Lessons In Volume 1 And The Songs In Volume 2 With Others?
There is nothing more rewarding than sharing your learning experience with your friends and
colleagues. I encourage you to share this material, and show everyone how easy, useful and
fast it is to learn perfect pitch and Solfege. Practicing with a friend is also a lot of fun and makes
it easier to go through all the exercises.

12. Can I Use This Material In School With My Students?
This material can be used by any music teacher, and is perfect for use at any level of music
training, anywhere in the world. Integrating this material in the classroom is the best way to
introduce students to the benefits of professional ear‐training and sight‐singing. Ideally, the
teacher should print the exercises and hand them out (or use the PDF document on the
computer, to save the environment, less ink, less paper, more living trees). The teacher should
play the exercises at the piano, with the students joining in. As a H.W. assignment, students can
practice at home, either with the free YouTube version, or at the piano/keyboard with the sheet
music, if possible. These exercises are intended to be part of an on‐going music educational
experience. These exercises have no value unless they are integrated in the continuum of music
education. Of course, the music teacher, based on the students’ ages and level of instruction,
will decide how to introduce and implement this material.

13. Do I Need Musical Perfect Pitch To Become A Good Musician?
A professionally trained musical ear is the cornerstone for any aspiring musician. The ability to
recognize, understand and reproduce at will the key, notes, intervals and chords you hear is
critical to a higher level of music performance. Developing your musical perfect pitch skill
(absolute & relative pitch) is part of your ear‐training and sight‐singing challenge. The better
you practice, the better you will perform, the more you will understand, and the better you will
be able to express your feelings, emotions, and ideas, through the music you perform and/or
create.

14. Do I Need To Solfege w/Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do, Or Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do?
In late 19th century England, music teacher Sarah Glover changed the "Si" note to "Ti" so that
every syllable would begin with a different letter. Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do vs. Do, Re, Mi,
Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do.
Singing with letter T is not as effective as using letter S. Why not use the original syllables
established by Italian monk Guido d’Arezzo in the 11th century A.D.? Singing with Do, Re, Mi,
Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do, is the best way to learn to sight‐sing and sight‐read. There is nothing wrong
with using Ti instead of Si for those students and teachers that are more comfortable and used
to it. Whatever method you use, make sure you practice well, stay focused and exercise
consistently; a little bit every day is more effective to your musical development than 3 hours in
1 day, and nothing for 2 weeks.

15. How Do I Get In Touch With David Livianu If I Have More Questions, Ideas Or Comments?
To get in touch with David Livianu, please send your message to david@livianu.com and you will
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receive a prompt reply.

16. How Do I Integrate These Exercises & Their Results In My General Musical Development?
I recommend practicing 1 lesson a day (one from Volume 1, and a few songs from Volume 2),
before you start your piano lesson, or whatever other instrument you are learning. As you will
progress with these lessons, you will notice how much easier and faster you are able to
recognize, understand and sing at will.

Many young musicians are taught mechanically to play an instrument without much regard to
the theoretical aspects of the music they play. Once the child forgets that piece of music, they
have little or no musical knowledge left over from their piano lessons. An enlightened piano
teacher (or any other instrument the child is learning) will include ear‐training and sight‐singing
exercises along with the instrumental or vocal piece the student is learning.

Connecting the theoretical aspects in the piano piece to ear‐training and sight‐singing exercises,
will improve the child’s technical and interpretative skills; it will also give the young student a
better understanding of the musical ideas expressed in the music he/she listens to and plays.
Higher musicianship is based on a well developed musical ear, and it starts with listening and
singing.

As time goes on and with the assistance of a dedicated music teacher, young musicians should
make a concerted effort to create, recognize, sing and identify by name, the key, notes, intervals
and chords in the music they listen to and perform. This active form of listening is also part of
the continuing ear‐training process, and it is part of self‐teaching and refining your musical ear.
The best teacher is YOU, the student, under the guidance of your music coach or parent.

17. How Do I Know When And If I Have Musical Perfect Pitch?
1. When you can recognize the key a piece of music is played in, the notes, intervals and chords
you hear, then you have Musical Perfect Pitch (a balanced combination of Absolute Pitch and
Relative Pitch).
2. When you can identify and/or sing the actual pitch/frequency of notes, it means you have
Absolute Pitch. It means you can name a particular sound at its exact or absolute position in
the spectrum of musical sounds.
3. When you can recognize the structure of, and/or sing the notes that make up intervals
and chords, it means you have Relative Pitch. It means you can identify, measure and label
the particular structures that make up intervals, triads, 7th and 9th chords, etc.
4. When you can recognize the key a piece of music is played in, the notes, intervals and chords
you hear, then you have Musical Perfect Pitch (a balanced combination of Absolute Pitch and
Relative Pitch).
5. When you can identify and/or sing the actual pitch/frequency of notes, it means you have
Absolute Pitch. It means you can name a particular sound at its exact or absolute position in
the spectrum of musical sounds.
6. When you can recognize the structure of, and/or sing the notes that make up intervals and
chords, it means you have Relative Pitch. It means you can identify, measure and label the
particular structures that make up intervals, triads, 7th and 9th chords, etc.

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You do not need to have 100% Musical Perfect Pitch to have a professional musical ear; this
ability can vary from person to person based on experience, interest, and proficiency. Musical
Perfect Pitch also fluctuates based on physical factors, such as fatigue, age, and concentration;
you will notice a drop in your ability to recognize and understand the notes and their
relationship, when you are tired or not in a good mood. The important thing is that you have to
be able to control at will when you want to recognize and understand a particular musical
event, using your well trained ear, and based on your theoretical knowledge and empirical
experience. The more and better you practice, the better the results and your understanding.

Most musicians have timbral absolute pitch, meaning that they can recognize and understand
with great ease any note played on their instrument; for example, a clarinet player has no
problem recognizing and understanding the sounds produced by a clarinet; it would be more
difficult for the clarinet player to recognize those same notes if they were played by a violin,
harp or piano for example. As far as relative pitch is concerned, professional musicians can
recognize intervals and chords produced by any instrument.

The purpose of the iLearn Perfect Pitch, 4 Free course in Volume 1 is not to develop robot like
students where they can recognize any sound, any interval, any chord, any time and any place,
except in a classroom exercise situation or at an ear‐training aptitude test. The 32 lessons in
Volume 1 are designed to develop a finely tuned professional musical ear; the exercises have
been strategically developed and organized to increase in difficulty and also cover incrementally
the spectrum of combinatorial arrangements in the 15 major and 15 minor scales, the intervals,
triads, 7th and 9th chords.

The musical material used in these lessons represents the building matter used in Western
music from the 15 century to present day. Once young musicians have a well trained ear, they
should integrate their theoretical knowledge and empirical experience to project their feelings,
passion and ideas in the music they perform or create.

18. How Do I Practice These Exercises?
How do you eat an elephant? One piece at a time. Lots of patience and consistency. The same
principle applies to the ear‐training and sight‐singing exercises. One note at a time. One
exercise at a time. One lesson a day for 6 consecutive days, with the 7th day off. For the
beginning or younger student, start with lessons 1 & 2 (the Do_C Major scale and the la_a minor
scale) under the guidance of your parent or music teacher. The 1st 2 lessons also include the
names of the notes in the sheet music (with Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do, and A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
A). Practice these 2 lessons until you become very familiar and comfortable with reading,
understanding, recognizing and naming the notes. The lessons are recorded at various speeds
for beginner, intermediate and advanced students.
19. How Long Before I Can Sense Results That I Have Developed My Sense Of Musical Perfect
Pitch?
Within 1 ‐ 2 weeks of practice you will have results. The beginner student should repeat lessons
1 & 2 (the Do_C Major scale and the la_a minor scale) for at least 2 weeks, before going to the
next lesson. The first 2 lessons include the written names of the notes in the sheet music, which
will help you learn and remember the 7 notes (the notes are written in 2 versions: with Do, Re,
Mi, and with A, B, C). The development of Musical Perfect Pitch is a slow and incremental
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process. In the beginning you will notice that you can recall and sing the La_A note which is
your permanent musical anchor, your musical GPS. As time goes on you will start identifying
with greater ease the various types of scales, intervals and chords. Be patient and diligent with
your practice. Read out loud the titles and intros to every exercise, before singing them. A little
bit everyday is more valuable and efficient than not practicing for 2 weeks, and then trying to
catch up by practicing 3 hours in 1 day. Just as the dawn of a day starts slow but surely, so will
your results and successes.

20. How Long Do I Have To Practice Before I See Results?
It varies from student to student. High motivation plus well focused practice will yield the
fastest results. In my experience, students start showing results within 1 ‐ 2 weeks.
Do your best and practice 1 lesson a day for 6 consecutive days, rest on the 7th day, and then
either repeat the same lesson again for 1 week if you need to, or go on to the next lesson. Each
lesson is approximately 30‐40 minutes long.

Consult with your music teacher, who will help you organize these ear‐training and sight‐singing
exercises along with your instrumental or vocal work, for best results. Consistency is very
important to your learning experience. It is more effective to practice 30 minutes a day, than
skip 3 weeks and practice 3 hours in a day trying to make up for the lost days. Your music
teacher is your best guide to appropriately schedule and integrate these exercises with your
other work.

21. How Long Does Is Take To Complete The 32 Lesson Cycle In Volume 1?
The 32 lesson cycle is designed to be completed in 32 weeks (about 8 months); The beginning
student should repeat lessons 1 & 2 for at least 2 weeks, before going on to the next lessons.
Lessons 1 & 2 are the Do_C major scale and the la_a minor scale. The first 2 lessons also include
the written names of the notes both with Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do, and with A, B, C, D, E, F,
G, A.

Once you complete the 32 lesson cycle, you can stop for a few weeks and then repeat again.
Teachers can tailor the lessons and the 7 parts within each lesson, to fit their class curriculum;
the music teacher should also take into account the level of instruction and age of the students,
whether in elementary school or college. After finishing the 32 lesson cycle in 32 weeks, you
should try completing the 32 lessons in 32 days; this means you will practice 1 lessons a day.

22. How Many Times Should I Repeat The 32 Lesson Cycle In Volume 1?
You should repeat the 32 week cycle at least 3 times before you feel confident that you have
achieved the necessary level of proficiency where you can recognize sounds by pitch and also
their relationship as in scales, intervals, triads, 7th & 9th chords. The 1st and 2nd time you should
do it in 32 weeks, and 3rd time you can try 1 lesson a day and finish in 32 days.

23. How Many Volumes Are There In The iLearn Music, 4 Free Compendium, & What’s In Them?
This is an Open Project, with an unlimited number of possible volumes, based on various
elements of music, i.e., rhythm, transposition, harmony, counterpoint, dictation, etc. Volumes 1
& 2 are ready for use (as of 2010), and focus on melodic and harmonic ear‐training and sight‐
singing.
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Volume 1 is a Closed Project: the 32 lesson cycle is complete and nothing needs to be added
here.
Volume 2 is an Open Project: more songs can be added at any time, to widen and enhance the
young musician’s learning, cultural and educational experience.

24. How Much Do The 32 Lessons In Volume 1, & The Songs In Volume 2 Cost?
The moral impetus for this work is that “Every Child Has The Right To A Music Education” rooted
in “The United Nations’ Convention On The Rights Of The Child” (November 1989, Articles 28 &
29). While anyone in the world who has access to YouTube can practice and learn/practice for
free all these lessons, there is a downloadable version of the lessons which includes the videos
and audios in HD quality and the printable music sheet in PDF electronic format. Since there is
considerable cost for producing and creating this material, a modest fee is applicable for the
materials available for sale. For the current price list send an e‐mail to david@livianu.com
25. How Will Learning Musical Perfect Pitch & Sight‐Singing With Solfege Help Me As A Rock
n’Roll Drummer?
Ear‐training and sight‐singing are the foundation for all professional musicians, whether
classical, pop, country, jazz, rhythm and blues or rock and roll. Many non‐classically trained
musicians of fame achieve their ear‐training through self‐education while practicing and
performing their instrument. Using these lessons will accelerate the ear‐training part of the
development and allow students to perform better, and to reveal their interpretative and
creative skills at the highest artistic level.

You need a well trained musical ear just, no matter what instrument you play; even as a
drummer you need a great musical ear, for the simple reason that you have to listen and
understand what the other musicians are playing with you in the band, simultaneously while
you are drumming…and that is not an easy thing to do.

26. What Age Should My Child Start Practicing These Lessons?
Children can start their formal ear‐training and sight‐singing lessons as young as 5 years old. Of
course, the younger child cannot and does not need to go through all the 32 lessons. The 32
lesson cycle is designed for the advanced student that is highly motivated and is already
proficient with sight‐singing and sight‐reading music. Children under 10 can be introduced to
ear‐training and sight‐singing using lessons 1 and 2 in Volume 1, and easier songs in Volume 2.
Music teachers should help their students which of the 7 parts in each of the 32 lessons in
Volume 1 are appropriate for their students. After finishing the 32 lesson cycle in 32 weeks,
students can complete the 32 lessons in 32 days; this means you will practice 1 lessons a day

Younger and beginner students should focus on parts 1, 2 & 3 (tuning to La_A, warm‐up with
scales and Solmization with intervals), only with lessons 1 & 2 (the Do_C Major Scale and the
la_a minor scale). These first 2 lessons also include the written names of the notes, both with
Do, Re, Mi, and with A, B, C.

The intermediate student can add part 4, Solmization with 7th chords and practice lessons 1
through 12 and 17 through 28.

The advanced student should practice all 7 parts and all 32 lessons. For best results, the
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advanced student should read and play the sheet music at the piano, while singing the
exercises.

As students advance to different parts of the lesson, the music teacher should also integrate the
theoretical knowledge that underlies the formation of scales, intervals, triads, 7th and 9th chords,
and other theoretical subjects.

27. What Are The Differences Between The Free Lessons On YouTube & The Downloadable
Version?
A couple of things make the Free YouTube Lessons different from the downloadable version:

1. The YouTube version has a lot of spoken introductions, which make it slightly longer;
2. The YouTube version is free of charge so anyone in the world can access at will these
exercises; however the audio quality is not the highest possible because of the limitations
imposed by YouTube when uploading and also when playing back the material;
3. The downloadable version is the original recorded version in HD brilliant audio quality; the
piano used for these recordings is the Boesendorfer 290, the Rolls Royce of pianos;
4. The sheet music that is presented in the free YouTube version is only a partial view of the
printable sheet music that comes with the downloadable version for personal use. The
sheet music includes a lot of written theoretical information in side bars, to aid the student
during practice;
5. Yes, you can practice very well with the Free YouTube version; for those of you that can
afford the modest fee for the downloadable version of the HD Audios & Videos, plus the
printable sheet music, you will have the advantage of the highest possible audio quality,
which is important for your ear‐training; you will also have the mobility of taking the
exercises with you on your iPod or other media devices, together with the printable sheet
music.

28. What Format Are The 32 Lessons In Volume 1, & The Songs In Volume 2 Available In?
The 32 lessons in Volume 1, and the songs in Volume 2, can be viewed and practiced for free on
YouTube www.youtube.com/ilearnmusic4free.com

The material is available for download or on a CD for a small fee in HD Avi format for the videos,
HD Mp3 format for the audios, and printable PDF for the sheet music. The free YouTube version
has a much lower audio quality because of the size limitation imposed by YouTube for faster
uploading and playback.

For best results I recommend you use the downloadable HD videos & audios, + the PDF sheet
music. The recordings are magnificent, and the piano used for the recordings is the Grand
Boesendorfer 290, considered by experts the Rolls Royce of pianos.

29. What Is i Learn 2 Sight‐Sing, 4 Free, Volume 2?
The Purpose of The Solfege America Initiative is to offer every child in America and elsewhere an
easy, fast, and efficient way for ear‐training and sight‐singing through Solfege; it means singing
the 7 notes either with Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si (Do), or A, B, C, D, E, F, G, (A).

15
The moral impetus for this work is that “Every Child Has The Right To A Music Education”,
inscribed in “The United Nations’ Convention For Children’s Rights”, November 1989, Articles 28
& 29.

i Learn 2 Sight‐Sing, 4 Free is Volume 2 in the i Learn Music, 4 Free compendium;
Volume 2 includes well known children’s songs from around the world. Each song is presented
in 15 Major or 15 minor keys, to help the student learn transposition and practice sight‐singing
and sight‐reading.
This is an open project, so others songs can be added to Volume 2.
This material was conceived, created, and prepared by Juilliard Graduate David Livianu.

There are 2 things that motivated this work:
1. The millions of children around the world who do not have access to basic music education;
2. The many passionate music teachers who might wish to include these exercises in their daily
class work.

Most of the sight‐singing songs available in music schools and conservatories go back to the
early 1900s, and are not known by students; why not use songs that children already know and
sing to promote sight‐singing and sight‐reading?
While the student learns to sight‐sing and sight‐read a variety of popular songs, they also learn
to transpose each song in 15 keys. Transposition is an important compositional tool and the
premise to the study of modulation and harmony. Learning and experiencing transposition will
further develop the young musician’s aural view and understanding of the tonal system and will
reinforce the theoretical knowledge that underlies the formation of scales, intervals, triads, 7th
& 9th chords. Learning music starts with singing, and practice makes perfect.

For a modest fee, the HD Audios & Videos, + the sheet music are available either for download
and/or on a CD, for personal or classroom use. For a current list of prices and/or to order,
please send an e‐mail to david@livianu.com

30. What Is i Learn Music, 4 Free?
The Purpose of The i Learn Music, 4 Free Compendium is to offer every child in America and
elsewhere an easy, fast, and efficient way for ear‐training and sight‐singing through Solfege
(singing with Do, Re, Mi, or A, B, C)…and all of it for FREE at
www.youtube.com/ilearnmusic4free

rooted in “The United Nations’ Convention For Children’s Rights”, November 1989, Articles 28 &
29.

i Learn Music, 4 Free is the general title that includes Volumes 1, 2, and others to come
(Volumes 1 & 2 focus on melodic and harmonic ear‐training and sight‐singing exercises; future
volumes will present exercises on rhythm, modulation, modal scales, counterpoint, melodic and
harmonic dictation, etc).

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There are 2 things that inspired this work:
1. The millions of children around the world who do not have access to basic music
education;
2. The many passionate music teachers who might wish to include these exercises in their
daily class work, in order to accelerate their students’ ear‐training and sight‐singing skills.

Learning music starts with singing, and practice makes perfect. The premise for this work is
Picasso’s famous observation that “Every Child Is An Artist”; I am convinced that every child
given the right instruction can develop through singing their ability to understand, enjoy and
master the intricacies of music. Children everywhere should be able to learn music and enjoy
the many benefits that arise from a musical experience.

31. What Is i Learn Perfect Pitch, 4 Free, Volume 1?
The Purpose of The Solfege America Initiative is to offer every child in America and elsewhere
an easy, fast, and efficient way for ear‐training and sight‐singing through Solfege; it means
singing the 7 notes either with Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si (Do), or A, B, C, D, E, F, G, (A).

rooted in “The United Nations’ Convention For Children’s Rights”, November 1989, Articles 28 &
29.

i Learn Perfect Pitch, 4 Free is Volume 1 in the i Learn Music, 4 Free compendium; Volume 1
includes 32 lessons, with 7 parts each, for a total of 224 parts. Each lesson is approximately 35‐
40 minutes long, for a total of about 18 hours of ear‐training exercises. This is a closed project,
meaning that the material created is self‐contained and can be used as is. This material was
conceived, created, and prepared by Juilliard Graduate David Livianu. There are 2 things that
motivated this work:
1. The millions of children around the world who do not have access to basic music
education;
2. The many passionate music teachers who might wish to include these exercises in their
daily class work, in order to accelerate their students’ ear‐training and sight‐singing skills.
These exercises have been carefully designed to take the beginner student from easy to
advanced drills, in all 15 Major & 15 minor keys. The scales, arpeggios, intervals and chords
represent the fundamental elements of music that every student needs to understand,
recognize, practice and master, whether they are interested in classical, jazz or hard rock music,
etc. A well trained ear is key to a better understanding and performance of music.


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32. What Is Musical Absolute Pitch?
Musical Absolute Pitch is considered by many scholars to be a gift that you’re born with. There
are others, like myself that are confident that absolute pitch is a skill that can be taught. Is it as
important as Relative Pitch? No, but it is very useful to the professional musician and can bring
added enjoyment and enjoyment to the educated music lover.

Absolute Pitch is the ability to recognize musical sounds by their exact pitch or absolute
frequency, while Relative Pitch is the ability to recognize the distances between notes, whether
played harmonically (intervals and chords) or sequentially/melodically (1 note after the other, a
melodic pattern).

Part of the Livianu methodology of teaching Musical Absolute Pitch is to train students to
establish their internal reference sound, La_A 440 Hertz; this is the same way orchestra
musicians tune their instruments before the concert, listening to the central La‐A, 440 Hertz,
played by the Concert master, the 1st violinist.
When the student can remember the La_A sound, 440 Hertz, recognize it and sing it/play it at
will, he or she will have established their own internal audio anchor, or musical Plymouth Rock if
you will, and will locate with great ease other notes (like an internal musical GPS navigation
system). It is the synergistic effect of both skills, Absolute & Relative Pitch that will always be
there for the young musician to help him/her better understand, enjoy, create or perform
music.

Though the generic name of Perfect Pitch suggests an ideal state of achievement, in reality the 2
skills that make up Musical Perfect Pitch (Absolute & Relative Pitch) will vary from student to
student based on personal aptitude, experience and motivation, method of learning, and
teacher assistance. Also, on an individual level there can be variations in Perfect Pitch acuity
based on motivation, experience, fatigue, focus and stress. I am confident that the method
presented in this course is perhaps the best and most efficient way to develop Musical Perfect
Pitch. It is also free to learn.

33. What Is Musical Perfect Pitch?
In general parlance Musical Perfect Pitch refers to the ability to recognize by name (either with
A, B, C, 1, 2, 3, Do, Re, Mi, or whatever notational system is used) the actual pitch/frequency of a
note; some musicians also include in Musical Perfect Pitch the ability to recognize by name
intervals, triads, 7th and 9th chords, etc. I view Musical Perfect Pitch as a 2 fold skill, Musical
Absolute Pitch and Musical Relative Pitch. By sub‐classifying Musical Perfect Pitch in 2 separate
skills, we can better understand, define, and learn these 2 skills.

Musical Absolute Pitch refers to the ability to identify and/or sing by name the sounds you hear
at their exact location, or absolute pitch (when you correctly identify lets say La_A, 440 hertz,
a.k.a. as Central A, you have labeled the only note in the spectrum of sounds/frequency that can
bear this name/label; thus the actual frequency/pitch is absolute, it never changes).

Musical Relative Pitch refers to the ability to identify and/or sing by name the intervals, triads,
7th and 9th chords, etc. that occur between 2 or more notes; it is relative to the note chosen as
the basis for identifying or creating the interval/chord (i.e. a Perfect 5th remains a P5th whether
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you call it Do_Sol, C_G, or Fa_Do, F_C.

Scales, intervals, triads, and chords are mathematical algorhythms that represent the different
types of relationships established between the notes/frequencies; Musical Relative Pitch
teaches the classification of scales, intervals and chords; every combination of 2 or more
sounds can be classified and has a name. It is the combined use of these 2 skills that helps good
musicians become great performers/composers.

34. What Is Musical Relative Pitch?
There is no disagreement among musicians and pedagogues that Musical Relative Pitch is the
most important ear‐training skill for any aspiring musician; it is the ability to visualize,
understand, recognize and make sense of the relationships or distances that occur between 2 or
more notes/sounds/pitches/degrees, whether in melodic form (notes are played sequentially, 1
after the other) or in harmonic form (notes are played simultaneously, at the same time).

The various types of note combinations are studied under the theories of scales, intervals and
chords. While Musical Relative Pitch is essential for any aspiring musician, it is my belief and
experience that together with Absolute Pitch, the synergistic value of these 2 skills, a.k.a.
Perfect Pitch, can amplify many times over every musician’s understanding, enjoyment, creative
and interpretative skills.

Though the generic name of Musical Perfect Pitch suggests an ideal state of achievement, in
reality the 2 fold skill of Musical Perfect Pitch (Absolute Pitch & Relative Pitch) will vary from
student to student based on personal aptitude and desire, method of learning, and teacher
assistance. On a personal level every musician will experience moments when their perception,
focus and recognition ability of sounds, intervals, chords, etc, will vary; these variations in
Perfect Pitch acuity are based on motivation, fatigue, focus and stress. I am confident that the
method presented in this course is possibly the best and most efficient way to develop a
professional musical ear. Use it well, let me know how it works for you and enjoy the results!

35. What Is Solfege & Solmization?
Solfege means singing with Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do. In the U.S. and U.K. students Solfege
with the 1st 7 letters of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A). Solmization means practicing with
different combinations of notes/sounds; you can sing either with Do, Re, Mi, or A, B, C.

1. Indian classical music uses the following corresponding Solfege notes:
Do/Sa, Re/Re, Mi/Ga, Fa/Ma, Sol/Pa, La/Dha, Si/Ni , Do/Sa. According to certain scholars,
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this is the earliest known origin of the Solfege;
2. Solfege may have its origins in the ancient Arabic Solmization system, a.k.a. Durar
Mufassalat meaning Separated Pearls. The reference to pearls is thought to be related to
the appearance of the notes on a single line, like stringing pearls. This is the earliest known
graphical musical notation and is evidence that the Arabs had used and invented the first
staff notation system. The Arab corresponding notes are: Do/Dal, Re/Ra, Mi/Mim, Fa/Fa,
Sol/Sad, La/Lam, Si/Ta, Do/Dal;
3. In the 11th century A.D., an Italian monk, Guido d’Arezzo (Guido from the city of Arezzo),
developed a mnemonic device to name the six notes that went as follows: Ut, Re, Mi, Fa,
Sol, La. This was a prayer presented as a warm up vocal exercises; an early form of
Solmization. Church music used modal scales made of 6 notes, a.k.a. as hexachords. The
names were taken from the first syllable of each verse of the Latin hymn Ut Queant Laxis,
where the syllables fall on their corresponding scale degree; later on, the modal sextatonic
scale added a 7th note paving the way for the use of the modern Major and minor scales, the
heptatonic scale. The 7th note was named Si, which represents the initials of Sancte
Iohannes. Later on Ut was changed to Do, an open syllable, which is more conducive to
singing.
36. What Is The A, B, C Method Of Sight‐Singing?
Rather than using Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do, when singing the 7 notes, the English and
American ear‐training method borrowed the alphabet system for harmonic notation from the
German Music School. It is extremely useful to use the alphabet for harmonic notation and
abbreviation, but not as efficient for sight‐singing as the Solfege method (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La,
Si, Do).
Here are some of the reasons:
1. Notice that the 1st letter in the Do, Re, Mi, Sol, La, Si, Do system is a consonant and the 2nd
is a vowel; when singing, it is easier to produce sounds when the 1st letter is a consonant
and the 2nd one is a vowel. Just try it and you will understand;
2. The next argument that can be made in favor of the Do, Re, Mi, method is that though
initially it is very easy and intuitive for children to use the 1st 7 letters of the alphabet, in
reality the Do, Re, Mi, method is a unique language used only in music. Once you master
the 7 words and use it regularly, you will enjoy and be able to understand and
communicate with great ease any kind of music;
3. There is nothing wrong with using the A, B, C, method, and many musicians are proficient
with both Do, Re, Mi and A, B, C. For sight‐singing purposes I highly recommend the Do,
Re, Mi, and for harmonic abbreviation you should use the letters of the alphabet;
4. When using the letters of the alphabet there are minor differences between the German
and America/English Schools: the German School uses the 8th letter of the alphabet, H, for
the 7th note, Si or B. The Germans use the suffixes ‐es for flat and ‐is for sharp;
5. The bottom line is that no matter what system you use, it will help you understand and
communicate music. There is also a method of learning to sight‐sing with numbers, 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, 1. I do not recommend it. #s should be used to identify tonal & harmonic
functions.

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37. What Is The Best Age For Learning Perfect Pitch & Sight‐Singing?
Babies start singing and babbling long before they can talk; they imitate the sounds they hear.
For teaching purposes, I think age 5 is a good starting point to play and sing exercises with the
young child. The key word at this age is fun; the exercises in the early years have to be
perceived as a game, where the child tries to repeat the parent/teacher’s example. Many of the
drills presented in this course can be combined with others and used with great results. Of
course a younger child does not need to go through the complete 32 lesson cycle, but rather
with the help of the music teacher or parent, practice only lessons 1 & 2, parts 1, 2, 3. Ear‐
training and sight‐singing are skills that can be taught with age appropriate exercises. For those
of you wondering if ear‐training and sight‐singing can be taught to adults, my answer is yes. It
depends on the motivation of the student, the teacher involved, and the method used.
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38. What Is The Best Way To Practice?
The best way to practice is when you are not tired and are ready to practice; you should seek a
quiet place for the 30‐40 minute period of ear‐training and sight‐singing exercises. Try not to
interrupt your practice with phone calls or other mundane activities. Disconnect your phone.
Do not stop to talk to anyone during practice.

Ideally the student or the music teacher should print the sheet music or use the PDF document
on your computer or portable media device; then sit at a keyboard (preferably an acoustic
piano, that has been recently tuned) and play the exercises while you read the titles out loud
and sing along. By playing, listening, reading and singing you are using your senses to absorb
the knowledge of music. The music that you hear and/or perform should be a personal and
visceral experience, meaning that you should feel the notes, the dynamics, the tempo, the
rhythm, etc, from within your mind and body; that is when the results of your ear‐training and
sight‐singing start paying off. Understanding and appreciating music is a human experience,
that no other species is capable of duplicating. Make the best of it, by preparing well.

After finishing the 32 lesson cycle in 32 weeks, you should try completing the 32 lessons in 32
days; this means you will practice 1 lessons a day.

39. What Is The Livianu Method For Ear‐Training & Sight‐Singing for Young Musicians?
Many years ago, when I was a high school student in the early 70s, I practiced a number of
exercises that developed my ability to understand, writing and reproduce the notes in scales,
intervals, and various types of chords. As the years went by I realized the importance and value
of having a well trained musical ear and the ability to sing at will using Solfege.
To this day I can visualize and hear internally the sounds and types of scales, intervals and
chords I want to play or create.

The exercises I used to practice as a youngster were not formalized or written down, but rather
were carefully handed down orally in classroom practice or assigned as H.W. by our dedicated
and foresightful music theory teachers in Romania. Slowly but surely I put pen to paper, writing
and reorganizing many of these exercises while adding a few new ones, into what I consider to
be an all‐encompassing, efficient, cohesive and universally acceptable method of ear‐training
and sight‐singing for young musicians (this method applies only to Western Music that uses the
12 tone tempered system, a.k.a. the tonal system).

I believe that “Every Child Has The Right To A Music Education”; my work outside of music, as a
humanitarian and children’s rights advocate, made me understand that besides other
fundamental rights that all children have, education is not a privilege but a also basic human
right. Sadly enough many politicians and educators in our country and elsewhere view music
education as a dispensable subject as soon as there are budget cuts and so on.

For more information about my writings and humanitarian work please go to
www.youtube.com/globaladoptions

The importance of music education for children has been well documented by respected
scientists all over the world. This is why I came up with the idea of the I Learn Music, 4 Free
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series, via the powerful medium that is YouTube. Now every child, anywhere, anytime, can
access my exercises and practice them for free at www.youtube.com/ilearnmusic4free

Learning Music Starts With Singing & Deliberate Practice Makes Perfect!
There are 3 educational principles that guide this work: listening, singing and repetition, a.k.a.
practice.

1. Listening and singing teaches the ear to focus selectively and with purpose; just as a GPS
device in your car triangulates your position to guide you to a destination while you drive, the
same way, by knowing and being aware of your reference sound, the audio anchor La_A, 440
hertz, you can locate and learn the exact aural location of the other notes, and also the
different types of note combinations (i.e. intervals, triads, 7th chords, etc);
2. Singing and reading music are the fastest way to absorb the theoretical facts of the ear‐
training and sight‐singing exercises;
3. Practice or repetition is the only way to develop, encode, and forever embed this knowledge‐
skill and integrated in your general music development, whether you are a budding
professional musician or a music lover. You need to practice with dedication or deliberately,
meaning that you have to do things on purpose and focus on the task at hand; otherwise you
are wasting your time…

Each exercise has 2 important steps: listening and singing. Alternating between listening and
singing each exercise is critical for the permanent development of Absolute Pitch & Relative
Pitch acuity; these 2 skills, commonly known as Musical Perfect Pitch, will forever stay with you,
helping in the understanding, recognition and recreation of various melodic and harmonic
patterns, scales, intervals, chords and individual pitches. These 2 skills need to be integrated in
the overall musical training, whether it is performance, or composition.

I sincerely hope that The Livianu Method For Ear‐Training & Sight‐Singing will help children
everywhere as much as it has helped my children and many other musicians.

40. What Is The Solfege America Initiative?
The Purpose of The Solfege America Initiative is to offer every child in America and elsewhere an
easy, fast, and efficient way for ear‐training and sight‐singing through Solfege; it means singing
the 7 notes either with Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si (Do), or A, B, C, D, E, F, G, (A).

rooted in “The United Nations’ Convention For Children’s Rights”, Articles 28 & 29, November
1989.

The Solfege America Initiative is a Not For Profit project that includes the i Learn Music, 4 Free
Compendium. For more information on how to get involved send an e‐mail to
david@livianu.com

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America has been my home since 1967, when I was 12 years old; my family, full of dreams and
aspirations, emigrated from a then totalitarian communist Romania. I am proud of my
Romanian roots and Jewish heritage; I will always be grateful to my parents for their
immeasurable courage and indefatigable determination to give me a great education and
future. America has given my family and millions of other immigrants a safe place to flourish; it
is an honor and privilege to make this modest contribution as a music educator. Everywhere I
go I see children that love music, and want to learn and understand it, yet the methods used are
either cumbersome, partially efficient, antiquated, or pseudo‐professional.

With a well developed musical ear and the ability to sight‐sing, children will be able to enjoy,
learn, understand, and better perform any piece of music. Solfege means singing the 7 notes
either with Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si (Do), or A, B, C, D, E, F, G, (A).

I learned a long time ago that there is nothing that can replace serious practice, whether it is
learning music, math, reading or playing tennis; there are no instant learning solutions, only
hard work. After much thought and research, I concluded that I there is a void in the field of
musical ear‐training and sight‐singing. I am hopeful that my modest contribution can perhaps
fill this gap in music education, specifically for ear‐training and sight‐singing.

I consider my work as Made in America, with Romanian know‐how and Jewish chutzpah.
Nothing would make me happier than knowing that every child in the world has full access to
the vast resources of information and learning materials that exist today. We, as parents and
teachers, have a moral obligation and civic duty to impart our life experiences and knowledge
equally and unfettered to all the children. This is the reason I published my work for free on
YouTube, so anyone interested in learning music, with a focus on ear‐training and sight‐singing,
will have instant, free, permanent and equal access to this important learning/teaching tool at
www.youtube.com/ilearnmusic4free

I hope that my initiative will spark the interest of fellow music educators who will add their
knowledge and experience, and will use this material, to benefit children around the world. This
is my Solfege America Initiative.
Please enjoy it, use it well, and share it with your friends, and children/students.


41. What Other Ear‐Training & Sight‐Singing Exercises Should I Practice?
Here are several common ear‐training sight‐singing exercises used today in music schools and
conservatories:
a. Solmization: the combinatorial singing in a particular key/scale of the 7 notes in that scale.
It also includes Arpeggios of the primary chords, usually the classic harmonic pattern, I, IV, V,
I (Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant 7th, Tonic). This is the warm‐up and tune up to start the
class;
b. Listening to & singing back notes, scales, intervals or chords, as played by the teacher on the
piano;
25
c. Recognizing actual pitches and types of scales, intervals or chords, as played by the teacher
on the piano;
d. Building and saying out loud, then singing or writing down the example (scales, intervals or
chords,) as played or requested by the teacher;
e. Written dictation of melodic or harmonic patterns, as played by the teacher on the piano.
The students have to identify and write down:
1. The key or scale the exercise is played in;
2. The time signature or meter of the dictated exercise;
3. The tempo of the exercise (Adagio, Allegro, etc);
4. The expression markings (mf, pp, Staccato, Legato, etc);
5. The actual pitches or notes, and their interval relation, with the chord function (tonic,
dominant, etc) and position (root position, 1st inversion, etc).
f. Solfege or sight‐singing is also part of the daily regimen of proficient ear‐training.

Listening and singing are the key tools for effective ear‐training and sight‐singing. The music
teacher is responsible for organizing these exercises; The drills have to be tailored to the age of
the student, or their level of expertise. There are many other types of ear‐training exercises
related to rhythm, transposition, modulation, modal scales, etc.

There are vast amounts of music education materials available via the internet, in libraries,
music stores and in schools; many are excellent and time tested; a few are amateurish and
dubious in quality and gimmicky, claiming instant results with little or no practice necessary; it is
the duty of the parent and the music educator to properly research which ear‐training and
sight‐singing materials are best suited for their children/students.

The operative words are DEDICATED PRACTICE: if you ask any musician, whether classically
trained or a self taught rock star, they will tell you that deliberate or dedicated, highly focused
practice was key to their results. There are no magic pills or solutions that can replace hard
work, no matter what subject the child studies.

It is in this context that I believe the exercises presented here will aid and speed up the
student’s ability to develop a healthy, strong and well tuned musical ear. This being said, the
exercises in this course should be integrated with others (with the music teacher’s help) that will
expedite the overall musical development of the student. In and of themselves, exercises have
little or no value, unless they are integrated with the music the child learns to perform or
create. Whether children play the piano, the drums, the clarinet or the trombone, they should
sing along the music. That is when the technical skill and interpretative ability will be supported
by the musical understanding and awareness of the student. Good luck!

42. When Should I Practice?
Practice when you are ready to focus and dedicate 30‐40 minutes of your time; you must
understand and appreciate the value of ear‐training and sight‐singing. Doing something without
interest and commitment will not yield the desired results and will only be a painful experience
and a terrible waste of time.

26
Anytime of the day or evening is good for practice; try not to practice when you are tired, in a
bad mood or after a big breakfast, lunch or dinner. Make sure nobody interrupts you for 30‐40
minutes, and turn off your cell phone. You shouldn’t have any noise or other music or
conversation in the background. You need lots of quiet space when you practice your ear‐
training and sight‐singing exercises. You should be relaxed and focused on listening and singing
back the exercises. Try to connect the theoretical knowledge that accompanies each exercise.
Say out loud the title and theoretical facts about each exercise.
Listen, Sing, Repeat! This is your master key for success. Learning music starts with singing
and dedicated practice makes perfect.

43. When Should I Start Learning Perfect Pitch & Sight‐Singing?
Age 5 or 6 is a good age to introduce a young child to ear‐training and sight‐singing, with age
appropriate exercises emphasizing on fun games with recognizing notes, up and down, etc. I
would recommend Lessons 1 & 2 in Volume 1, and the children’s songs in Volume 2. The ideal
window of opportunity for ear‐training and sight‐singing is from age 8 to 15; of course, if the
desire is there you can train successfully at 18 and 25 and even older. It will not be as quick and
easy as when you are younger…With the help of a good teacher, any motivated student can
quickly develop a sharp musical ear, able to distinguish pitches and their relationship, as in
scales, intervals and chords. Usually, as we get older, we become increasingly impatient with
the “boring practices”. However, without practice, singing the exercises many times over, the
student will not develop the necessary fluency for understanding, communicating and singing
music. Listening and singing produces a visceral experience where the student not only hears
and sees the notes, but he or she also feels the music from within. This experience cannot be
replaced by reading a book or watching a video about ear‐training. You have to do it and
experience it yourself, and then you start to understand, and recognize the same melodic and
harmonic patterns in the music you hear. You cannot learn to play baseball only by reading
books or watching games; you have to go out there and experience the actual pitching, hitting
and catching. Well, it is exactly the same thing with ear‐training and sight‐singing. It is up to
you.

44. Where Can I Find The i Learn Music, 4 Free Lessons?
You can access the i Learn Music, 4 Free lessons at www.youtube.com/ilearnmusic4free
If you would like to own a personal copy of the lessons, the HD Audios & Videos + the Sheet
Music, just send an e‐mail request to david@livianu.com

You will receive a detailed list of the available lessons, and how to download them or order
them on a CD/DVD/or Flash Drive. There is a small fee for the electronic production of the
materials and for shipping & handling. We are working on developing Apps for the iPhone, iPad
& other devices with all these lessons.

45. Where Should I Practice?
These exercises are designed to be practiced either alone at home, or in a class setting with the
assistance of the music teacher; the exercises can be played and sung together with other
students.
These types of ear‐training and sight‐singing exercises are best performed as a warm‐up at the
beginning of the music class, or if practiced alone, before you begin practicing your instrument
27
or vocal exercises if you are a singer. You can definitely take these lessons on the road on your
iPod, with the printable sheet music and exercise them while you are in a comfortable and quiet
place like in a park. You should turn off your phone and not interrupt your exercises for the
duration of the lesson, about 30‐40 minutes. Avoid noisy places with other music or
conversation in the background.

46. Who Can Benefit From Learning Perfect Pitch & Solfege?
Anyone that intends to learn music, pursue a musical career, or be an educated music lover;
whether it is classical music, contemporary, opera, jazz, rock, etc; the student will benefit
immensely from these ear‐training and sight‐singing exercises. This material can also help
actors and dancers who need to sing, and develop a good musical ear.

My belief is that every child, starting as early as pre‐K, should be exposed to ear‐training and
sight‐singing exercises. Learning music makes children smarter and kinder. If children are
taught the basic theoretical principles that underlie the formation of rhythmic patterns, scales,
intervals and chords, together with practicing them, they will enjoy and understand how similar
music is to other arts and life in general; when the student forgets the piano piece he learned a
year ago, he still remembers the theory that helped him learn that music, and can apply it to
learn, perform or create other music. Here are a few examples:
1. Every piece of music has a beginning, middle and end;
2. The relationship that occurs between sounds and group of sounds creates physical tensions,
which humans perceive aesthetically as pleasant, sad, happy, harsh, etc; i.e., some intervals
sound harsh (the Augmented 4th), while others are pleasing (the Major 3rd);
3. Chords are like the pillars of a building that define the tonal and harmonic landscape of the
musical piece;
4. Music is math with sounds, i.e., intervals represent distances between notes, Major 2nd, the
distance between 2 adjacent notes, separated by 1 chromatic semitone and 1 diatonic
semitone;
5. Music expresses feelings;
6. Music is architecture with sounds, and patterns (intervals, chords, rhythm, melodic and
harmonic patterns, etc);
7. Music is painting with sounds;
8. Music is poetry in motion;
9. Music is happiness;
10. Music is sadness;
11. Music is love;
12. Music is YOU.

47. Who Is David Livianu?
David Livianu was born on July 14, 1955 in Bucharest, Romania (July 14 is Bastille Day, France’s
Independence Day). As an only child, he grew up in a rich artistic environment; his mother, Mella
Silberstein‐Livianu, was one of Bucharest’s most glamorous women of the 1930s. His father,
Dorel Livianu, is considered to this day one of Romania’s greatest crooners. His voice, a blend
between Bing Crosby and Andrea Boccelli, has brought joy to millions. His father, named by
Columbia Records and His Master’s Voice in the 1930s in Romania, The King of The Microphone,
recorded and launched over 1,200 of the most famous Romanian country music songs, tangos,
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blues, and foxtrots. While in the twilight of his career when he moved his family to the U.S.,
Dorel Livianu was a frequent guest of popular American shows like the Joey Adams Radio show
in New York City, and performed well into the 1990s. David Livianu created a virtual music
museum in memory of his father at www.youtube.com/dlivianu where you can listen to many
of Dorel Livianu’s original recordings.

Growing up in this milieu, David was exposed from early on to quality music. He started
studying the piano at age 5 under the careful guidance of his father. At age 12, after the family
immigrated to the U.S., David was admitted in the pre‐college division with a scholarship at the
prestigious Juilliard School in New York City. In the ‘70s David returned to Romania to continue
his music education. In 1982, he received a Master’s in Music degree from The Juilliard School
again under a full scholarship, where he specialized in composition under avant‐garde American
composer Milton Babbitt. You can listen to selections of David’s music at
www.youtube.com/musicdavidl

In the 1990s David Livianu became involved in the humanitarian efforts to help Romania’s
orphans, a sad vestige from the 45 years of the oppressive communist regime. In 1993 he wrote
and published the 1st adoption encyclopedia encompassing the countries of Eastern Europe (3
Volumes, 2, 800 pages). He advocates for speedier and more efficient adoption procedures and
services for “senior orphans” (children over the age of 6 years); these older orphans are often
overlooked and bypassed by most adoption agencies in favor of the more lucrative baby and
toddler adoption business. In 2005 Livianu completed a monumental collection of 12 books
(available in electronic PDF format), totaling 16,500 pages; they review and explain the adoption
laws and procedures for all 194 countries of the world (more info at
wwws.youtube.com/globaladoptions )

David Livianu was interviewed by Barbara Walters on 20/20, Leslie Stahl on 60 Minutes, radio
personality Barry Farber, , Voice of America, The New York Times, CNN International, and other
media. His latest music education project is intended for children around the world who are
interested in learning music and developing a professional musical ear; over 18 hours of
exercises are available 4 free at www.youtube.com/ileanrmusic4free For a small fee you can
order your own copy of the 32 lessons on a flashdrive.

Married and with 2 children, David took a sabbatical in 2003 from his humanitarian activities to
be with his family stateside; he currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. He keeps busy raising his
children, writing, and teaching; David is invited frequently at schools and colleges where he
speaks on humanitarian issues and also presents his Solfege America Initiative, The iLearn
Music, 4 Free programs.

You can always send your comments, ideas or questions to David Livianu at david@livianu.com
He responds promptly to all the messages. If you would like to contact David Livianu for a
teaching or speaking engagement, please send an e‐mail to david@livianu.com

48. Why Are There 7 Parts In Each Lesson In Volume 1, i Learn Perfect Pitch, 4 Free?
The 7 parts comprise the series of 224 parts/exercises that I believe will help the student master
the basic melodic and harmonic patterns, both from a theoretical and practical perspective.
29

Here are the detailed explanations:
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
The 7 parts that make up each of the 32 lessons in Volume 1 for the *16 MAJOR scales are
(Lessons 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31):
1. Tuning To Concert Pitch La_A, 440 Hertz, & Finding + Establishing The New Major Key/Scale;
2. Warm‐Up w/The Major Scale, In The Natural, Harmonic & Melodic Modes;
3. Solmization w/Scale & Arpeggios In The Major Scale, In The Natural Mode;
4. Solmization w/14 Intervals In The Major Natural Mode;
5. Solmization w/3 Triads In 3 Positions Each In The Major Natural Mode;
6. Solmization w/4 7th Chords In 4 Positions Each In The Major Natural Mode;
7. Solmization w/5 9th Chords In Root Position Only In The Major Natural Mode.

Each of the 7 parts focuses on a specific aspect of the ear‐training and sight‐singing process:
Part 1: establishes the anchor note, La_A, 440 Hertz, and guides the student to the new major
natural key/scale, and establishes it with the classic harmonic pattern, I, IV, V, I (Tonic,
Subdominant, Dominant 7th, Tonic).
Part 2: warms‐up the student with the 7 notes that are specific only in that particular major
natural scale.
Part 3: presents in great detail the combinatorial possibilities (a.k.a. Solmization) between the 7
notes in that particular major natural, plus the arpeggios on the classic harmonic pattern, I, IV,
V, I (Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant 7th, Tonic).
Part 4: presents the 14 intervals in that particular major natural scale, only with the 7 notes of
that scale.
Part 5: presents the 3 triads, in 3 positions each, in that particular major natural scale, only with
the 7 notes of that scale.
Part 6: presents the 4 7th chords, in 4 positions each, in that particular major natural scale, only
with the 7 notes of that scale.
Part 7: presents the 5 9th chords, in root position only, in that particular major natural scale,
only with the 7 notes of that scale.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
The 7 parts that make up each of the 32 lessons in Volume 1 for the *16 minor scales are
(Lessons 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32):
1. Tuning To Concert Pitch La_A, 440 Hertz, & Finding + Establishing The New minor Key/Scale.
2. Warm‐Up w/The minor Scale, In The Natural, Harmonic & Melodic Modes.
3. Solmization w/Scale & Arpeggios In minor Scale, In The Harmonic Mode.
4. Solmization w/18 Intervals In The minor Harmonic Mode.
5. Solmization w/4 Triads In 3 Positions Each In The minor Harmonic Mode.
6. Solmization w/5 7th Chords In 4 Positions Each In The minor Harmonic Mode.
Solmization w/7 9th Chords In Root Position Only In The minor Harmonic Mode.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

Each of the 7 parts focuses on a specific aspect of the ear‐training and sight‐singing process:
Part 1: establishes the anchor note, La_A, 440 Hertz, and guides the student to the new minor
harmonic key/scale, and establishes it with the classic harmonic pattern, I, IV, V, I (Tonic,
Subdominant, Dominant 7th, Tonic).
30
Part 2: warms‐up the student with the 7 notes that are specific only in that particular minor
harmonic scale.
Part 3: presents in great detail the combinatorial possibilities (a.k.a. Solmization) between the 7
notes in that particular minor harmonic scale, plus the arpeggios on the classic harmonic
pattern, I, IV, V, I (Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant 7th, Tonic).
Part 4: presents the 18 intervals in that particular minor harmonic scale, only with the 7 notes
of that scale.
Part 5: presents the 4 triads, in 3 positions each in that particular minor harmonic scale, only
with the 7 notes of that scale.
Part 6: presents the 5 7th chords, in 4 positions each, in that particular minor harmonic scale,
Part 7: presents the 7 9th chords, in root position only, in that particular minor harmonic scale,

* There are only 15 possible major & 15 minor scales in the tonal system; Do_C Major & la_a
minor is repeated twice in order to start the cycle of 7 scales with flats. That is why we have 16
major & 16 minor scales, for a total of 32 lessons, a 32 week cycle. Each lesson repeats the
same 7 part structure in a different key/scale; we start with the Do_C Major Scale and its
relative minor, the la_a minor scale; these 2 scales have no sharps # or flats b in their natural
mode. The Perfect 5th is the key interval to create the 2 cycles of 7 P5ths going up with #s, and 7
P5ths going down with bs.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

Cycle 1, 16 lessons, practices the 7 parts on scales with #s (sharps), from 1 to 7 #s; thus there
are 7 Major & 7 minor relative scales with #s.
Cycle 2, 16 lessons, practices the 7 parts on scales with bs (flats), from 1 to 7 bs; thus there are
7 Major & 7 minor relative scales with bs.

Each of the 32 lessons in 7 parts each aims to achieve the following 7 goals:
1. Establish tonality giving the student the aural awareness of where the new key is positioned in
relationship to La_A, 440 Hertz;
2. Warm up the student with the new key; the 7 notes are sung up & down (melodic order,
scales, and harmonic form, arpeggios);
3. Explore in detail the combinatorial possibilities of the 7 notes through Solmization, singing the
notes in a specific incremental pattern, plus the classic harmonic pattern, I, IV, V, I (Tonic,
Subdominant, Dominant 7th, Tonic);
4. Explore in incremental order the intervals that can be formed using only the 7 notes in the
particular scale and mode;
5. Explore the triads that can be formed using only the 7 notes in the particular scale and mode;
each triad is practiced in its 3 positions (root position, 53, 1st inversion, 6, 2nd inversion, 64);
6. Explore the 7th chords that can be formed using only the 7 notes in the particular scale and
mode; each 7th chord is practiced in its 4 positions (root position, 7, 1st inversion, 65, 2nd
inversion, 43, 3rd inversion, 2);
7. Explore the 9th chords that can be formed using only the 7 notes in the particular scale and
mode; each 9th chord is practiced only in its root position, 97, for brevity reasons (it will suffice
at this stage of your ear‐training process).
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49. Why Are There 32 Lessons In Volume 1, i Learn Perfect Pitch, 4 Free?
In Western music, tonality, melody, harmony, transposition, and modulation are the foundation
of musical compositions; it means that notes, scales, intervals and chords are intricately
connected by their internal structure and also by their relationship to each other. All these
connections are meaningful to the educated ear, and have an aesthetic effect (a.k.a. Ethos) on
the listener, as the music unfolds just like a visual landscape.

In 18th and 19th century thematic music, tonality plays a key role in defining the themes and
parts of the musical piece. In Western music, a.k.a. Tonal Music, we have the only 30 possible
scales that comprise the system of Major and minor scales. 15 scales are Major and 15 are their
minor relatives. The Perfect 5th is the interval we use to find, establish and measure the physical
distance between scales. It is these distances, measured in P 5ths, that creates the physical
tension and gives the listener and performer the aural sensations of happiness, sadness,
energetic, melancholic, etc.
Here are 10 explanations to clarify the structure of the 32 lessons in Volume 1, i Learn Perfect
Pitch, 4 Free:
1. Only the Do_C Major scale and its relative la_a minor scale have no sharps #s or flats bs, in
their natural mode. We use these 2 scales as the starting point for our lessons, when
practicing the scales with sharps, #s, going up in 7 P5ths and the scales with flats, bs, going
down in 7 P5ths;
2. The Do_C Major & its relative, the la_a minor scale, are the starting point for the circle of
P5ths; going up in P5ths gives us the 7 scales with #s, & going down in P5ths gives us the 7
scales with bs;
3. In the Well‐Tempered system (a.k.a. Equal Temperament or Just Intonation) the circle of 12
P5ths is closed: the piano keyboard has only 12 physical note‐controlling devices per octave,
making it poorly‐suited to any tunings other than Equal Temperament. Here is an in‐depth
explanation:
a. When we go upwards from Do_C we reach Si#_B# in 12 P5ths steps, which is enharmonic
with Do_C (sounds identical, but has a different name, function and value in the scale,
interval or chord);
b. Here is the circle of 12 P5ths going up from Do_C: Do, Sol, Re, La, Mi, Si, Fa#, Do#, Sol#, Re#,
La#, Mi#, Si#; C, G, D, A, E, B, F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#. Thus Si#_ B# and Do_C sound
identical, and are enharmonic sounds;
c. When we go downwards from Do_C we reach Rebb_Dbb in 12 P5ths,which is enharmonic
with Do_C (sounds identical, but has a different name, function and value in the scale,
interval or chord);
d. Here is the circle of 12 P5ths going down from Do_C: Do, Fa, Sib, Mib, Lab, Reb, Solb, Dob,
Fab, Sibb, Mibb, Labb, Rebb; C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb, Bbb, Ebb, Abb, Dbb. Thus
Rebb_Dbb and Do_C sound identical, and are enharmonic sounds.
4. In the Uneven‐tempered system (a.k.a. the natural tuning system, mean tone temperament
or the Pythagorean tuning after Greek mathematician Pythagoras), the circle of 12 P5ths is
actually a spiral, meaning that after 12 P5ths, going up or down, the difference between the 2
enharmonic notes is 1 Pythagorean coma, the 2 sounds are not identical in frequency;
5. If you want to learn more and understand the actual mathematical differences between the
well‐tempered and the untempered systems, just Google the words Well Tempered Scales
32
Music and you will find an abundant number of well written materials. Many musical
instruments are able to divide the octave into a nearly‐infinite number of notes, such as the
human voice, the trombone, and the unfretted strings such as the violin, etc. These
instruments are well suited to the use of Mean Tone tunings;
6. There are 7 Major scales with sharps, #s, which are linked in 7 P5ths. The # of sharps in a
particular scale, indicates the upward distance in P5ths from our reference scale Do_C Major.
For example, if we practice the La_A Major scale, which has 3 #s, it means that the distance
in P5ths from Do_C Major is 3 P5ths up (Do, Sol, Re, La; C, G, D, A);
7. There are 7 relative minor scales with sharps, #s, which are linked in 7 P5ths. The # of sharps
in a particular scale, indicates the upward distance in P5ths from our reference scale la_a
minor. For example, if we practice the fa#_f# minor scale, which has 3 #s, it means that the
distance in P5ths from la_a minor is 3 P5ths up (la, mi, si, fa#; a, e, b, f#);
8. There are 7 Major scales with flats, bs, which are linked in 7 P5th. The # of flats in a particular
scale indicates the downward distance in P5ths from our reference scale Do_C Major. For
example, if we practice the Lab_Ab Major scale, which has 4 bs, it means that the distance in
P5ths from Do_C Major is 4 P5ths down (Do, Fa, Sib, Mib, Lab);
9. There are 7 relative minor scales with flats, bs, which are linked in 7 P5th. The # of flats in a
particular scale indicates the downward distance in P5ths from our reference scale la_a
minor. For example, if we practice the fa_f minor scale, which has 4 bs, it means that the
distance in P5ths from la_a minor is 4 P5ths down (la, re, sol, do, fa);
10. Thus we have 2 + (7 + 7) + (7 + 7) = 30 scales (2 are with no #s or bs; 7 + 7 are with #s; and 7
+ 7 are with bs).

The course is divided in 2 cycles, 16 + 16 lessons (I recommended for the intermediate and
advanced student that each lesson be practiced for 6 consecutive days, with the 7th day off):
Cycle 1: 7 Major scales & 7 minor relative scales with #s, start with the Do_C Major & the
la_minor scales.
Lessons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.
Cycle 2: 7 Major Scales & 7 minor relatie scales with bs, start with the Do_C Major & the
la_minor scales. Lessons 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32.

Cycle 1 with #s has 2 + (7 + 7) = 16 scales; lessons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.
Cycle 2 with bs has 2 + (7 + 7) = 16 scales; lessons 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28,
29, 30, 31, 32.

Each scale is represented by 1 lesson, and should be practiced for 1 week (6 days practice, with
the 7th day off). That makes it a total of 32 lessons, for a period of 32 weeks. Because the 2nd
cycle starts again with the Do_C major & the la_a minor scales, we end up with 32 lessons
instead of 30, which is the number of actual 30 scales.

For the younger and beginner students, I recommend practicing Lessons 1 & 2, until the student
is familiar with the names of the notes (for best results, practice with Do, Re, Mi, though you can
also use the A, B, C system; you can also try practicing with both systems alternatively). The
music teacher can best decide how to integrate these exercises in the daily regimen of ear‐
training and sight‐singing drills with other exercises. For ex. lessons 17 & 18 have lines
underneath the notes, so the student can practice writing the names of each note.
33

50. Why Are There Songs From Around The World In Volume 2, i Learn 2 Sight‐Sing, 4 Free?
My idea was to bring in one place, to children and music educators anywhere they may be,
songs from around the world they are familiar with from their own culture/country, and also
new ones from other countries/cultures.
Here are just a few things that I noticed in preparing this material:
1. Children respond better when they practice songs they are familiar with;
2. Children are curious by nature and become intrigued with learning and singing songs from
other regions of the world;
3. Children’s songs from everywhere use similar repetitive melodic and rhythmic patterns;
4. The same 7 notes are common in all songs, and show us how close we all are, even through
the music we create, perform and listen to;
5. The majority of children’s songs are in a Major key, perhaps to emphasize the endless
optimism, exuberance, innocence, and idealism of childhood.

51. Why Do I Have To Listen, Sing, Repeat?
Listening is step 1 in learning anything, including this ear‐training and sight‐singing course.
Singing an exercise after listening to it, is step 2 in understanding and remembering the details
in the exercise you just listened to.
Repeating many times over the 2 step Listening & Singing process is fundamental to encoding,
embedding, and mastering the intricacies of this ear‐training and sight‐singing course. If you
want to learn well and develop a professional musical ear, you need to PRACTICE; that is, you
have to repeat these drills several times over, as presented in this course. I have designed and
refined this material many times over, since 1975; I am confident that you have the best
possible method for ear‐training and sight‐singing in the world, now at your fingertips; easy to
follow, simple to understand, and with the quickest possible results for the motivated student.
My advice: BE PATIENT, START TODAY ☺.

52. Why Do I Have To Practice?
Without practice or repetition you cannot master anything, whether it is music, sports, science,
etc…high performance in field of activity requires: passion, patience, repetition, dedication. 2
words: HARD WORK!

It is the only way of cementing the knowledge we acquire through reading, listening, playing or
singing.
When you do something, in our case ear‐training and sight‐singing for the purpose of
developing a professional musical ear, you need to repeat the exercises in order to make
permanent the skill of recognizing, understanding and remembering the particulars of the drill
(pitches or notes, scales, intervals, and chords).
Through serious and conscientious practice your skill becomes subconscious or reflexive; in
simple terms it means that you almost do not have to think about it and it is there, the
awareness of what you hear, play, or sing.

Repetition solidifies the theoretical knowledge that we read, hear or see, and when the exercise
is sung, it produces a visceral experience, meaning that all your physical senses are involved in
the process of producing sounds; together with your mental focus and awareness of what
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makes the particular melodic or harmonic pattern you are singing, it will yield the desired result
of developing a professional musical ear, able to remember, distinguish and define
pitches/notes, scales, intervals, and chords. This in short, is Musical Perfect Pitch (the balanced
relationship between Absolute and Relative Pitch Acuity).

53. Why Do I Have To Sing, Since My Instrument Is The Piano?
Singing is the best way to develop a great musical ear, through good ear‐training and sight‐
singing exercises; you do not need to be an accomplished singer in order to sing your drills. The
important thing is to sing in tune, the right notes, and at the right time.

You are your best teacher; by listening to yourself, and controlling the notes you sing, you will
master the subtle intricacies and nuances that define actual pitches, and the relationships that
are established between the notes (the theoretical aspects of pitch height and the intervals that
occur between the notes).

The aesthetic qualities that you will sense when you hear and sing a musical pattern (scale or
part of, an interval or a chord), constitute the development of a professionally trained musical
ear. It is the right mix of theoretical knowledge and the practical sensorial experience of the
notes you hear and sing that are the necessary foundation for any professional musician. The
better you train with these ear‐training and sight‐singing exercises, the better you will
understand, create, perform or listen to music. It is up to you! If you are ready, then start right
now www.youtube.com/ilearnmusic4free

54. Why Do I Need Musical “Perfect Pitch”?
Musical “Perfect Pitch” has 2 aspects and benefits:
1. Absolute Pitch: the ability to recognize, remember, and sing or play back the actual pitch of
a note, in the spectrum of musical frequencies;
2. Relative Pitch: the ability to recognize, remember, and sing or play back the intervals
(distance between 2 notes) that make up melodic patterns and harmonic patterns (see
scales, or parts of, intervals, and chords).
Some music educators believe that Absolute Pitch is an aptitude that only “gifted children”
possess; it is not a skill that can be taught or acquired. I disagree: Absolute Pitch is a learnable
skill; it can be taught, as long as there is no medical issue (the person is not deaf or mentally
challenged), there is a motivated student and there is a good method to teach it. Yes, there
are children that are more apt than others to sing, play an instrument, develop Perfect Pitch; it
is like with general education: some kids just do better than others, but everyone can learn at
their own pace, and eventually master the basics. Developing a great musical ear, does not
guarantee you will be the next John Lennon, Yasha Heifetz, Rod Stewart, or Madonna, though
every great musician has an extremely well trained and developed musical ear.

Most musicians have and use Relative Perfect Pitch, rather than Absolute Perfect Pitch. Only
robots/computers can recognize any sound, any time, in any piece of music. No one person can,
or needs to operate at 100% capacity of recognizing all sounds and all the relationships in a live
musical performance. I am not talking about drills and exercises in a classroom; there are
certain pieces of music, i.e. Stravinsky’s Rite Of Spring, or Debussy’s La Mer, where the sounds
become a continuum and you sense general harmonic structures, but cannot, and do not need
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to 100% accurately identify ALL the notes, though you sense/hear them. Thus, it is not
important to strive for Absolute Musical Perfect Pitch, but rather Relative Musical Perfect pitch;
this is a human ability to distinguish, classify, recognize and enjoy the pitches, and the
relationships that form between the sounds in the music you hear or perform. In a classroom
situation, we strive for 100% effort to develop a well trained musical ear. Results for the young
musician will vary based on: the student’s motivation, the music teacher’s commitment, and the
exercises used. The better the training is, the better the performance and the ability to make
the notes in the score come alive and create a unique musical moment.

Musicians develop their own sense of Absolute Pitch due to the instrument they play; for
example a violinist will recognize with greater ease sounds produced by a violin rather than a
clarinet. It is the empirical experience of the violinist that gives him/her that sense and
awareness of the pitches/notes they hear when played by a violin. We call this Timbral Absolute
Pitch, because it is limited or associated with the timbre of the instrument the musician plays.

Is Absolute Pitch as important as Relative Pitch? Of course not! Musicians use these 2 aspects
of Musical Perfect Pitch in tandem; they hear the music, and analyze subconsciously, as the
music is played, intermittently the pitches of the notes and their relationship. Sometimes their
awareness is more focused on the actual pitches and other moments they listen carefully to the
types of intervals, chords or melodic patterns being played. These 2 skills, Absolute Pitch and
Relative Pitch, constitute the basis of higher musicianship and become, together with other
virtuosic and interpretative skills, the signature style of each performer. Taken separately,
Musical Perfect Pitch has no value in and of itself; it is like a bicycle or skateboard trick, when
you show off the young musician how he/she can recognize or sing a particular note or interval.

Yes, it is important in school when you practice, take an ear‐training aptitude test or exam, but
in the real music world, it is only but a small part of what defines higher musicianship. Musical
Perfect Pitch is only a skill that has to be incorporated with other technical and interpretative
skills (theoretical knowledge, intuition, culture and life experiences); this is what distinguishes
good musicians from the great ones.

You will notice that when you go to a concert, orchestra musicians tune their instruments to the
La_A, 440 Hertz, at the direction of the 1st violinist; this becomes the guide (Musical GPS), or
reference point for the musicians, as to the notes that follow in the piece, the key of the
composition, and other aesthetic aspects that characterize the composition being performed.

In my opinion, having a well trained musical ear, through rigorous exercises, will give any
musician, young or old, the enhanced ability to better understand, create, perform and enjoy
music. Great performers add to all of this their own life experiences, passions and thoughts, in
the creative process of creating a unique musical moment.
Do you need Musical “Perfect Pitch”? You decide… I think you do!
The exercises are ready and waiting for you today! www.youtube.com/ilearnmusic4free

55. Why Do I Need To Sing Songs After The Perfect Pitch Lessons?
The main reason you should sight‐sing and sight‐read after the ear‐training exercises is that
singing a few songs after the arduous, repetitive and yes, a bit boring ear‐training exercises,
36
students will be gratified when they start recognizing and understanding the patterns that
underlie the music they sing. It will also further implement their Musical Perfect Pitch skill.
The ability to apply and to integrate the ear‐training practice in the real music the young
student has to perform, is the main goal of the 32 lessons; in and of themselves, the ear‐training
exercises are valueless; it is the theoretical knowledge behind every exercise plus the visceral
experience of singing the scales, intervals and chords, that in time will give students the
understanding and appreciation of the music they perform or listen to. Higher musicianship
starts with a well developed musical ear.

56. Why Do I Need To Sight‐Sing With Solfege?
Solfege means singing with Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do. The American system of sight‐singing
uses the 1st 7 letters of the alphabet; a few conservatories and music colleges in the U.S. also
use in parallel the Solfege method. Advocates for the alphabet method emphasize the easiness
with which any child can start learning music with A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A.

However, though there is nothing wrong with using letters or numbers to name the 7 notes, I
believe that singing with Do, Re, Mi, is more efficient for sight‐singing; the Solfege method is a
unique vocabulary used only in music. Once learned, the young musician will literally be able to
speak and understand the language of music. I believe that a passionate student can and should
learn both methods, since the 7 letters are widely used for harmonic notation and abbreviation.
The more versatility a student has with different systems of notation and singing, the better the
student will understand the universal properties and interrelationships that occur between the
7 notes, in different situations in a musical piece.

Whatever method you choose, the important thing is to PRACICE; stay focused on the exercise
and understand what you are sight‐singing; consistency in training is very important: a little bit
every day is more valuable than practicing in 1 day for 3 hours because you missed 5 days of
ear‐training and sight‐singing. The student’s knowledge and experience base is built
incrementally over a long period of time; just like reading, writing and ‘rithmetic, a daily dose of
ear‐training and sight‐singing will advance the student’s musicianship to higher and higher levels
of understanding and performance ability.

57. Why Is It Free?
The best things in life are free; why not music education?

I believe that education is a universal & fundamental human right for any child, anywhere in the
world (*see below: Articles 28 & 29 of The United Nation’s Convention For Children’s Rights,
November 1989); learning music, together with physical education, is viewed in many schools in
the U.S. and elsewhere as secondary education, and not as important as other subjects; music is
quickly eliminated if there are budgetary issues.

I support and advocate that Learning Music should be part of the primary education for every
child, anywhere in the world. This is why I came up with the idea of making this work available
via the internet at www.youtube.com/ilearnmusic4free

With the extraordinary development of the internet, and websites like www.YouTube.com
37
access to knowledge and education is easier than ever; We are moving from an information
society to a knowledge‐education world; anyone will have access anywhere in the world
(hopefully everywhere), to learn and master any subject, 24/7.

The only thing that is immutable and never changes is the need for individual PRACTICE:
whatever a student studies, it has to be learned first and then practiced. It is my sincere wish
that the work presented will help all young aspiring musicians achieves their dreams. Scientific
research shows the numerous benefits and values of music education.

Here are just a few:
1. Music education develops brain areas involved in language and reasoning;
2. There is a direct link between music and spatial intelligence, a.k.a. conceptual thinking;
3. Music teaches creative and combinatorial thinking (music is math with sounds);
4. Studies show that students who study music and other forms of art do better in school and
college standardized tests;
5. Music is a window into other cultures, and shows how similar people are wherever they
may be from;
6. Learning music teaches focus and discipline; it also teaches teamwork, when performing in
a group, chorus or orchestra;
7. Music allows every student to express their own feelings, once they master the technical
and theoretical knowledge;
8. Learning music teaches students how to make quick decisions and how to integrate what
they hear mentally with what they read, to produce the actual music by playing it or
singing it in a meaningful and original artistic way;
9. Music is math with sounds;
10. Music is painting with sounds;
11. Music is architecture with sounds;
12. Music is poetry with sounds;
13. Music is self‐expression;
14. Music is therapy;
15. Music is fun and games;
16. Music is a human endeavor that brings all of us closer;
17. Learning music makes children kinder and smarter.
* Article 28: (The Right To Education): All children have the right to a primary education, which
should be free. Wealthy countries should help poorer countries achieve this right. Discipline in
schools should respect children’s dignity. For children to benefit from education, schools must
be run in an orderly way – without the use of violence. Any form of school discipline should take
into account the child's human dignity. Therefore, governments must ensure that school
administrators review their discipline policies and eliminate any discipline practices involving
physical or mental violence, abuse or neglect. The Convention places a high value on education.
Young people should be encouraged to reach the highest level of education of which they are
capable.
.
** Article 29 (The Goals Of Education): Children’s education should develop each child’s
personality, talents and abilities to the fullest. It should encourage children to respect others,
38
human rights and their own and other cultures. It should also help them learn to live peacefully,
protect the environment and respect other people. Children have a particular responsibility to
respect the rights their parents, and education should aim to develop respect for the values and
culture of their parents. The Convention does not address such issues as school uniforms, dress
codes, the singing of the national anthem or prayer in schools. It is up to governments and
school officials in each country to determine whether, in the context of their society and
existing laws, such matters infringe upon other rights protected by the Convention.

58. Why Is Solfege More Efficient Than The Alphabet Method Of Sight‐Singing?
The Language Of Music Starts With Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do.
It is my opinion that Solfege is a more efficient method of sight‐singing with Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol,
La, Do; using the first 7 letters of the alphabet is not wrong, though for professional musicians
the Do, Re, Mi, Solfege system is the accepted norm (the 7 letters are an excellent way to notate
in abbreviated form chords of all types).

Here are a few of my reasons:
1. Solfege uses 7 syllables/words which are proprietary only to music; they define the 7 notes
in the Major & minor natural scales (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si);
2. Once the 7 syllables are learned through singing practice, students will be able to recognize,
understand and communicate these 7 sounds in any combination using this unique
vocabulary; it is the same as learning a foreign language;
3. It might seem easier in the short term to use the 7 letters of the alphabet, but in the long
run learning to sing with the 7 syllables that are used only in music, will give the young
musician an improved ability to understand, recognize and perform music;
4. From a sound production point of view, it is much easier to sing a syllable when the 1st letter
is a consonant and the 2nd one is a vowel.

Every sound, whether sung or played, has 3 parts:
a. The beginning part, which is very short and explosive; it is much easier to sing a syllable that
starts with a consonant rather than a vowel (compare singing Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do,
with A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A);
b. The middle part, or the body of the sound, which is the sustained section and the longest,
has to be a vowel in order for the mouth to be open and produce the sound (notice that
when you pronounce a consonant either the teeth or the mouth have to be closed);
c. The end part of the sound, or the tail, which can be either a vowel or a consonant.

There is nothing wrong with learning to sight‐sing with A, B, C, or 1, 2, 3; depending on the
country you live in, some music teachers and schools use other syllables and even numbers to
teach music. The goal is to develop a good musical ear through efficient ear‐training and sight‐
singing exercises, whatever notational and singing system is in place.

59. Why Should I Ear‐Train And Sight‐Sing With Solfege (Do, Re, Mi), Vs. The Alphabet (A, B, C), Or
Should I Learn Both Methods?
Based on my learning and teaching experience, I believe ear‐training and sight‐singing with
Solfege (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do) is more efficient and advantageous than singing with the
7 alphabet letters (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A).
39
Here are 3 reasons:
1. Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, are 7 syllables proprietary only to music, which is a language of
its own;
2. Short term it is easier to introduce young musicians to ear‐training and sight‐singing using
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, but long term I believe the Do, Re, Mi, system is more effective and
efficient for understanding, performing, and communicating musical ideas;
3. From a vocal point of view, it is easier to produce sounds when each syllable starts with a
consonant and ends with a vowel: Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, rather than a mix: A, B, C, D, E,
F, G (Ei, Bee, See, Dee, Eee, Ef, Gee).

Using the alphabet letters is efficient when abbreviating the names of scales, intervals and
chords. There is nothing wrong with singing with A, B, C, D, E, F, G; it is only a matter of efficacy
for the purpose of understanding, learning and communicating musical ideas, that I believe
Solfege is a better method.

I recommend learning to sing also with A, B, C, as a way of learning for notational purpose the 7
letters associated with the 7 notes, Do_C, Re_D, Mi_E, Fa_F, Sol_G, La_A, Si_B. Whatever
system you use, the most important thing is to practice diligently your ear‐training and sight‐
singing exercises. Once you become fluent in “speaking” the language of music, whatever
system you use, you will be a better listener, performer, composer, conductor, and teacher.

60. Why Should I Purchase The Lessons When I Can Practice Them For Free On YouTube?
Yes, you can access and practice for free all the educational materials we create and publish.
The modest fee we charge, for those of you who can and would like to own these exercises, is
minimal; it covers the electronic production and shipping cost of the material.
Here are some of the advantages of owning a copy of the lessons:
1. Because of size limitations imposed by YouTube, the HD audio and video material is greatly
reduced in quality, when you practice the YouTube version;
2. Having the sheet music, and printing the PDF documents (save a tree & use your computer
device), is the best way to practice these lessons. Lots of theoretical information is also
included with the sheet music;
3. This is the perfect educational gift you can give your child, grandchild or loved one; they
will thank you.
4. Having the exercises on your iPod, Flash Drive, iPad, or other media device, means you can
practice anywhere, anytime, while you’re in the park, jogging, at home, on vacation, or any
other relaxing and quiet place you choose. You can also share these exercises with your
friends or other students.

THE END of The 60 Frequently Asked Questions About Musical Perfect Pitch
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Livianu – Advice 2 Students
Success Starts With Dedicated Practice!
If you are reading this material then you have already taken the first step towards joining the world’s high
performance musicians; you have in front of you perhaps one of the best ear-training & sight-singing manual ever
created. You can use this material under the guidance of your music teacher or study it on your own.
The most important thing every student can control is the amount of practice he or she applies to a specific problem.
With this in mind I will share with you a few thoughts on how and why anyone that has a strong desire and willingness
to work hard can develop a phenomenal musical ear.
THE 3 STAGES OF PRACTICE: Preparation, Practice, & Post-Practice.
Preparation
1. Getting mentally and physically ready for your practice is just as important as the practice itself.
2. The student needs to be rested, motivated, and with a strong belief that he or she can succeed in mastering the
material at hand. This stage is a.k.a. as the self-efficacy moment, since it sets up the proper chemical reactions
for the actual practice.
3. If you start in a good mood then the learning practice will be more efficient and evident in the results to follow.
4. Self-regulation centers on the attitudes and beliefs of student; if you think you can, You Can, and if you think you
cannot you are right, said Henry Ford.
5. Start with a good attitude and everything will happen in your favor; this type of attitude requires a high-level of
personal motivation.
6. Best performers go into their work with a powerful belief called self-efficacy – the ability to succeed.
Practice
7. During the practice the student should focus intensely on their activity: “Listen-Sing-Repeat”.
8. The student should be able to step outside of himself during the practice and monitor what is happening:
“Am I in tune?”, “What is happening in my mind?” and ask “How is it going?”
9. Scientists call this form of self-perception Metacognition, knowledge about knowledge, or thinking about thinking.
10. The student should think in a systematic way about what he is doing and establish it as part of the routine.
11. Metacognition, the ability to observe your own thinking, is very helpful because as situations change throughout
the practice, it helps the student adapt to new sets of problems and respond accordingly.
12. Metacognition also helps in finding practicing opportunities in areas that are not yet mastered, i.e. a particular
chord or melodic pattern.
13. Students that can apply Metacognition to their practice observe and monitor their own thinking process and ask
‘What abilities are being taxed right now?” or “Can I try another skill to solve this problem?”
14. Applying Metacognition in sync with the practice is not easy; it takes a lot of patience and concentration.
Post-Practice
15. After the practice the student should reflect and analyze how the practice went.
16. Think about specific issues that you worked on and feel you have understood better today.
17. The student should compare himself to his own best or others if in a classroom setting.
18. Students should choose comparison margins that go beyond the comfortable limits of sound recognition, and
include deep knowledge data, i.e. this Major Triad belongs in several scales with a different tonal function, etc.
19. Top students do not blame others for their mistakes and take ownership of their limitations.
What Is A Dedicated, Serious Practice?
20. The student should practice deliberately, not just go through the motions; this means making an intense effort to
think through what you’re hearing or singing.
21. A well tuned ear is the result of a life long commitment to improve this skill; without a well developed ear you
cannot rise to the higher levels of musical performance.
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22. Practice makes perfect is a very general and vague concept, though very popular; when you practice deliberately
you are involving all your mental and physical abilities for 1 goal: to master a particular detail.
23. Deliberate practice takes a huge toll on a student’s psyche, because focus and concentration are stretched to the
maximum; this is why intense practices should be short, not more than 30-45 minutes.
24. The 7 exercises in each of the 32 lessons were designed to specifically improve the student’s ear-training
development; each of the 7 exercises (I am referring to the 7 parts in each lesson) isolates particular musical
elements starting with finding a tonality-key, and going through the basic elements that comprise Western music
compositions: scales, arpeggios, intervals, triads, 7th & 9th chords.
25. The process of practice is cumulative, meaning that when the student applies himself rigorously and on a daily
basis, the results will be there incrementally every day, and at the end of the 32 lesson cycle – 32 weeks.
26. The advantage of practice vs. live performance is that practice can be repeated over and over again until the
student gets it right, without the pressure of an audience; it is the amount of effective and deliberate repetition that
separates great musicians from the average ones.
27. Effective and deliberate practice results in great performance.
28. It is the blend between 3 types of exercises that makes the Livianu Method for ear-training & sight-singing unique,
appealing and efficient; the 3 types of exercises that students practice in general are:
q exercises that they’ve been working on and they are comfortable with,
e exercises that are fairly new and have some new elements, and
x exercises that they see for the 1st time with lots of unknown stuff that has to be mastered
29. Every time the student starts a lesson, the 7 part format and the actual exercises are the same; what changes is
the key-tonality, with its natural implications on the actual pitches of the notes; the structures and the relationships
established within the scales, intervals, and all the chords remain constant, albeit in a different key.
30. It is highly recommended for the beginner student to practice Lessons 1 & 2 for a while until they become fluent
and are ready to move to the next lessons.
31. The #1 factor that limits practice time for high performance musicians is their ability to sustain long periods of
concentration.
32. A wise music teacher once said “Practice ear-training and Solfege with your ear and voice and you’ll need all day;
practice with your mind and you will do as much in 30 minutes”.
33. Accept the fact that practice is not much fun; it is tedious, boring at times, and inherently not enjoyable; it is darn
hard. On the positive side, most people won’t do it, so your determination to do it will distinguish you even more.
34. When the principle of deliberate practice is taken to a higher level of commitment and passion it will produce
extraordinary achievements.
35. As students travel through these 32 lessons they will encounter 3 stages of learning:
q Stage 1, where a lot of new rules and facts need to be learned; this requires a great deal of attention.
e Stage 2, where the student will notice the similarities between the lessons and will start to coordinate the
acquired knowledge, will start linking ideas and gain fluidity in identifying, recognizing, and understanding
various musical events, pitches, intervals, chords, etc.
x The 3rd stage, towards lessons 12, 13, will bring the student to a high level of improvement where the student
is highly familiar with the concepts and the elements of the exercises.
36. Students need to be careful not to become robotic in the 3rd stage which is also know as the arrested development
phase; great musicians do not allow themselves to enter the automaticity zone because they continuously seek to
improve their skills, be it recognizing sounds or performing a particular exercise.
37. This is the positive effect of continual deliberate practice; high performance practice is always conscious,
deliberate and controlled, not robotic or automatic.
38. Elite musicians learn through ear-training exercises, like the ones in this manual, to hear musically relevant and
pertinent information, such as chord structures, types of modulation or cadence at a particular moment, and so on.
43
39. Often these non-obvious musical elements are taught later at highly specialized music academies, colleges, or
conservatories.
40. Students will know more by learning less, the focus being on musically relevant issues.
41. The exercises developed for the student’s use represent the bits and pieces of musical scenarios that occur in
Western music.
42. By exercising these structures students are empowered to assimilate and perform highly complex musical
structures found in sonatas, quartets, symphonies, fugues, concertos, preludes, etc.
43. Students should always look further ahead on the music sheet while listening or singing.
44. Students should make very fine discriminations between various notes, chords, etc.
45. These critical skills are the result of serious training and dedicated practice.
What Is Deep Knowledge?
46. The Livianu ear-training and sight-singing course attempts to give students a set of specific abilities in order to
develop a professional musical ear; these abilities include not only recognizing independent notes but also the
deeper relations established at the level of tonalities, scales, intervals and chords.
47. The deep theoretical knowledge presented in this ear-training and sight-singing course has to be interpreted,
connected and integrated to higher levels of musical performance and understanding in order to be relevant.
48. Building and developing a deep knowledge reservoir can only be accomplished through deliberate practice which
is synonymous with hard, concentrated work.
49. This vast amount of knowledge presented to students requires 2 more things: it must be remembered and
accessed at will.
50. Human beings communicate using chunks of information and knowledge, just as we think in words, sentences
and concepts rather than simple letters; it is the same in music.
51. The material in this course offers an immense amount of musical chunks of information that are meaningful and
deeply connected, emanating from the structures of the scales, to intervals, chords, etc... In our case a relevant
chunk of information will consist of a group of notes arranged in a specific order and defined by particular
principles (i.e. natural order of Perfect 5ths).
52. If you had to remember a string of 20 letters (ho wa rey out od aym yd ear) it would be a pretty difficult task, but if
these 20 apparently random letters were assembled in a group of 6 words which form a meaningful sentence
(how are you today my dear), then you would have no problem remembering those 20 letters.
53. It is the same in music: lets say you knew the 12 notes in the Western music system (the chromatic scale), but
had no idea that they could be assembled in scales, intervals and chords.
54. If someone played a melodic pattern of 20 “random” notes, chances are you would remember about 4 to 8 notes,
and that’s it, even if you had a great memory.
55. With a little theoretical instruction the same pattern of 20 notes could be easily recognized as musical chunks of
information: five 7th chords played melodically (one note at a time) using the 7 notes of the DO_C Major scale, on
notes 1, 2, 4, 5, 1. Not only will you remember the 20 note pattern but you will recognize the underlying harmonic
structures, plus realize this is a harmonic final cadence; you will also more than likely be able to recite the 20
notes backwards; that would impress anybody.
Effort & Time = Exceptionalism
56. With effort and time you will develop a formidable musical ear and sight-singing skill; you will also acquire a vast
amount of deep musical knowledge, i.e. tonal and harmonic structures. Elite musicians can draw at will on this
deeply embedded knowledge when recognizing structures. Observed at the surface level this ear-training course
contains a bunch of simple and boring singing exercises; however, all theses exercises reveal important and
specific theoretical units of knowledge which are part of the student’s emerging musical vocabulary. Without this
ever growing musical vocabulary the young student is musically illiterate, even if he or she can perform the most
difficult piece of music. This is the vast reservoir of knowledge and expertise where the young musician nourishes
his or her interpretative skills.
44
57. When high level technical skills are merged with the deep knowledge vocabulary students enter the sublimation
zone, creating an original version or interpretation of a musical piece.
58. Students that practice with passion and purpose, a.k.a. dedicated practice, develop what scientists call Long Term
Working Memory, a.k.a. Expert Working Memory.
59. This means in other words that passionate students create their own retrieval structures, a personalized way of
connecting data and sounds to concepts they already know (i.e. harmonic structures, modulation patterns, etc).
60. The great power of Long Term Working Memory is that it is built by each student on a personalized retrieval
structure which is connected to the very essence of a particular activity; this is another way great performers
distinguish themselves from good musicians.
61. Elite musicians have a deep understanding of their field, which becomes the very structure on which they hang
the huge quantities of data they study, be it ear-training, a piano concerto, an operatic vocal score, etc.
62. Top musicians understand the music they learn at a higher level than average musicians do, because they have a
superior structure for remembering relevant information about that music.
63. Great musicians remember more about particular compositions because they use the data at hand to make higher
level inferences than average musicians.
64. Advanced musicians are much better than novices at remembering the overall internal structures in a musical
composition (harmonic & thematic structures, modulations, forms, etc) because they have studied and now
understand what the role of each chunk of knowledge is.
65. Well educated musicians understand the strategic placement of intervals, chords, melodic patterns, and key notes
in a musical piece; they also know the meaning of these intervals, chords, melodic patterns and key notes in the
larger context of the composition and not just the simple structural form of the chord or melodic pattern.
66. This type of superior Long Term Working Memory in music is the central element of the expertise.
67. This is not General Long Term Memory, it is a specific musical skill acquired through years of dedicated practice.
68. In conclusion extensive, well structured and deliberate practice develops specific abilities that are common in all
great performers; they perceive more, they know more, they remember more that is relevant and meaningful
about a musical piece.
69. These are the abilities that are critical to reaching the heights of exceptionalism.
70. Ear-training at a high level is not an unsolvable mystery; it is the result of a well organized, calculated, continuous
and rigorous process that pits the dedicated, passionate student against a set of problems that need to be solved.
71. In order to apply all these principles to the practice at hand students need to know what they want to do; in this
case develop a proficient musical ear and sight-singing skill.
72. Next the student needs to make a commitment to do it on a daily basis for a set period of time.
73. Ideally the student should also have access to a dedicated and passionate music teacher or a mentor.
74. The student needs a good training course; perhaps the one right here will suffice.
75. The student should practice as though he or she is performing the exercise in front of an audience; doing his or
her best to sound excellent.
76. The student has to condition himself to recognize and understand what he hears; through serious practice the
student will develop his or her strengths & capacities that are useful to recognizing the notes and their structures.
77. Students need to also develop specific critical skills such as self-regulation and focused stimulation;
these 2 critical skills need to be applied before, during and after practice.
78. Best musicians set goals that are not about the outcome of the performance but about the process of reaching the
outcome, i.e. how do I play/sing that pattern, what is the dramatic relationship established between the 2 melodic
patterns, etc. This is analogous with deliberate practice in a live performance setting.
79. Great musicians are always focused on how they can get better at a specific element during their practice,
improving a particular aspect of recognition.
80. Elite musicians don’t think in vague terms; they care about every moment they perform; they are goal oriented,
precise, calculated & deliberate when practicing.
My best,
HAVE FUN & SING THE MUSIC! David Livianu
45
OTHER BOOKS AND MANUALS BY DAVID LIVIANU

About Musical Perfect Pitch
The Theory of Chords

Part 1, The Fundamentals

Part 2, The Triad, 7TH & 9TH Chords

Part 3, The 11TH, 13TH, & 15TH Chords
The Theory of Intervals

Elements & Notation, Definitions, Classifications, & Tables
The Theory of Scales

Part 1, The Tonal System: 5 Concepts

Part 2, The Tonal Diatonic System: Analysis & Formation Of Scales

Part 3, The Tonal Chromatic System: Using Scales To Explain Chromaticism
VOLUME 1, i Learn Perfect Pitch

- 32 Lessons EarTraining & Sight-Singing Lessons -
(sold separately or bundled)
Lesson 1
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Do_C Major Scale
(4 beginners, with names of notes written under the music)
Lesson 2
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The la_a minor scale
(4 beginners, with names of notes written under the music)
Lesson 3
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Sol_G Major Scale
Lesson 4
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The mi_e minor scale
46
Lesson 5
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Re_D Major Scale
Lesson 6
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The si_b minor scale
Lesson 7
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The La_A Major Scale
Lesson 8
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The fa#_f# minor scale
Lesson 9
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Mi_E Major Scale
Lesson 10
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The do#_c# minor scale
Lesson 11
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Si_B Major Scale
Lesson 12
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The sol#_g# minor scale
Lesson 13
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Fa#_F# Major Scale
Lesson 14
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The re#_d# minor scale
Lesson 15
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Do#_C# Major Scale
Lesson 16
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The la#_a# minor scale
Lesson 17
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Do_C Major Scale
Lesson 18
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The la_a minor scale
Lesson 19
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Fa_F Major Scale
47
Lesson 20
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The re_d minor scale
Lesson 21
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Sib_Bb Major Scale
Lesson 22
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The sol_g minor scale
Lesson 23
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Mib_Eb Major Scale
Lesson 24
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The do_c minor scale
Lesson 25
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Lab_Ab Major Scale
Lesson 26
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The fa_f minor scale
Lesson 27
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Reb_Db Major Scale
Lesson 28
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The sib_bb minor scale
Lesson 29
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Solb_Gb Major Scale
Lesson 30
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The mib_eb minor scale
Lesson 31
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The Dob_Cb Major Scale
Lesson 32
Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in The lab_ab minor scale
*The 32 Lessons Are Also Available In HD Videos & HD Audios

(available separately or bundled)
48
Copyright © by David Livianu
Foreword and Introduction, Copyright © by David Livianu
All Rights Reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of
this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, or shared in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of
the publisher.
Melador Book Publishers

The Livianu Group
1530, E 19 Street, Brooklyn, NY 11230
www.livianu.com
david@livianu.com
First Edition September 2011
Melador Book Publishers is a division of The Livianu Group. The Melador name and logo
are trademarks of The Livianu Group.
The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the
publisher.
Library of Congress cataloging-in-Publication Data

Livianu, David
60 Frequently Asked Questions About Musical Perfect Pitch; an in-depth analysis of
the importance of ear-training & sight-singing training for young musicians/David Livianu;
1st edition.
Includes Foreword - message to teachers, Introduction - advice to students, 15
Commandments for Successful Learning, List of other books and manuals by David
Livianu, and Acknowledgements.
ISBN pending.
1. List of 60 FAQs. 2. Answers to the 60 FAQs.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America

49
AUTHOR’S BIO
David Livianu was born in Romania in 1955; he immigrated with his

parents to America in 1967 and grew up in Brooklyn, NY. He was admitted
to the prestigious Juilliard School with a full scholarship and received his
Masters in Music in 1982. His specialty is ear-training, sight-singing, and
music theory for young musicians.
Livianu challenges the myth that “Perfect Pitch” is a genetic gift and sets
out to prove that anyone who practices his exercises diligently can succeed.
His belief is that Learning Music Starts with Singing & Dedicated Practice
Makes Perfect, no matter what type of music you learn. He created The
Livianu Method For Ear-Training: Listen, Sing, Repeat.
Livianu is the author of 4 best selling music manuals: The Theory of Chords,
3 parts, The Theory of Intervals, The Theory of Scales, 3 parts, and Volume
1, i Learn Perfect Pitch: Ear-Training & Sight-Singing in 15 Major & 15 minor
Scales. David Livianu lives in New York City.
“Learning Music Starts With Singing,
& Dedicated Practice Makes Perfect”
Dorel Livianu
“We Are What We Repeatedly Do;
Excellence, Then, Is Not An Act, But A Habit”
Aristotle

Free Ear-Training Exercises: www.youtube.com/ilearnmusic4free
Got Questions? david@livianu.com
50
THE END of The
ABOUT
MUSICAL PERFECT PITCH
AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS Of
The Importance Of Ear-Training & Sight-Singing
FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS
By Juilliard Graduate
DAVID LIVIANU

MELADOR BOOK PUBLISHERS, INC.
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60 FAQs About Developing A Musical Ear, by Juilliard Alumni David Livianu

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60 Frequently Asked Questions About Musical Perfect Pitch

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LIST OF 60 FAQs: (Presented In Alphabetical Order)

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OTHER BOOKS AND MANUALS BY DAVID LIVIANU

60 Frequently Asked Questions

The Theory of Chords

The Theory of Chords

The Theory of Chords

The Theory of Intervals

The Theory of Scales

The Theory of Scales

The Theory of Scales

VOLUME 1, i Learn Perfect Pitch

*The 32 Lessons Are Also Available In HD Videos & HD Audios

Melador Book Publishers

First Edition September 2011

Library of Congress cataloging-in-Publication Data

1. List of 60 FAQs. 2. Answers to the 60 FAQs.

Printed in the United States of America

David Livianu was born in Romania in 1955; he immigrated with his

THE END of The

60 Frequently Asked Questions

MUSICAL PERFECT PITCH

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