Primacy of the Ear

Book excerpt: Many music books are designed to help better understand written music and theory, but "Primacy of the Ear" focuses on the development of the ear."Primacy" outlines pianist and MacArthur Fellow Ran Blake's approach to growing the ear and explains how musical memory is the key to becoming a more potent musician and shaping a personal musical style.Included are the legendary "ear-robics" exercises, developed by Ran over the course of 30 years as head of the Contemporary Improvisation Department at New England Conservatory of Music.Also covered: The Auteur Theory and how it translates into music making, developing and differentiating between the conscious and subconscious mind, listening and musical memory, how to learn from your musical heroes without being consumed by them, developing and using repertoire, and how to record your music most effectively.Primacy of the Ear is Ran Blake's genius distilled--his teaching and musical philosophy in one volume. Co-written by Jason Rogers.