Ear training is a core skill for anyone involved in sound or music production. It's a process of developing the ability to hear, recognize, and understand sounds. It involves connecting music theory concepts such as notes, intervals, chords, scales, and melodies to the sounds we hear.

For audio engineers and producers, aural training is the bridge to a better understanding of sound production and improved listening skills. It helps them recognize and understand the audio frequency spectrum, use equalizers more effectively, and identify different musical elements such as pitch and chords.

While some people have a natural ability to capture the finest details of sound, easily spotting and separating one from the other, that doesn't mean others can't train themselves to do the same. Yes, train – just like going to the gym to improve your physique, listening skills can be developed and perfected.

In this article, you will find the services that offer the best ear training exercises to help you become a better musician, music producer or sound engineer.

🟡SoundGym

SoundGym is an online platform that offers a range of interactive audio games and ear training exercises that are designed to help users improve their listening skills, frequency recognition, and understanding of sound concepts. It’s tailored specifically for music producers, sound engineers, and musicians to improve their skills and knowledge in sound production.

SoundGym provides complete learning programs, daily audio workouts and weekly contests to ensure steady successful growth of users’ creative potential, make them easily pick up on nuances and sculpt sound like a real pro. The platform also offers a community forum where users can connect and collaborate with other music producers and sound engineers from around the world.

🟡ToneGym

ToneGym is a lot like SoundGym and not just in the name – both are web-based ear-training applications but they are aimed at different types of musicians. SoundGym is designed for music producers and engineers, while ToneGym is geared towards all musicians who want to improve their aural training and music theory skills. The service provides numerous tools for you to get musical gains with. From online chord player and interval memorizer to interactive circle of fifths and chord progression generator, there are a lot of neat instruments for taking you core musical skills to the next level.

🟡EarMaster

EarMaster is an ear training application for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. The design and interface is a bit dated compared to most similar services, but that doesn't take away from the value of EarMaster. It has a whopping 3500 exercises for beginners and professionals alike, covering not only aural training, sight-singing practice and rhythm training but also functional ear training and jazz/blues workshops.

What sets EarMaster apart from other ear training applications is the AI-powered feedback system that analyzes your performance in real time. If you are doing well, the lesson will end early; if you are struggling, the lesson will be extended with additional information to make sure you fully understand the topic at hand.

🟡Complete Ear Trainer

Complete Ear Trainer is a mobile application for iOS and Android that covers an extensive range of exercises that can benefit musicians in various areas, such as improvisation, composition, singing, and playing in a band. With over 150 progressively challenging drills, the app caters to users of all levels, from hobbyists to advanced musicians.

The learning process resembles that of a video game, making it more engaging and fun than going through a regular curriculum. The app's pedagogical approach ensures that users master each interval, chord, scale, etc. before progressing to the next exercise, guaranteeing a thorough understanding of the musical concepts. Complete Ear Trainer is highly customizable – you can create your own drills and save them which makes for a convenient and personalized learning experience.

🟡Quiztones

Quiztones is an application for iOS and macOS with a goal to help producers and engineers to develop their critical listening skills and take the guesswork out of mixing. The app boasts of a plethora of exercises that are designed to enhance frequency identification, EQ matching, and gain level detection.

There are several exercise modes including Classic Mode, Quiz Mode, and Custom Mode. Classic Mode is designed to gradually increase in difficulty, providing users with a well-rounded set of exercises that cater to their skill level. Quiz Mode, on the other hand, presents randomized exercises to test the user's skills, while Custom Mode allows users to create their own exercises, selecting specific frequency ranges and EQ settings.

One of the key selling points of Quiztones is its ease of use, thanks to the user-friendly interface and intuitive controls. The app also includes a built-in frequency chart that displays the frequency ranges of various instruments and sounds, providing users with a comprehensive understanding of the audio landscape.

🟡Teoria

Teoria is an interactive website that provides an wide array of exercises aimed at enhancing ear training and sight singing practice. Whether you are a music enthusiast learning music theory, a music producer mixing music, or a songwriter looking to write better songs, Teoria is an exceptional resource for you. The website is available in various languages including French, German and Spanish, making it an easily accessible platform for musicians worldwide. The exercises on Teoria are carefully designed to help musicians identify intervals, chord quality and chord progressions, as well as frequency ranges for engineers. The best part is that it's completely free!

🟡Auralia

Auralia is an ear training and music theory software for Windows, ChromeOS, macOS, iOS and Android. It has nearly 60 topics divided into seven groups: Rhythms, Intervals and Scales, Chords, Harmony and Form, Pitch and Melody, Repertoire, and Musical Elements. Each topic includes not only a series of exercises of varying difficulty but also lessons that include text, audio and notation. Thanks to pitch recognition technology, users can sing their answers to many topics and listen to their singing after it's been evaluated. With Auralia, you can customize your training program to focus on specific areas of ear training and get instant feedback as you learn and perform exercises.

🟡Perfect Ear

Perfect Ear is a mobile application for iOS and Android that caters to the needs of musicians who want to enhance their aural and music theory skills. With a comprehensive range of exercises and features, this app provides users with an immersive experience that can help them develop their musical abilities.

One of the most impressive aspects of Perfect Ear is its music theory articles, which are written in a clear and concise manner. These articles cover topics such as scales, chords, and harmony, providing users with a solid theoretical foundation that can help them understand the concepts behind the exercises they are practicing. The app keeps track of the user's scores and statistics, allowing them to see how their skills are improving over time and adapt their training accordingly.

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