# Ear training basics: How to develop relative pitch | Rick Beato and Lex Fridman Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW8F2Wv5h4o Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/KW8F2Wv5h4o Generated: 2026-03-01T21:32:28.761+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Developing relative pitch, essential for musicianship, involves systematically training the ear to identify musical intervals melodically and harmonically, a process that can yield significant progress within a few months of daily practice. **Key Points:** - Relative pitch training requires learning all 12 intervals (including augmented/diminished) both melodically (one after the other) and harmonically (simultaneously). - The process starts with core fundamentals like pitch recognition, intervals, triads (major, minor, inverted, diminished, augmented), and seventh chords. - Advanced training progresses to recognizing modes (Phrygian, Lydian, Dorian, etc.), altered harmony, and complex structures like polyrhythms and twelve-tone harmony. - The guest suggests that dedicated daily practice of the curriculum outlined in the visual aid can lead to substantial recognition ability within a few weeks to months. - Music theory concepts, such as chord progressions (like the I-ii-IV-V progression) and scale modes, must be intertwined with ear training for comprehensive understanding. - The visual aid, titled "Relative Pitch Ear Training," details a structured curriculum across Core Fundamentals, Harmonic Progressions & Structure, Advanced Modality & Reharmonization, and Professional Mastery & Texture. ![Screenshot at 00:07: A comprehensive overlay titled "Relative Pitch Ear Training" details the entire curriculum, broken down into Core Fundamentals, Harmonic Progressions & Structure, Advanced Modality & Reharmonization, and Professional Mastery & Texture, serving as the roadmap for ear development discussed by the speakers.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/KW8F2Wv5h4o/00-00-07.jpg) **Context:** This is an interview segment from the Lex Fridman Podcast featuring music theorist and educator Rick Beato, discussing the methodology and curriculum required to develop strong relative pitch. The conversation centers on the importance of ear training for musicianship, contrasting it with absolute pitch, and outlining the necessary steps for a student to master intervals, chords, modes, and complex harmonic concepts through dedicated auditory practice. ## Detailed Analysis Lex Fridman asks Rick Beato how long it takes to train one's ear to recognize musical intervals, prompting Beato to explain that practice should involve playing intervals one after the other (melodically) and simultaneously (harmonically), covering all 12 intervals including augmented and diminished ones. Beato confirms that learning intervals, chords (triads, sevenths, extended chords), and basic music theory concepts (like the I-ii-IV-V progression) should be integrated. He suggests that with consistent daily practice—perhaps a few weeks to a couple of months—a student can make significant progress in recognizing these elements, as well as more advanced concepts like modes (Lydian, Dorian, Phrygian) and complex harmonic structures. The conversation emphasizes that ear training is essentially learning the names of the sonic concepts of music theory. The visual aid displayed throughout the discussion outlines a detailed, multi-stage curriculum for achieving mastery in relative pitch, starting from basic intervals and triads up to advanced topics like reharmonization and twelve-tone harmony. ### Interval Recognition Training - Practice recognizing intervals melodically (successive notes) and harmonically (simultaneous notes) for all 12 intervals (including Tritones and Sevenths). - Start with basic intervals (seconds, thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, sevenths) before moving to more complex ones. ### Core Fundamentals - Covers Pitch (timbre comparison, musical aptitude), Intervals, Triads (major, minor, inverted, diminished, augmented), and Sevenths (including modes like Mixolydian, Lydian, Dorian). ### Harmonic Progressions & Structure - Includes Tonal Progressions (#1, #2, #3, the "14 chords"), Secondary Chords (ii, IV, vi inversions), Extended Chords (add9, add11, add13, etc.), Rhythm (quarters, eighths, sixteenths), and Scales (Major, Harmonic Minor, Melodic Minor, modes, and altered variants). ### Advanced Modality & Reharmonization - Focuses on recognizing modes (Phrygian, Lydian, Ionian, Dorian, Lydian variations), Modal Dictation, Modal and Bimodal Harmony (major/minor triads), and Reharmonization (Standard Refers #1 through #9). ### Professional Mastery & Texture - Covers advanced topics like Polyrhythm, Odd/Even Meter, Polychords, Twelve Tone Harmony (including dissonant and chromatic intervals), Inner Note Hearing (Perfect Fifth, Flat Sixth, Seventh), and Clusters. ### Practice Timeline - Beato suggests that with daily practice, significant progress in recognizing intervals can be achieved within a week to a couple of months. ![Screenshot at 00:02: Lex Fridman and Rick Beato are shown seated across from each other in a studio setting, setting the scene for the musical discussion.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/KW8F2Wv5h4o/00-00-02.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:07: A comprehensive overlay titled "Relative Pitch Ear Training" details the curriculum across four main categories.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/KW8F2Wv5h4o/00-00-07.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:13: The "Core Fundamentals" section of the training curriculum is visible, listing Pitch, Intervals, Triads, and Sevenths.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/KW8F2Wv5h4o/00-00-13.jpg) ![Screenshot at 01:37: A graphic titled "The Chord Wheel" is displayed, illustrating the relationships between major and minor keys and their respective chords.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/KW8F2Wv5h4o/00-01-37.jpg) ![Screenshot at 02:57: A transition screen promotes two of Rick Beato's educational products: "The Scale Matrix" and "The Arpeggio Masterclass."](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/KW8F2Wv5h4o/00-02-57.jpg)