Ear Training Quiz

This page is an ear-training guide for the some of the skills needed to distinguish different ajnas by ear, and the ability to identify them. For definitions of terms like "tonic" "scale degree" and "jins", along with audio samples to illustrate, visit the Glossary; for a guide on how to read the examples on this site, visit the How-To page.

Start by listening to the two clips from Example 1:

Example 1

Question 0: Can you tell that these two are different? I hope the answer is yes. If the answer is no, listen to both again--as many times as you need until you notice a difference in quality or intonation.

Now, Listen for what specifically is the difference. As a hint, the tonic of both clips is the same. [What is a tonic, and how can you tell where the tonic is? see the definition in the glossary for tonic.] Question 1: Which scale degree, relative to the tonic, is different between clip A and clip B?

Example 2

Clips C & D from Example 2 represent the same two ajnas as you heard in Example 1, also sharing the same tonic as each other (though not the same tonic as Example 1).Question 2: Which clip is the same jins as Clip A: Clip C or Clip D?

Question 3: Is the scale degree that differs between the two clips higher in Clip C or higher in Clip D?

Example 3 also represents the same two ajnas as in the previous examples, but with longer melodic passages:

Example 3

Question 4: Which clip is the same jins as Clip A: Clip E or Clip F?

Question 5: Can you describe the difference in mood between Clip E and Clip F?

Example 4 has one jins that is the same as one of the ajnas in the previous examples, and one jins that is different (hasn't occurred in the previous examples):

Example 4

Question 6: Which clip is the same jins as one of the previous examples, Clip G or Clip H?

Question 7: Which previous example is it the same as, Clip A or Clip B?

Question 8: Which scale degree differs between Clip G and Clip H?

Question 9: Is the scale degree that is different higher in Clip G or Clip H?

Question 10: Can you describe the difference in mood between Clip G and Clip H?

For the answers, go to Answers page 1