I`m trying to train my ear. I heard about 2 software: PET and Earope. I tried them and it seems like the 2nd is more straight forward and also helps u recognise chords...

Do you have anything better to suggest, before I buy it?

Hmm, using software. That I`ve not tried b4. Sorry, I belong to the old school of musicians. So I train my students the old fashiomed way. Do u know the Japanese method to ear training? Theirs is really good, u can incorparate that into yr approaches maybe.

It`s good to have a teacher on the forum. It`s becoming so rare to have committed teachers. Maybe it`s different in music, and maybe it`s different outside Europe.

What is your old school method of sharpening your students` ears?
What is the Japanese one?
I`m all excited about learning all that

Thanks

The Japanese method is all about solfege singing. They get the kids to sing all the new songs in solfege before playing them. To the Japanese, solfege singing comes even before notereading. They actually learn by sound, until they`re mature enough to read notes. That`s why alot of Japanese kids are either definite or perfect pitch. Their ears are really sensitive due to this effective method. What they do during group lessons:
1. Sing songs in solfege. Teacher to sing one phrase, after which the student imitates.
2. Repeat this process and learn the whole song.
3. Learn to play the song, without reading the notes. Learn just by imitation of the ear.
4. After a few months of solfege training. They began to test the kids, and seperate them into perfect and definite pitch.
Test : Teacher plays Doh, Re, Mi
And teacher sings only Doh, Re, ?
As such (?), cueing the kids to listen for occassional notes and sing without teacher`s help.
Eventually the test will develop into :
Final Test : Teacher plays Doh, Re, Mi, Re, Do,( Teacher keeps quiet. No aid or prompting the kid)
And student to guess and sing by themselves all of the following notes.
So, as u can see, this training approach gets the children to register the pitch of each notes on the piano as fixed solfeges. And after some time, they`ll become definite pitch/perfect pitch. The thing about perfect pitch is that it`s actually inborn. But u do need guidance to bring out the best. Sorry for this lengthy input.

Thank you so much for this method! This is actually how I used to sing in primary and secondary school. I actually sang the notes (si la sol la mi re...) instead of the lyrics. And it`s true that I started reproducing songs instinctively on the flute. I still find this rather easy, but now I`m transcribing tunes and it`s getting tough with harmonies.
Anyway, now i`m gonna start humming the notes again

Also do you have any suggestion on how to sing "si bemol" or "do diese" while playing? Maybe i shoud try "do reb mib fa solb lab sib" and "dod red mi fad sold lad si"

The sense of key is very important when singing solfege. It`s not really necessary to sing out all the flats and sharps, as it can eventually proved quite disturbing. Just nsvigate around the key. And one more advanced way to train the ear( I`m telling u this, as I presume u`re advanced)...is to do dictation. We used to do this a lot in the conservatoire. U can purchase a dictation cd(the Japanese Teacher`s Diploma Ear training guide is the best), and use it as often as possible. It comes aith an activity book. And u have to draw out the melody notes, the bass notes of the chord, and then state the inversions and key. So, this is like a step-up from the singing solfege programme. And this is what u should be able to do ultimately.