Train your relative pitch with quick listening drills. Hear an interval, chord or scale, pick the answer, and build a streak. Start with a few easy choices, then add more as your ear improves; your weakest items are tracked so you know what to practice.
Last updated:
Custom set: 4 answers
0/0Score
–Accuracy
0Streak
0Best streak
Press Start to hear the first interval.
Shortcuts: Space replay · Enter next · 1–9 answer
Your accuracy by item
Item
Correct
Tries
Accuracy
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How to use the Ear Training
Pick an exercise: Intervals, Chords or Scales.
Choose a level or open Custom set to select exactly which answers to practice.
Press Start (or Enter) to hear the first question. Press Replay or Space as often as you like.
Click your answer or press its number key. The notes appear on the mini keyboard, and you can click other answers to hear the difference.
Press Next question, or turn on Auto-advance, and keep your streak going. Check the stats table to see which items need more practice.
Interval reference
An interval is the distance between two notes, counted in semitones (half steps). The table lists every interval inside one octave with a well-known melody that starts with it, a popular memory aid.
Interval
Semitones
From C
Ascending example
Sound
Minor 2nd (m2)
1
C–D♭
"Jaws" theme
Very tense, rubbing
Major 2nd (M2)
2
C–D
"Happy Birthday" (first two different notes)
A whole step, scale-like
Minor 3rd (m3)
3
C–E♭
"Greensleeves"
Dark, sad
Major 3rd (M3)
4
C–E
"When the Saints Go Marching In"
Bright, happy
Perfect 4th (P4)
5
C–F
"Here Comes the Bride"
Open, "announcing"
Tritone (TT)
6
C–F♯
"Maria" (West Side Story)
Unstable, wants to resolve
Perfect 5th (P5)
7
C–G
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"
Hollow, powerful
Minor 6th (m6)
8
C–A♭
"The Entertainer" (the leap after the pickup)
Bittersweet
Major 6th (M6)
9
C–A
"My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean"
Warm, sweet
Minor 7th (m7)
10
C–B♭
"Somewhere" (West Side Story)
Bluesy, unresolved
Major 7th (M7)
11
C–B
"Take On Me" chorus leap
Dreamy, almost an octave
Octave (P8)
12
C–C
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow"
Same note, higher
Chord qualities
Chords are built by stacking intervals on a root. The trainer uses these formulas (numbers are semitones above the root):
Chord
Formula
Semitones
Example on C
Major
1 3 5
0 4 7
C E G
Minor
1 ♭3 5
0 3 7
C E♭ G
Diminished
1 ♭3 ♭5
0 3 6
C E♭ G♭
Augmented
1 3 ♯5
0 4 8
C E G♯
Sus2 / Sus4
1 2 5 / 1 4 5
0 2 7 / 0 5 7
C D G / C F G
Dominant 7th
1 3 5 ♭7
0 4 7 10
C E G B♭
Major 7th
1 3 5 7
0 4 7 11
C E G B
Minor 7th
1 ♭3 5 ♭7
0 3 7 10
C E♭ G B♭
Half-diminished 7th
1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7
0 3 6 10
C E♭ G♭ B♭
Diminished 7th
1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭♭7
0 3 6 9
C E♭ G♭ B♭♭ (A)
A practice plan that works
Start on Beginner until you reach about 90% accuracy over 20 or more questions.
Switch to Intermediate, or use Custom set to add one new item at a time, ideally one that sounds clearly different from those you know.
Sing or hum the notes back before answering. Connecting your voice to what you hear speeds up learning a lot.
Use Random root once you are comfortable: real music does not always start on C.
Check "Your accuracy by item" each week and build a custom set from your three weakest items.
Frequently asked questions
What is ear training?
Ear training is practice that teaches you to recognize musical elements such as intervals, chords and scales just by listening. It develops relative pitch, the ability to hear how notes relate to each other, which helps with playing by ear, transcribing, improvising, singing in tune and music exams.
How can I remember intervals?
Many musicians link each interval to the start of a familiar tune, for example a perfect 4th as the opening of 'Here Comes the Bride' and a perfect 5th as the opening of the 'Star Wars' theme, or listen for the character of the sound: major 3rds sound bright, minor 3rds darker, the tritone tense. Practice a few intervals at a time and add new ones when you score above about 90 percent.
Should I practice harmonic or melodic intervals?
Both. Melodic intervals (one note after the other, ascending or descending) are usually easier at first and help with sight-singing and melody. Harmonic intervals (both notes together) train you to hear harmony and chords. The Mixed setting combines all three directions.
How do I tell major, minor, diminished and augmented chords apart?
Major chords sound bright and stable, minor chords darker or sadder, diminished chords tense and narrow because of the flattened fifth, and augmented chords unsettled and 'dreamy' because of the raised fifth. Arpeggio mode plays the notes one at a time so you can follow each interval before hearing them together.
How often should I practice?
Short daily sessions of 10 to 15 minutes work better than an occasional long one. Aim for steady accuracy rather than speed, and use the stats table to spend extra time on your weakest items.
What tuning does the trainer use?
All notes use twelve-tone equal temperament tuned to A4 = 440 Hz, the standard for modern instruments, so the intervals sound the same as on a piano or a fretted guitar.
Is my progress saved?
Your settings, best streaks and per-item accuracy are stored in this browser's local storage only. Nothing is uploaded, and the Reset stats button clears them.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.