Ear Training

Ear training

Ear training is the second path on the Learn tab. Switch between Fretboard and Ear at the top; each path has its own units, its own progress count and its own Continue card, and Learn remembers which one you were on.

The questions are played, not shown, and you answer on the fretboard: you hear a sound and pick where it is, so the sound gets tied to where your hand goes rather than to a note name in the abstract.

The units

Unit	Lessons	What you do
The open strings	The lowest strings · The highest strings · All strings · Test	One open string plays; pick which string it was. The choices always run lowest to highest, so you learn the order too. On a six‑string guitar the halves are E A D and G B E; bass splits its strings the same way.
Find the note by ear	Two lessons per string, lowest to highest (frets 0–5, then frets 0–12) · Test on every string	The open string plays, then a note on the same string, sometimes the open string again (E, then E). Pick the fret, or open. Listen to the size of the jump from the open string.
The same note, other strings	Natural notes · Test	The open string and a note on it play; select every place on the neck that sounds exactly that note, on any string. See Every place.
Octaves, fifths and fourths	Octave and fifth · Add the fourth · Test on three strings	A note you can see plays, then a note higher on the same string; pick where the second note is. The answers say how many frets up each choice is: an octave is 12, a fifth 7, a fourth 5.

In a lesson

• Teach cards have a play button for each example: every open string, every fret from open to the top of the lesson, or the interval from a few starting notes. Tap them in order a few times before starting.
• Each question plays by itself when it appears. Play again repeats it as often as you like.
• After you answer, the fretboard shows the note names, the right place turns green, and the notes play again. A wrong answer also names the interval: "That was F♯, fret 2 on the low E string: a major second above the open string."
• Lessons pass at 70%, tests at 80%, as on the fretboard path.

It needs sound

• With Sound off in Settings, the Ear path says so and offers Turn on sound.
• iPhone and iPad: the ring/silent switch mutes Fretman. iOS doesn't let apps read the switch, so the Ear path always shows a reminder: flip the switch so the orange line is hidden, and turn the volume up.
• The notes are real recordings: a classical guitar recorded one string at a time (a note sounds like the string it is on) and a Jazz bass. See Settings.

In the free drill

The ear question types are also in the Drill tab (Hear → String, Hear → Fret, Hear an interval, Hear → Every place), and spaced repetition brings back the strings, frets, intervals and notes you miss.