Ear Training
Learning frequencies: the octave method
Recognising a frequency by ear can be learned. A progressive method, from region to octave.
The Hearwise team · · 1 min read
Hearing that "there is too much of something around 300 Hz" is not a gift: it is a skill you train, like reading music. The key is to go from the broadest to the most precise.
Step 1: three regions
Start by telling lows, mids and highs apart. Too much low end thickens and blurs; too much in the mids sounds nasal or "boxy"; too much high end hisses or turns harsh. This first map is already enough to steer a correction.
Step 2: octaves
The ear perceives pitch in ratios: each doubling of frequency is an octave, and the audible spectrum spans about ten. Learn to place a band within an octave: 125, 250, 500 Hz, 1, 2, 4, 8 kHz. That precision is enough for most mixing situations.
Step 3: refine
- Work with narrower bands and smaller changes.
- Train cuts too: a dip is harder to hear than a bump.
- Memorise pure tones to refine precision within an octave.
Regularity first
A few minutes a day beat one long weekly session. Keep the same headphones or speakers and a constant volume: your landmarks are built in those conditions.