Performance Ear Training: Book & 2 CDs

Mixon grounds ear training in real musical function rather than abstract drill. By demonstrating every concept live on the included CDs, he closes the gap between hearing and understanding that written explanation alone cannot bridge. This method builds the kind of internalized knowledge that transforms how students listen to and play jazz.

Systematic yet alive. The text guides you methodically through progressions, tensions, scales, and intervals, but the recorded demonstrations remind you these are living elements of real music, not theory exercises. You move from confusion about why something sounds a certain way to genuine recognition.

Jazz students and musicians serious about developing a sophisticated ear that understands harmonic function and melodic logic. This method works equally well for those studying jazz piano, guitar, saxophone, or any instrument, since the concepts are musical rather than instrument-specific.

• Work through each concept in order rather than jumping ahead. The progression is deliberate, and skipping foundational material will compromise your grasp of later, more complex ideas.
• Use the CDs while following the text. Hearing the author demonstrate each progression, tension, and melodic idea in real time anchors your ear to what the page is teaching.
• Repeat the listening exercises multiple times across different days. Ear training requires repeated exposure; one listening pass will not establish the physical sensitivity Mixon is developing.
• Sing or play along with the demonstrations after you've heard them. Moving from passive listening to active imitation strengthens the connection between your ear and your hands.

Assign this as supplementary material for jazz ensemble members who need to sharpen their harmonic perception or interval recognition. Works especially well for students preparing for jazz theory exams or auditions where ear skills are assessed. Can also anchor a standalone ear training elective, working through the material over a semester or year.

• Recognizing harmonic progressions by ear
• Identifying chord tensions and extensions
• Hearing scale degrees and interval relationships
• Melodic dictation and melodic recognition
• Understanding functional harmony in jazz contexts