Melodic dictation: learn to pick out melodies by ear
Melodic dictation is the step between recognizing single notes and playing songs by ear. You hear a short melody in a key and play it back note by note on the keyboard. It's the exercise closest to figuring out a tune you just heard.
How it works
- A cadence sets the key, then a short melody plays.
- Play it back note by note on the on-screen keyboard or your MIDI keyboard.
- If a note is wrong, the app lets you know so you can listen again and try another. When you finish, you see the whole melody.
The right note counts in any octave.
Levels
- Easy: 3 notes moving by step.
- Medium: 4 notes with small leaps.
- Hard: 6 notes with wide leaps.
Melodies are generated at random within the scale and start on the tonic, so you never just memorize the answers.
Melodic dictation tips
- Hum the melody before you play it. If you can sing it, you can find it.
- Think in degrees: does it start on the tonic? Does it go up or down? By step or by leap?
- Listen again as many times as you need. It's not cheating, it's part of the training.
If identifying notes is hard, practice scale degrees first.
Frequently asked questions
What is melodic dictation?
It's a classic music school exercise: hear a melody and write it down or play it. Here you play it on the keyboard and the app checks it instantly.
Do I need to read sheet music?
No. You just listen and play; no writing or notation needed.
Do I need a MIDI keyboard?
No. You can click the on-screen keyboard. If you have one, turn it on in Settings; it works in Chrome and Edge.
More c4nta exercises
- Vocal warm-up — a guided routine to warm up your voice before singing or recording.
- Vocal pitch monitor — see the note you sing in real time and whether you are sharp or flat.
- Pitch matching exercises — hear a note, sing it and hold it inside the target band.
- Interval ear training — hear two notes and sing them, from a minor second to an octave.
- Scale degree ear training — hear a note in a key and guess which scale degree it is.
- Karaoke pitch trainer — sing a melody with a piano guide and get a pitch accuracy score.