Learn from TOMI Paldanius

From Finland, 25 years playing and 20 years of teaching experience. During the years Tomi has played electric guitar in show bands, graduated as a classical guitar teacher, traveled all around the world playing, making friends and enjoying life as a music lover.

Years in the "real world" as Tomi says has changed his approach for teaching, learning and listening music.

"I've been at the Nashville Chet Atkins Appreciation Society's (CAAS) festival past 7 years and first year it struck me hard that all the greatest musicians are ear players". As a classical trained guitarist, you soon realize that you lack professionalism what these true masters (e.g. Tommy Emmanuel) have. You are technically advanced but the skills to speak and hear the music like the "real musicians" are not there. You either continue without learning the language of music properly or accept the facts and join the fun by learning the ear training basics.

The biggest question arrived to Tomi's mind "How they practice to get great results?". The obvious difference is that they all play by ear. There hasn't been even one single great guitar player during the years, who use tabs or sheet music as the main learning material. Some players transcribe other players but that is totally different approach compared to actually finding a tab for a certain song.

Ear training was the most important change for Tomi's learning and teaching. He is now willing to share with you everything he has learned especially during the past 5 years (After he threw all his tab books and sheet music away) and you can see yourself how great results ear training can bring to you.

Tomi's thoughts for successful music training

• Don't be scared that you are not good enough. 99.999% of us suck at ear training at the start.
• Understand that your ears are undeveloped. If you haven't done ear training, you are total beginner even you have played 30 years.
• It is never too late to start. It is good to have technical abilities already at the background.
• Enjoy small and big steps. When you are able to find the key of the song with your guitar, celebrate it. Most of people cannot do it.
• Ear is the most important instrument musician can have. If you are not totally deaf, you can train it for sure.
• Playing is a combination of technical skills and emotional skills. When your ears are more developed technical problems will be solved using the ears and hands as friends. Your ears will force you to find technical solution.
• If you have done some ear training during the past and you did not succeed, give AllEars a try and let it lead you to correct path.
• You can be a total beginner with your instrument. Sometimes it is even better that you develop your mechanical skills same pace with ear training.
• Great players are humans too (not gods) so the only reason why they are so much better is the way how they spend their time with their instrument, how they practice so to speak.
• Natural talent is at the end very minor factor for success. It is just another excuse for not getting to work. It is all about the way we use our time.
• If you start to develop your ear, you will never regret it.

 Watch Tomi play

Here is a little history about how I feel about teaching:

I started teaching already when I was 17 years old, which is already 20 years ago. I did it for money, I did it because it was a job, I did it because I got an education for it as a graduated classical guitar teacher, I used tabs, I used sheet music, I tried many ways to be inspired myself and take the responsibility to inspire the students. After 10 years of teaching I lost that inspiration. Teaching music felt like any other job. It was mechanical day by day job to earn. I was seeking new material for students. Whenever I bought a new book of sheet music or tabs and took photocopies to student. It was like carrying music in a form which is not natural for us.

But long story short... I found the light by meeting the worlds greatest players and all of them had something in common = Nobody learned from written notation. So there must be some kind of connection between the skills to be great musician and the actual way we learn. How we learn to play? I asked that question from the greatest players and myself and the question was simple and big ear opener for me: TO BE A GREAT PLAYER AND MUSICIAN I NEED TO LEARN TO PLAY BY EAR! After the investigation period of masters of different instruments, they all shared something, which is that they all play what they hear! Simple as that... You hear something and you bring it out with your instrument. I though this skill is some kind of special thing which is not possible to learn. But as a proof myself, it is possible and makes things so much easier in playing.

I am very much motivated and I hope that energy will transfer to you.

Tomi Paldanius

AllEars - Play What You Hear is the ultimate online live learning experience.

By taking this course you will learn to listen and play what you hear. That is the most important skill any musician can have. Play What You Hear Program is suitable for total beginners and also as an additional learning process for music students who study at Music Schools, Academies, Colleges and Universities.

Ear Training is the most important training for musicians and it has been proved by the top artists and musicians all around the world. This motivating course will most certainly change your way forever how you approach learning music. The most natural way.