About Melodic Dictation Practice
Melodic dictation — listening to a melody and writing it down in notation — is the classic conservatory exercise, and still the single best test of a trained ear because it combines pitch, rhythm, and musical memory in one task. This page offers a free library of graded dictations you can practice at your own pace.
How to use it
Pick an exercise, take pencil and staff paper, and listen. A proven strategy: find the tonic and the meter first, sketch the rhythm, then fill in the pitches by contour. Play the melody a limited number of times to simulate exam conditions, then reveal the PDF solution to check your work — many exercises also include a walkthrough video.
Level progression
Dictations are organized by level and tagged by key and difficulty, so you can filter for short stepwise melodies as a beginner and work up to longer phrases with leaps, chromaticism, and trickier rhythms.
FAQ: How many times should I listen before checking?
Aim for four to six plays, as in most exams: one for the big picture, two or three for detail work, and a final pass to verify. If you routinely need more, drop down a level — accuracy first, endurance later.