Abstract
The purpose of this study was to describe and explain strategies used by ear players to hear and play chord progressions when playing unfamiliar rock songs. Three songs were written and recorded especially for the study. In a combined test and interview, six informants one by one played to the songs which they were hearing for the first time. The informants' playing was recorded on video and audio-tape, and then transcribed to sheet music and analysed. The findings suggest that ear playing is learned by playing by ear, and furthermore, genre by genre. By playing for instance heavy metal or 1960's rock by ear, musicians learn such styles and become better ear players in these, by learning clichés, harmonic formulas and other stylistical traits of the genre.