Playing by ear: Ha! Well, actually I can (sometimes) but only to myself. I never risk it among others, for fear of getting it wrong and making an arse of myself. Why, since I've always sung by ear from being a child in the choir before having any formal music lessons? Why do I always have to write down a part to play on an instrument but not necessarily to sing it? I have a theory that there is a difference between the transference of a note from ear to vocal chords and the process of transferring that same note from ear to fingers. Does anyone else have this impediment or am I just terminally lacking in confidence?