by ear vs expedient

by ear

prep
  • To do by guessing, to improvise. 

  • To play (an instrument) or sing or to learn music without reading or memorizing sheet music; to learn a language without instruction. 

expedient

adj
  • Suitable to effect some desired end or the purpose intended. 

  • Governed by self-interest, often short-term self-interest. 

  • Affording short-term benefit, often at the expense of the long-term. 

noun
  • A method or means for achieving a particular result, especially when direct or efficient; a resource. 

How often have the words by ear and expedient occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )