play by ear vs ready

play by ear

verb
  • To do by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur; improvise 

  • To play guided by one's musical ear, rather than from a written score. 

ready

verb
  • To prepare; to make ready for action. 

adj
  • Not slow or hesitating; quick in action or perception of any kind. 

  • Prepared for immediate action or use. 

  • Offering itself at once; at hand; opportune; convenient. 

  • Inclined; apt to happen. 

  • Liable at any moment. 

noun
  • ready money; cash 

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