1.4 Intervals
10 min read•august 20, 2024
Intervals are the building blocks of music, forming the foundation for melody, harmony, and scales. Understanding these musical distances between pitches is crucial for developing strong musicianship skills and unlocking the secrets of composition and performance.
From unisons to octaves, intervals come in various sizes and qualities. Mastering their recognition, both by ear and on paper, opens up a world of musical possibilities. Intervals shape the character of scales, chords, and melodies, influencing the emotional impact of music.
Interval basics
- Intervals are the foundation of melody, harmony, and scales in music theory
- Understanding intervals is crucial for developing strong musicianship skills
Definition of interval
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- An interval is the distance between two pitches, measured by the number of half steps or whole steps between them
- Intervals can be melodic (played sequentially) or harmonic (played simultaneously)
- The size and quality of an interval determine its sound and function in music
Interval size
- Interval size refers to the number of letter names (A, B, C, etc.) between two pitches, including the starting and ending pitches
- Interval sizes range from (same pitch) to (12 half steps apart) and beyond
- Examples of interval sizes include (2 letter names apart), (3 letter names apart), and (5 letter names apart)
Interval quality
- Interval quality describes the specific type of interval based on the number of half steps between the two pitches
- The five main interval qualities are perfect, major, minor, diminished, and augmented
- The quality of an interval affects its sound and the way it functions in scales, chords, and melodies
Interval sizes
- Interval sizes are categorized based on the number of letter names between two pitches
Unison intervals
- A unison interval occurs when two pitches have the same letter name and are the same pitch (0 half steps apart)
- Unison intervals can be perfect (P1) or augmented (A1)
Second intervals
- Second intervals occur when two pitches are 2 letter names apart (1-2 half steps apart)
- Second intervals can be minor (m2), major (M2), or augmented (A2)
- Examples of second intervals include C to D (M2) and E to F (m2)
Third intervals
- Third intervals occur when two pitches are 3 letter names apart (3-4 half steps apart)
- Third intervals can be minor (m3), major (M3), or diminished (d3)
- Examples of third intervals include C to E (M3) and A to C (m3)
Fourth intervals
- intervals occur when two pitches are 4 letter names apart (4-5 half steps apart)
- Fourth intervals can be perfect (P4), augmented (A4), or diminished (d4)
- An example of a perfect fourth interval is C to F
Fifth intervals
- Fifth intervals occur when two pitches are 5 letter names apart (6-7 half steps apart)
- Fifth intervals can be perfect (P5), diminished (d5), or augmented (A5)
- An example of a interval is C to G
Sixth intervals
- intervals occur when two pitches are 6 letter names apart (7-9 half steps apart)
- Sixth intervals can be minor (m6), major (M6), or augmented (A6)
- Examples of sixth intervals include C to A (M6) and E to C (m6)
Seventh intervals
- intervals occur when two pitches are 7 letter names apart (9-11 half steps apart)
- Seventh intervals can be minor (m7), major (M7), or diminished (d7)
- Examples of seventh intervals include C to B (M7) and D to C (m7)
Octave intervals
- An octave interval occurs when two pitches have the same letter name and are 12 half steps apart
- Octave intervals are always perfect (P8)
- An example of an octave interval is C to C (P8)
Interval qualities
- Interval qualities describe the specific type of interval based on the number of half steps between two pitches
Perfect intervals
- Perfect intervals are unison, fourth, fifth, and octave intervals
- Perfect intervals are neither major nor minor and have a stable, consonant sound
- Examples of perfect intervals include C to G (P5) and F to F (P1)
Major intervals
- Major intervals are second, third, sixth, and seventh intervals that contain the larger number of half steps within their interval size
- Major intervals have a bright, stable sound
- Examples of major intervals include C to E (M3) and G to B (M3)
Minor intervals
- Minor intervals are second, third, sixth, and seventh intervals that contain the smaller number of half steps within their interval size
- Minor intervals have a darker, less stable sound compared to major intervals
- Examples of minor intervals include D to F (m3) and A to C (m3)
Diminished intervals
- Diminished intervals are one half step smaller than minor or perfect intervals
- Diminished intervals have a tense, unstable sound
- Examples of diminished intervals include C to G♭ (d5) and F to B (d4)
Augmented intervals
- Augmented intervals are one half step larger than major or perfect intervals
- Augmented intervals have a bright, expansive sound
- Examples of augmented intervals include C to G♯ (A5) and F to B♯ (A4)
Interval inversion
- is the process of flipping an interval upside down by moving one of the pitches up or down an octave
Definition of inversion
- Inverting an interval involves moving the lower pitch up an octave or the higher pitch down an octave
- Inversion changes the size and quality of the interval while maintaining its overall sound and function
Inversion of interval size
- When an interval is inverted, its size changes according to a specific pattern
- Unison inverts to octave, second to seventh, third to sixth, fourth to fifth, and vice versa
- For example, inverting a third (C to E) results in a sixth (E to C)
Inversion of interval quality
- The quality of an interval also changes when inverted, following a specific pattern
- Perfect intervals remain perfect when inverted
- Major intervals become minor, and minor intervals become major
- Diminished intervals become augmented, and augmented intervals become diminished
- For example, inverting a (C to E) results in a minor sixth (E to C)
Interval ear training
- is the practice of identifying and singing intervals by ear, which is essential for developing strong musicianship skills
Recognizing interval size
- To recognize interval size, focus on the distance between the two pitches and count the number of letter names between them
- Practice listening to and identifying various interval sizes in melodies and harmonic contexts
- Associating interval sizes with familiar songs can help with recognition (perfect fifth: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")
Recognizing interval quality
- To recognize interval quality, listen for the specific sound and character of the interval (bright, dark, stable, or tense)
- Practice distinguishing between major, minor, perfect, diminished, and augmented intervals in various musical contexts
- Associating interval qualities with familiar songs can aid in recognition (minor third: "Greensleeves")
Interval singing exercises
- Singing intervals is crucial for internalizing their sound and developing pitch accuracy
- Practice singing ascending and descending intervals using solfege, scale degrees, or vowel sounds
- Incorporate interval singing exercises into your daily practice routine, starting with simple intervals and progressively increasing difficulty
Intervals in scales
- Intervals play a crucial role in the construction and sound of musical scales
Diatonic intervals
- Diatonic intervals are formed between the notes of a diatonic scale (major or minor)
- In a major scale, the diatonic intervals are P1, M2, M3, P4, P5, M6, and M7
- In a natural minor scale, the diatonic intervals are P1, M2, m3, P4, P5, m6, and m7
Chromatic intervals
- Chromatic intervals are formed between the notes of the chromatic scale, which includes all 12 pitches within an octave
- Chromatic intervals can be any size and quality, including augmented and diminished intervals
- Examples of chromatic intervals include C to C♯ (A1) and E to F♭ (d2)
Intervals in major scales
- Major scales are constructed using a specific pattern of whole steps (W) and half steps (H): W-W-H-W-W-W-H
- The intervals between the tonic and each scale degree in a major scale are P1, M2, M3, P4, P5, M6, and M7
- For example, in the C major scale, the intervals from C are: C (P1), D (M2), E (M3), F (P4), G (P5), A (M6), and B (M7)
Intervals in minor scales
- Natural minor scales are constructed using a different pattern of whole steps (W) and half steps (H): W-H-W-W-H-W-W
- The intervals between the tonic and each scale degree in a natural minor scale are P1, M2, m3, P4, P5, m6, and m7
- For example, in the A natural minor scale, the intervals from A are: A (P1), B (M2), C (m3), D (P4), E (P5), F (m6), and G (m7)
Intervals in chords
- Intervals form the building blocks of chords, determining their quality and function
Intervals in triads
- Triads are three-note chords consisting of a root, third, and fifth
- The quality of a triad (major, minor, diminished, or augmented) is determined by the intervals between its notes
- Major triads contain a major third (M3) and a perfect fifth (P5) above the root (C-E-G)
- Minor triads contain a minor third (m3) and a perfect fifth (P5) above the root (C-E♭-G)
- Diminished triads contain a minor third (m3) and a diminished fifth (d5) above the root (C-E♭-G♭)
- Augmented triads contain a major third (M3) and an augmented fifth (A5) above the root (C-E-G♯)
Intervals in seventh chords
- Seventh chords are four-note chords consisting of a root, third, fifth, and seventh
- The quality of a seventh chord (major, minor, dominant, diminished, or half-diminished) is determined by the intervals between its notes
- Major seventh chords contain a major triad (M3 and P5) and a major seventh (M7) above the root (C-E-G-B)
- Minor seventh chords contain a minor triad (m3 and P5) and a minor seventh (m7) above the root (C-E♭-G-B♭)
- Dominant seventh chords contain a major triad (M3 and P5) and a minor seventh (m7) above the root (C-E-G-B♭)
- Diminished seventh chords contain a diminished triad (m3 and d5) and a diminished seventh (d7) above the root (C-E♭-G♭-B♭♭)
- Half-diminished seventh chords contain a diminished triad (m3 and d5) and a minor seventh (m7) above the root (C-E♭-G♭-B♭)
Intervals in extended chords
- Extended chords are chords that include additional intervals beyond the seventh, such as ninths, elevenths, and thirteenths
- The quality of extended chords is determined by the intervals between their notes, similar to triads and seventh chords
- Examples of extended chords include C major ninth (C-E-G-B-D), C minor eleventh (C-E♭-G-B♭-D-F), and C dominant thirteenth (C-E-G-B♭-D-F-A)
Interval notation
- is a system for naming and writing intervals using symbols and abbreviations
Scientific pitch notation
- is a method of specifying the exact pitch of a note by combining a letter name (A-G) with an accidental (♯, ♭, or ♮) and an octave number (e.g., C4, F♯3, B♭5)
- This notation is useful for indicating the precise pitches in an interval
- For example, the interval from C4 to E4 is a major third (M3)
Interval shorthand notation
- combines the interval quality and size into a single symbol
- The quality is represented by a letter (P for perfect, M for major, m for minor, d for diminished, or A for augmented)
- The size is represented by a number (1 for unison, 2 for second, 3 for third, etc.)
- Examples of interval shorthand notation include P5 (perfect fifth), m3 (minor third), and A4 (augmented fourth)
Intervals in practice
- Intervals are fundamental to various aspects of musical practice, including melody, harmony, composition, and improvisation
Intervals in melody
- Melodies are composed of sequences of intervals that create a musical line
- The choice of intervals in a melody contributes to its shape, contour, and emotional character
- Melodic intervals can be used to create tension, resolution, and variety in a musical phrase
- Examples of memorable melodic intervals include the perfect fifth in "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and the minor third in "Greensleeves"
Intervals in harmony
- Harmony is created by the simultaneous sounding of two or more pitches, forming intervals and chords
- The intervals between the notes in a chord determine its quality and function within a musical context
- Harmonic intervals can be consonant (stable and pleasing) or dissonant (tense and requiring resolution)
- Examples of consonant harmonic intervals include perfect fifths and major thirds, while dissonant intervals include minor seconds and tritones
Intervals in composition
- Composers use intervals to create melodies, harmonies, and overall musical structures
- The choice of intervals in a composition can influence its mood, style, and emotional impact
- Composers may use specific interval patterns or motifs to create unity and coherence throughout a piece
- Examples of compositions that feature distinctive interval usage include the opening of Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5" (perfect fourth) and the main theme of John Williams' "Star Wars" soundtrack (perfect fifth)
Intervals in improvisation
- Improvisation involves spontaneously creating melodies and harmonies based on a given musical framework
- Musicians use their knowledge of intervals to guide their improvised choices, creating meaningful and expressive musical lines
- Improvising with a strong understanding of intervals allows musicians to navigate chord changes, create tension and resolution, and interact with other performers
- Examples of interval-based improvisation techniques include playing chord tones, targeting guide tones, and using chromatic approach notes
Key Terms to Review (40)
Augmented Interval: An augmented interval is a musical interval that is one half step larger than a perfect or major interval. These intervals create a sense of tension and can be used to enhance musical expression, making them important in various contexts. Understanding augmented intervals is crucial for identifying relationships between notes, as well as for recognizing how they function in chord progressions and when intervals are inverted.
Cent: A cent is a unit of measurement used in music to quantify the size of intervals. It represents one hundredth of a semitone, allowing musicians to describe pitches with great precision. This small unit helps in tuning instruments and understanding microtonality, which is crucial for musicians looking to explore the subtleties of pitch variation.
Chord Progression: A chord progression is a series of chords played in a sequence that creates the harmonic foundation for a piece of music. These progressions define the movement and emotional tone of a piece, and understanding them involves knowing how scales, intervals, and harmonization work together to shape the overall sound.
Chromatic interval: A chromatic interval is the distance between two pitches that includes one or more semitones, resulting in a non-diatonic relationship. These intervals are typically formed by moving from one note to another within the same octave while altering the note by raising or lowering it using sharps or flats. Understanding chromatic intervals is crucial for exploring how melodies and harmonies can create tension and release, thus enriching musical expression.
Compound interval: A compound interval is an interval that spans more than an octave, meaning it consists of a distance larger than 8 scale degrees. These intervals can be understood as extensions of simple intervals, which are the distances within one octave. Knowing about compound intervals is important because they help musicians understand harmonic relationships and the expansion of melodies across larger ranges.
Consonance: Consonance refers to the harmonious relationship between musical tones, typically perceived as pleasing or stable. This quality is often found in intervals, scales, harmonic progressions, and even in improvisational contexts, where certain combinations of notes create a sense of resolution and balance, enhancing the overall musical experience.
Diatonic Interval: A diatonic interval is the distance between two notes that belong to the same scale or key. This means that the interval is formed by notes that are derived from a specific major or minor scale, maintaining the relationships and structure within that scale. Diatonic intervals are essential for understanding harmony and melody, as they create the foundational building blocks of musical composition.
Diminished interval: A diminished interval is a musical distance that is one half-step smaller than a perfect or minor interval. This type of interval creates a tense or unstable sound, often used to evoke emotions or enhance musical tension. Understanding diminished intervals is crucial for recognizing how they function within harmonic progressions and how they relate to the concept of interval inversion.
Dissonance: Dissonance refers to a combination of notes that creates a sense of tension or instability, often requiring resolution to a more stable sound. It is an essential aspect of music that can enhance emotional expression and drive harmonic progression, making it closely linked to intervals, scales, chords, and non-chord tones.
Fifth: A fifth is an interval that spans five diatonic scale degrees, often considered one of the most consonant and stable intervals in music. In Western music, the fifth can be classified as either a perfect fifth or an augmented fifth, with the perfect fifth being the most common and foundational interval used in harmony. This interval plays a crucial role in the construction of chords, particularly triads and seventh chords, where it contributes to their overall sound and quality.
Fourth: In music, a fourth is an interval that spans four diatonic scale degrees. This interval is often characterized by a unique sound, distinct from other intervals like seconds or fifths, and plays a vital role in harmony and melody. The fourth can be classified as either perfect, augmented, or diminished, depending on the specific notes involved and their relationships within the scale.
Harmonic interval: A harmonic interval is the distance between two pitches played simultaneously. It is a foundational concept in music theory, as it helps to create chords and establish harmony. Understanding harmonic intervals allows musicians to analyze and compose music by recognizing how different pitches interact with one another.
Interval ear training: Interval ear training is the practice of developing the ability to recognize and differentiate between musical intervals by ear. This skill is crucial for musicians as it allows them to identify the distance between two pitches, which can enhance their ability to play, sing, and compose music effectively. Recognizing intervals helps musicians understand melodies, harmonies, and chord progressions more intuitively.
Interval Inversion: Interval inversion is a music theory concept that occurs when the notes of an interval are rearranged so that the lower note becomes the higher note, and vice versa. This process changes the quality and size of the interval, and helps in understanding how different intervals relate to each other. Recognizing these transformations is crucial for identifying intervals accurately, assessing their qualities and sizes, and exploring their harmonic implications.
Interval Notation: Interval notation is a mathematical notation used to represent a range of values along the number line. It uses parentheses and brackets to indicate whether endpoints are included or excluded, making it a concise way to express intervals. Understanding interval notation is essential for working with inequalities, functions, and sets of numbers in various mathematical contexts.
Interval Shorthand Notation: Interval shorthand notation is a method used to represent musical intervals in a concise and systematic way. This notation typically uses numbers to indicate the distance between two pitches, often accompanied by modifiers that specify the quality of the interval, such as major, minor, augmented, or diminished. Understanding this notation is crucial for musicians as it simplifies communication about intervals and aids in the analysis and construction of melodies and harmonies.
Interval spelling: Interval spelling is the process of identifying and naming the distance between two pitches, usually expressed in terms of their specific quality and number. This skill is essential for understanding musical relationships, as it enables musicians to communicate effectively about harmony, melody, and the structure of music. Proper interval spelling helps in recognizing patterns and constructing scales, chords, and melodies, making it a foundational element in musicianship.
Interval Symbol: An interval symbol is a concise notation that represents the distance and quality between two pitches in music. It uses a combination of numbers and letters to indicate both the size of the interval (such as seconds, thirds, etc.) and its type (like major, minor, perfect, augmented, or diminished). This symbolization is essential for understanding how notes relate to each other in harmony and melody, particularly when examining the concepts of intervals and their inversions.
Intervals in Extended Chords: Intervals in extended chords refer to the specific distances between the notes that make up a chord beyond the basic triad, incorporating additional tones such as the seventh, ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth. These intervals are crucial in creating richer, more complex harmonic textures in music. Understanding how these intervals work can help musicians effectively analyze and construct chords within various styles and genres.
Intervals in Major Scales: Intervals in major scales refer to the distance between two pitches, defined by the number of half steps or whole steps they are apart. In the context of major scales, intervals help to define the relationships between scale degrees, creating a framework for understanding melody and harmony. Each interval has a specific name and quality that contributes to the overall sound and character of the scale.
Intervals in Minor Scales: Intervals in minor scales refer to the distances between notes in a scale that is built on the minor mode, which has a specific pattern of whole and half steps. The structure of minor scales differs from major scales, leading to unique interval relationships that define the sound and emotion conveyed by minor melodies. Understanding these intervals is crucial for musicians as they create and interpret music in a minor tonality.
Intervals in Seventh Chords: Intervals in seventh chords refer to the distance between the root note and the other notes within the chord, specifically the third, fifth, and seventh degrees. These intervals create a rich harmonic structure that adds complexity and depth to music, allowing for various emotional expressions. Understanding these intervals is crucial for analyzing chord progressions and enhancing musical composition.
Intervals in Triads: Intervals in triads refer to the distances between the notes in a three-note chord, known as a triad. These intervals determine the sound quality and harmony of the chord, which can be major, minor, diminished, or augmented. Understanding these intervals is essential for recognizing and constructing chords and helps in identifying their functions within a musical context.
J.S. Bach: Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period, renowned for his intricate and highly structured musical compositions. His work embodies the essence of harmony, melody, and counterpoint, serving as a cornerstone in Western classical music. Bach's innovative use of intervals, secondary dominants, modulation techniques, and complex harmonization methods have significantly influenced music theory and practice.
Major interval: A major interval is a type of musical interval that is defined by its specific distance in pitch between two notes, typically encompassing two whole steps plus one half step in the major scale. Major intervals create a bright and happy sound, commonly found in melodies and harmonies, contributing significantly to the emotional quality of music. They play an important role in establishing the character of chords and scales.
Major Third: A major third is an interval that spans four half steps or semitones, typically creating a bright and happy sound. It serves as a foundational building block in harmony, playing a crucial role in chord construction and recognition. The major third connects to various concepts in music such as interval recognition, chord quality, and melodic structures, allowing musicians to understand how melodies and harmonies interact.
Melodic interval: A melodic interval is the distance between two pitches when they are played sequentially rather than simultaneously. This concept is important for understanding how melodies are constructed, as it helps to define the relationship between notes in a musical line. Melodic intervals contribute to the overall character and emotional impact of a melody, influencing how it is perceived by listeners.
Minor interval: A minor interval is a specific type of musical interval that is characterized by a smaller distance between two pitches compared to a major interval. In Western music, minor intervals are typically one half step smaller than their major counterparts, creating a distinct sound that often conveys a sense of melancholy or tension. Understanding minor intervals is essential for recognizing their role in harmony and melodic construction, as well as in the context of interval inversion, where the quality of an interval can change depending on how it is arranged.
Octave: An octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency, essentially representing a range where the notes sound similar but at different levels. In music theory, an octave encompasses eight diatonic scale degrees, spanning from a given note up to its next occurrence of the same note name, creating a foundational aspect of melody and harmony. Understanding octaves is crucial for recognizing pitch notation and constructing intervals effectively.
Perfect Fifth: A perfect fifth is a musical interval that spans seven half steps, creating a harmonious and stable sound. This interval is crucial in music theory as it forms the foundation of many chords and is essential for recognizing harmonic structures, which can enhance both composition and performance.
Perfect interval: A perfect interval is a type of musical interval that is characterized by a specific consonance and includes the unison, fourth, fifth, and octave. These intervals are considered 'perfect' because they produce a stable and harmonious sound when played together. The nature of perfect intervals makes them fundamental in music theory, especially when discussing their role in harmonic progressions and how they behave during interval inversion.
Pythagoras: Pythagoras was an ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher best known for his contributions to mathematics, particularly the Pythagorean theorem. This theorem establishes a fundamental relationship between the lengths of the sides of a right triangle, stating that the square of the length of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides. His ideas laid the groundwork for understanding musical intervals and relationships in harmony.
Scientific Pitch Notation: Scientific pitch notation is a method of identifying musical pitches based on a standardized system that assigns a specific name and octave number to each note. This system helps musicians communicate about notes clearly and accurately, facilitating the understanding of intervals and their relationships within music.
Second: In music, a second is an interval that spans two adjacent notes in a scale. It is one of the smallest intervals used in Western music, often characterized by the distance between two consecutive notes, such as C to D. This interval can be further classified as either a major second or a minor second, depending on the specific distance in terms of whole and half steps.
Seventh: A seventh is an interval that spans seven diatonic scale degrees, creating a distance between two notes. It is an essential component in harmony and music theory, particularly in understanding the construction of seventh chords, which add richness and complexity to musical textures. The seventh can be either major, minor, diminished, or augmented, each having distinct characteristics that affect how the chords resolve and function within a progression.
Sixth: In music, a sixth is an interval that spans six diatonic scale degrees, connecting two pitches. It can be classified as major or minor based on the specific distance between the notes, which influences the overall sound and mood of the music. The sixth interval plays a significant role in harmony, melody construction, and chord progressions, providing richness and variety in musical compositions.
Third: A third is an interval that spans three diatonic scale degrees and is crucial in music for creating harmony and defining chord structures. It can be classified as a major or minor third, with the distinction made based on the number of half steps between the notes. This interval plays a vital role in forming triads and seventh chords, influencing their quality and inversions.
Unison: Unison refers to the interval where two or more musical voices or instruments play the same pitch simultaneously. It creates a strong sense of harmony and fullness because all notes are aligned, producing a unified sound. Unison can be seen as both a specific interval and a way to emphasize melody, especially in vocal music where singers often perform in unison to create a powerful effect.
Voice Leading: Voice leading is the practice of composing music in a way that ensures smooth and logical movement from one chord to another by focusing on how individual melodic lines or 'voices' transition between notes. This technique is crucial for creating harmonic progressions that are pleasing to the ear, ensuring that intervals between successive notes are handled with care to maintain clarity and coherence in the musical texture.
Whole step: A whole step, also known as a whole tone, is the distance between two pitches that are two half steps apart. This concept is essential in understanding musical scales and intervals, as it helps in constructing major and minor scales and recognizing the spacing of notes within them. Whole steps play a crucial role in pitch notation and are fundamental in the context of the movable-do system used for solfège.