Having a good understanding of intervals will allow you to construct scales and chords in any key, and enable you descri
Intervals From Axe Tuts S02E07 The basic deffinition of an interval in music theory, is the distance in pitch between two notes. Before attempting to understand the subject of intervals it would be benificial to first cover the subjects of key signature and the major scale if you have not done so already, this is because all intervals are analysed against the major scale. To do so we label each scale degree using the Roman numeral system as shown below. I
II
& œ
III
IV
œ
œ
œ
œ
V
VI
œ
VII
œ
I
œ
The name or of an interval can be found by counting the lines and spaces included by the two notes on a stave, which is the same as counting the note names included by the two notes. For example, from C to E is a third since there are two lines and one space included, or you can see there are three note names included : C D E. From C to A is a sixth since there are three spaces and three lines included, or six note names : C D E F G A.
& c ww
unison
second
ww
ww
third
fourth
ww
ww
fifth
w w
sixth
w w
seventh
w w
octave
As well as a number value, intervals are also named based on their quality or sound, as follows: MAJOR
INTERVAL
MINOR
INTERVAL
PERFECT
INTERVAL
AUGMENTED
INTERVAL
DIMINISHED
INTERVAL
Again by referring to the major scale, based on the lower note of the interval, the specific quality of the interval, as listed above, can be found. If the upper note is contained within that major scale then the interval is a major interval, except in the case of unisons, fourths, fifths and octaves, which are perfect intervals. In the example at the top of the next page the lower note of each interval is C, this means that each interval is analysed using the C major scale. The interval C to D is a major second because D is the second note of C major scale. The interval C to G is a perfect fifth because G is the fifth note of the C major scale.
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Intervals
2 perfect unison
& ww
major 2nd
major 3rd
perfect 4th
major 6th
w w
ww
ww
ww
ww
perfect 5th
major 7th
w w
pefect 8ve (octave)
w w
If the upper note of the interval is not contained within the major scale, the following interval names will be applied. 1) An interval a semitone smaller than the major interval is a minor interval. 2) An interval a semitone smaller than a minor or perfect interval is a diminished interval. 3) An interval a semitone larger than a major or perfect interval is an augmented interval. The following is a complete list of intervals with the lower note of each being C, which means the C major scale will be used as the reference scale. Having a good understanding of intervals will allow you to construct scales and chords in any key, and enable you describe harmony and its content on a musical level with musical peers.
perfect unison
& ww
augmented unison
major 2nd
w #w
ww
major 6th
augmented 6th
major 7th
augmented 11th
perfect 12th
& ww
#w & w
minor 10th
bw & w
diminished 5th
& b ww
#w w w w
major 9th
w w
perfect 4th
ww
w w
augmented 12th
#w w
minor 9th
bw w
major 3rd
ww
augmented 2nd
# ww
major 3rd
ww
pefect 8ve
augmented 8ve
major 13th
minor 13th
w w
w w
perfect octave
w w
minor 3rd
b ww
perfect 4th
ww
major 9th
#w w
w w
w
w w
major 7th
minor 7th
perfect 12th
bw w w
major 2nd
ww
bw w
minor 2nd
b ww
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augmented 4th
# ww
perfect 5th
ww
augemented 5th
# ww
#w w
w w
w w
bw w
w w
w w
augmented 9th
diminished 12th
major 6th
w w
perfect unison
ww
major 10th
perfect 11th
minor 6th
bw w
perfect 11th
major 10th
perfect 5th
w w