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Don’t discard those worn-out Christmas carols! While they’re still fresh, they make a great educational tool for children (and others) to learn intervals.
By associating a song you already know with an interval, you can immediately sing that interval.
Here’s an incomplete list of Christmas carols whose opening interval starts with various intervals.
Any other suggestions?
Minor 2nd ascending
I’m Dreaming Of A White Christmas
Minor 2nd descending
Joy To The World (the first line is a complete major scale descending)
Major 2nd ascending
Silent Night
Ding Dong Merrily On High
Major 2nd descending
Deck the halls
Minor 3rd ascending
Jingle Bells (chorus)
Major 3rd ascending
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night
Perfect 4th ascending
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Away In A Manger
12 Days of Christmas
Perfect 4th descending
O Come All Ye Faithful
Perfect 5th ascending
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Major 6th ascending
The Holly And The Ivy
Octave ascending
The Christmas Song (chestnuts roasting on an open fire)
You can also learn to sing intervals by singing scales. For more, please visit:
The most common way to describe an interval larger than an octave is as a number of whole octaves plus the remaining interval. The degree is that of the remaining interval.
For example, C4-G5 is 1 octave (C4-C5) plus a perfect 5th (C5-G5).
Note: For more on text notation and octave numbering as used in this post, please visit Text Notation, Pitch and Octave Numbering (coming soon).
Large Intervals As A Single Interval Name
Another approach is to describe the interval using a single interval name.
For example, C4-G5 is called a perfect 12th.
Although this method is primarily used for harmonic analysis, the 2nd octave, from 9th to 14th, also forms the basis of how chord extensions (as found in Jazz chords) are named. It’s worth having at least a general understanding of how this works.
Extra octaves don’t affect the interval’s quality, only the degree; the number of letters. For intervals larger than an octave or 8th, just keep counting: an octave plus a 2nd is a 9th, an octave plus a 3rd is a 10th and so on.
You may have noticed that the numbers don’t quite add up: 8 + 2 = 10, yet I’ve said an octave plus a 2nd is a 9th!
Describing an interval as a name for the number of octaves plus a name for the remainder is similar to how we count an interval and it’s inversion. For each complete octave, one note is counted twice.
In our example, C4-G5, we count C4-C5 as 8 letters, then C5-G5 as 5 letters. C5 has been counted twice, both as the upper note of the octave and as the lower note of the remaining 5th.
How To Name A Large Interval
To count the degree, add up the number of octaves (8ths) and the remaining interval
Subtract 1 for each whole octave
Note: Technically the first whole octave is 8 letters and we subtract 1 from subsequent octaves and the remaining interval, but it’s easier to count as above.
For example, A2-F5
A2-F5 = 2 octaves + minor 6th = 8+8+6-2 = 20. A2-F5 = minor 20th
OR
When adding up the degree, count each whole octave as 7 letters instead of 8, then add the remaining interval
For example, A2-F5 = 2 octaves + minor 6th = 7+7+6 = 20. A2-F5 = minor 20th
Try These…
Name the following large intervals, first as a number of whole octaves plus the remainder, then using a single interval name:
Answers at the end of this post.
If you found this post helpful, please feel welcome to like, share or leave a comment. If you have any questions, leave them as a comment and I’ll respond as soon as I can. To stay up to date with new posts, please subscribe.
Answers to Try These…
1 octave + major 2nd = major 9th 1 octave + minor 3rd = minor 10th 1 octave + major 7th = major 14th 2 octaves + minor 6th = minor 20th
This post is one of a growing series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
There are many occasions when we need to name an interval, whether to describe a quirky jump in a melody or notes in a chord. So far, naming an interval has involved finding the major scale built on the lower note of the interval. Every time we want to name an interval with a different lower note, we need a different scale!
Scales are great for learning to pitch (sing or play) intervals and they help explain how interval names work but it’s not a quick way to name intervals. Let’s see if we can streamline this rather time-consuming process…
If you’re impatient and want to go straight to the ultimate shortcut, click here. Else read on for more detail…
Counting Intervals
Interval names are a way of describing both the size (number of semitones) and degree (number of letters). To name an interval we need to count both the number of semitones and the number of letters (inclusive).
Have a look at the list of all interval names within an octave:
If you have a good memory you could simply learn the complete list of interval names and their sizes in semitones from unison to octave, by memory, just like we learn our times tables.
How To Name An Interval Using The Interval List
Count letters, including the starting and ending letter of the interval. The number of letters make up the degree of the interval name.
Count semitones.
Find the row with the correct number of semitones in the list and look for the correct degree to the left or right in that row.
Example: A#-F
A#-F is 6 letters. A#-F is a 6th
A#-F = 7 semitones
7 semitones = perfect 5th or diminished 6th We already know from step 1 that A#-F is a 6th, so A#-F is a diminished 6th
Less Is More
The list of interval names is rather large, so let’s reduce it a little.
Visualise
Remember the hierarchy of interval qualities. In your mind’s eye, see their effect on the size of an interval. For a given degree, augmented is 1 semitone larger than major or perfect and diminished is 1 semitone smaller than minor or perfect.
Inversions
Remember also that the larger an interval, the smaller its inversion. Using inversions for larger intervals cuts the list in half.
The Ultimate Shortcut For Naming An Interval
Learn the major, minor and perfect intervals from 0 to 7 semitones. You can leave out 6 semitones for now, as it doesn’t have a major, minor or perfect interval quality.
I prefer to use a single letter for the quality. It makes this list look tiny… P for perfect, M for major, m for minor (I also use a for augmented and d for diminished).
For 0 to 7 semitones, that’s
P1, m2, M2, m3, M3, P4, _, P5
That’s not a very intimidating list to learn, is it?
How To Name An Interval
To name an interval, we need to know the number of letters AND the number of semitones. If it’s 7 semitones or less, we can directly find it in the list.
For example, C-Eb
C-Eb is 3 letters so the degree is a 3rd
C-Eb is also 3 semitones
Check the list: the interval name for 3 semitones is a minor 3rd
That answer matches the degree: C-Eb is a minor 3rd
If large, Invert, then Invert the Answer
If the interval is larger than 5 letters, we can invert the interval: the larger the interval, the smaller the inversion. Once we have the inversion’s interval name, we can invert the name.
For example, C-B
C-B is 7 letters so it’s a 7th
Invert to get B-C
B-C is 2 letters so it’s a 2nd (7+2=9)
B-C is 1 semitone
The interval name on our tiny list for 1 semitone is a minor 2nd
B-C is a minor 2nd
Invert the interval name: minor goes with major, 2nd goes with 7th
C-B is a major 7th
Augmented and Diminished: Bigger or Smaller than Normal
Diminished and augmented intervals aren’t in this tiny list. That’s ok because we can work out if the interval is diminished or augmented by comparing the upper note to that of the nearest interval in the list.
For example, C-F#
C-F# is 4 letters, so it’s a 4th
The only 4th in our mini list is a perfect 4th, 5 semitones.
A perfect 4th above C is F
C-F# is 1 semitone larger than C-F
1 semitone larger than perfect is augmented
C-F# is an augmented 4th
How To Name Any Interval Within An Octave
This method covers all eventualities outlined above.
Count letters, including the starting and ending letter of the interval. The number of letters make up the degree of the interval name.
If more than 5 letters, invert the interval (invert the notes of the interval) and count its letters or subtract the original interval degree from 9.
Count semitones.
Find the number of semitones in the list.
Compare the degree in step 4 to the degree in step 1.
If the degree in step 4 matches the degree in step 1 we have the answer
If the degree in step 4 is larger than the degree in step 1 the interval is augmented
If the degree in step 4 is smaller than the degree in step 1 the interval is diminished
6. If the interval was inverted, invert the interval name.
Examples
Example 1: A-C#
A-C# is 3 letters, so A-C# is a 3rd
(If more than 5 letters, invert the interval and count its letters. N/A)
A-C# = 4 semitones
4 semitones is a major 3rd
The interval is a 3rd and the list for 4 semitones is a major 3rd.
(If the interval was inverted, invert the interval name. N/A)
A-C# is a major 3rd
Example 2: A-B#
A-B# is 2 letters, so A-B# is a 2nd
(If more than 5 letters, invert the interval and count its letters. N/A)
A-B# = 3 semitones
3 semitones is a minor 3rd
The interval is a 2nd and the list for 3 semitones is a minor 3rd. A-B# is a 2nd which is the size of a minor 3rd, 1 semitone larger than than a major 2nd.
(If the interval was inverted, invert the interval name. N/A)
A-B# is an augmented 2nd
Example 3: A-Cb
A-Cb is 3 letters so A-Cb is a 3rd
(If more than 5 letters, invert the interval and count its letters. N/A)
A-Cb = 2 semitones
2 semitones is a major 2nd
The interval is a 3rd and the list for 2 semitones is a major 2nd. A-Cb is a 3rd which is the size of major 2nd, 1 semitone smaller than than a minor 3rd.
(If the interval was inverted, invert the interval name. N/A)
A-Cb is a diminished 3rd
Example 4: A-G
A-G is 7 letters. A-G is a 7th
Invert A-G to get G-A, which is 2 letters. G-A is a 2nd
G-A = 2 semitones
2 semitones is a major 2nd
The interval is a 2nd and the list for 2 semitones is a major 2nd. G-A is a major 2nd
Major goes with minor and 2nd goes with 7th
A-G is a minor 7th
Example 5: A-Gb
A-Gb is 7 letters, so A-Gb is a 7th
Invert A-Gb to get Gb-A, which is 2 letters. Gb-A is a 2nd
Gb-A = 3 semitones
3 semitones is a minor 3rd
The interval is a 2nd and the list for 3 semitones is a minor 3rd. Gb-A is a 2nd which is the size of a minor 3rd, 1 semitone larger than than a major 2nd. Gb-A is an augmented 2nd
Augmented goes with diminished and 2nd goes with 7th
A-Gb is a diminished 7th
Try These…
a) Learn the list of normal interval names from 0-7 semitones as outlined above, then name the following intervals.
F-A C-A F#-G F#-D Bb-G B-E C#-Ab G#-G Ab-B Ab-G#
Answers at the end of this post.
Short-cut 4ths And 5ths
There’s an easy way to spot perfect 4ths and 5ths.
A 4th or 5th is perfect if both notes have the same sign
If the letters are B AND F, to make a perfect interval, Bb goes with F and B goes with F#
Count letters.
A 4th or 5th is perfect if both notes have the same sign, unless the letters are B AND F. To be perfect, Bb goes with F and B goes with F#.
If a 4th or 5th is not perfect you can work out whether it’s diminished or augmented by looking at whether it’s 1 semitone larger or smaller than a perfect 4th or 5th.
Example: Ab-E
Ab-E is 5 letters so Ab-E is a 5th
We know Ab-Eb (or A-E) is a perfect 5th because both letters have the same sign
Ab-E is 1 semitone larger than Ab-Eb so the interval is augmented
Ab-E is an augmented 5th
Try These…
b) Name the following 4ths and 5ths. Answers at the end of this post.
The easiest way to describe an interval larger than an octave is in two parts: a number of whole octaves and the remaining interval.
For example, C4 to A5 = 1 octave and a major 6th.
For more information about naming large intervals, including method of using a single interval name and a few exercises, please visit How To Name Intervals Larger Than 1 Octave.
If you found this post helpful, please feel welcome to like, share or leave a comment. If you have any questions, leave them as a comment and I’ll respond as soon as I can. To stay up to date with new posts, please subscribe.
This post is one of a growing series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
What’s An Inversion?
To invert an interval is to turn it upside down: to take the lower note and move it up an octave, or take the higher note and move it down an octave. The order of the notes is reversed.
Interval + Inversion = Octave
A Special Relationship
Octaves have the unique property of being musically interchangeable. Going up or down by an octave is like going up or down a flight of steps in an apartment building. Each octave is a higher or lower version of the next.
This means that there is a strong musical relationship between an interval and it’s inversion.
Melody And Harmony
Take a melody and a harmony, for instance.
A typical close harmony more-or-less follows the melody, adjusting here or there to fit the key (and the chords, but more on that in a future post). Usually, the harmony is sung higher than the melody.
The above example is played at the pitch of a female or young child’s voice. Now imagine that the harmony is sung by a lower voice such as that of an adult male. Typically, adult male voices are typically about an octave lower than female or children’s voices. This would put the harmony an octave lower: lower than the melody.
As you can hear, the notes fit together just as well as the original. Sure, you can tell that the harmony is lower than it was, but they fit together just as well – as they should, because the note names are still the same.
Inversions And Interval Names
Theory is meant to reflect reality. If there’s an audible relationship between an interval and its inversion then their interval names should reflect this relationship.
Fortunately, they do.
Semitones And Letters
An interval plus its inversion equals an octave.
Consider the following example:
The first interval, A-E, is 7 semitones. Its inversion, E-A, is 5 semitones. This adds up to 12. An octave is 12 semitones, so that’s what we expect.
It doesn’t matter which way round we view this. Just as E-A is the inversion of A-E, so, too, the other way: A-E is the inversion of E-A. They are inversions of each other.
Now let’s look at their interval names. A-E is a perfect 5th and E-A is a perfect 4th. 5+4=9, yet the total is an octave, which is 8 letters.
The simple reason for this is because when we count an octave as two intervals, we count the middle note twice; once as the upper note of the first interval and again as the lower note of its inversion.
An interval plus its inversion equals 12 semitones
Also, an interval plus its inversion equals 9 letters
Let’s look at a few more, this time on G:
From these, we can add another observation:
The inversion of a major interval is a minor interval
The inversion of a perfect interval is a perfect interval
The inversion of an augmented interval is a diminished interval Also:
The larger the interval, the smaller its inversion
NOTE: There is nothing inherent in determining which is the interval and which is the inversion. They are interchangeable. They are inversions of each other.
How To Invert An Interval Name
To invert an interval is easy: we reverse the pitch order of the two notes. We can name the new interval from scratch using an interval ruler as shown in B2. Intervals 2: Augmented And Diminished Intervals, but there is a quicker way.
If we know the name of the original interval we can invert the interval name by using our observations of how the names of interval and inversion are related.
In general, the names invert as follows:
For example:
G-A is a major 2nd. What is its inversion?
The degrees add up to 9
9 – 2 = 7
A-G is a 7th
As for the quality, major goes with minor A-G is a minor 7th
Eb-G# is an augmented 3rd. What is its inversion?
The degrees add up to 9
9 – 3 = 6
G#-Eb is a 6th
As for the quality, augmented goes with diminished G#-Eb is a diminished 6th
F#-C# is a Perfect 5th. What is its inversion?
The degrees add up to 9
9 – 5 = 4
C#-F# is a 4th
As for the quality, perfect goes with perfect C#-F# is a perfect 4th
Try These…
a) Name the following intervals b) Invert the following intervals c) Name the inversion by inverting the interval name
G-Bb
G-D
D-B
D-G#
E-Db
F-Gb
Example: C-E
a) C-E is a major 3rd b) To invert an interval, reverse the pitch order of the notes. C-E becomes E-C c) To invert the interval name, major becomes minor and 3rd becomes 6th. E-C is a minor 6th
If you found this post helpful, please feel welcome to like, share or leave a comment. If you have any questions, leave them as a comment and I’ll respond as soon as I can. To stay up to date with new posts, please subscribe.
Interval names are based on counting scale notes (letters) and are always counted from the lower note to the higher note, even if the higher note is played first.
An interval name is made up of two parts, quality and degree.
Degree
Treat the lower note of the interval as the root note of a major scale.
Now look for a note in the scale with the same name as the upper note of the interval. The degree is the position of that note in the scale: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th or 8th.
Quality
There are 5 qualities: major, minor, perfect, augmented and diminished, depending on the degree and the sign of the upper note (#, b etc.).
Major
The upper note is the 2nd, 3rd, 6th or 7th note of the major scale built on the lower note.
Minor
The upper note is 1 semitone lower than the 2nd, 3rd, 6th or 7th note of the major scale built on the lower note and has the same letter name.
A minor interval is 1 semitone smaller than the major interval of the same degree.
Perfect
The upper note is the 1st, 4th, 5th or 8th note of the major scale built on the lower note.
Perfect intervals are common to both major and minor scales.
Augmented (made larger)
The upper note is 1 semitone higher than the equivalent major or perfect interval (1 semitone higher than the same letter in the major scale).
An augmented interval is 1 semitone larger than the major or perfect interval of the same degree.
Diminished (made smaller)
The upper note is 1 semitone lower than the equivalent minor or perfect interval.
A diminished interval is 1 semitone smaller than the minor or perfect interval of the same degree.
Note:
A perfect 1st is called a unison.
There is no such thing as a diminished 1st: the smallest interval is 0 semitones.
A perfect 8th is called an octave (not a perfect octave).
A diminished 8th or augmented 8th is NOT called a diminished or augmented octave. An octave is, by definition, perfect.
Example: Intervals Whose Lower Note Is C
Examples
C-E is a major 3rd
C-E# is an augmented 3rd (1 semitone larger than a major 3rd)
C-Eb is a minor 3rd
C-Ebb is a diminished 3rd (1 semitone smaller than a minor 3rd)
C-G is a perfect 5th
C-G# is an augmented 5th (1 semitone larger than a perfect 5th)
C-Gb is a diminished 5th (1 semitone smaller than a perfect 4th)
Interval names are dependent on note names. if the upper note has two possible note names, each option will have a different interval name.
For example, C- G# and C-Ab both are 8 semitones apart.
C-G# is an augmented 5th (perfect 5th + 1 semitone)
C-Ab is a minor 6th (major 6th – 1 semitone)
List Of Interval Names And Sizes In Semitones
Example with C as the lower note.
NOTE: The scale used for working out an interval name is built on the lower lower note of the interval. It is no indication of the key of the piece.
If you found this post helpful, please feel welcome to like, share or leave a comment. If you have any questions, leave them as a comment and I’ll respond as soon as I can. To stay up to date wth new posts, please subscribe.
This post is one of a growing series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
Context
There are times when intervals of the same number of semitones require alternate interval names.
When taken out of context, this difference can’t be heard, and in fact, without the right context there’s no reason to use an unusual interval name. However, the same size interval can sound unrecognisably different in different contexts and requires different note names and interval names to reflect this.
Even if you don’t use note names in your practice, it’s worth becoming acquainted with augmented and diminished intervals. You can definitely feel the difference in the appropriate context.
Augmented And Diminished
In 16. Intervals 1: Major, Minor And Perfect Intervals there was one interval which was unnamed; the interval of 6 semitones. There isn’t a note 6 semitones above the root note in either the major or minor scale so we can’t call it a major, minor or perfect interval. Instead, we describe it as being 1 semitone larger than a perfect 4th or 1 semitone smaller than a perfect 5th.
Just as a note can be sharpened or flattened, an interval can be augmented or diminished.
Augmented means that the interval is 1 semitone larger than the corresponding interval in the major scale (major or perfect).
Diminished means that the interval is 1 semitone smaller than the corresponding interval in the minor scale (minor or perfect).
Let’s look at the interval ruler on A:
The note 6 semitones above A could either be called D# or Eb.
If the interval is A-D# we call it an augmented 4th; a perfect 4th plus 1 semitone.
If the interval is A-Eb we call it a diminished 5th; a perfect 5th minus 1 semitone.
The same applies for other intervals with unusual note names. Most notes have two or more possible names, resulting in different interval names.
For example:
A to C# is a major 3rd
A to C double sharp is an augmented 3rd, 1 semitone larger than A to C#
D is a perfect 4th above A
Db is a diminished 4th above A, 1 semitone smaller than D to A
NOTE: Remember to always count intervals from the lower note to the upper note. Use the major and minor scales of the lower note to find the upper note and name the interval.
Example:
Interval names are based on note names as well as size, so even though A-C# and A-Db are the same number of semitones apart, they can’t have the same interval name.
A-C#
C# is the 3rd note of A major, so
A-C# is a major 3rd
A-Db
There is no Db in A major or A minor. There is a D natural, though, the 4th note of both A major and A minor.
A-D is a perfect 4th.
Db is 1 semitone lower than D, so A-Db is 1 semitone smaller than A-D.
A-Db is a diminished 4th.
In general, if the upper note of an interval doesn’t fit either scale of the lower note, look for the nearest note in the scale with the same letter.
If the upper note is 1 semitone higher than the equivalent note in the major scale, the interval is augmented.
If the upper note is 1 semitone lower than the equivalent note in the minor scale, the interval is diminished.
NOTE: Augmented and diminished intervals can involve the occasional double-sharp or double-flat, depending on the lower note.
If the lower note is a sharp, an augmented interval will most likely require the upper note to be a double sharp. Similarly, if the lower note is a flat, a diminished interval would probably require the upper note to be a double flat.
Don’t be concerned. Just stick to the method:
sharpen = 1 semitone higher without changing the note name
flatten = 1 semitone lower without changing the note name
Interval Names Summary
2nds, 3rds, 6ths and 7ths have four possible qualities. From largest to smallest they are augmented, major, minor, diminished.
4ths, 5ths and 8ths have three possible qualities. From largest to smallest they are augmented, perfect, diminished.
It’s possible to have an augmented 1st but a diminished 1st is meaningless. There’s no such thing as a negative interval. Intervals are absolute…
8ths can be diminished or augmented but they should be called eighths, not diminished or augmented octaves. By definition, an octave is a perfect 8th.
Here’s a list of all intervals within an octave, with examples on C showing all the interval names including augmented and diminished intervals for each degree.
Here’s the same list of intervals shown as an interval ruler on C.
Just a reminder: the scales used to count intervals are built on the lower note of an interval and serve as a ruler to measure the name of the interval, in this case an interval whose lower note is C. For an interval with a different lower note we use scales on the new note to measure the interval.
The interval ruler is no indication of the actual key of the piece! The actual key is determined by the key signature and the overall root note.
Why have two names for the same size interval?
Good question! Interval names are based on note names. Note names reflect a specific musical context. The same size interval can sound unrecognisably different in different contexts.
An interval name describes both the size of an interval and how many letters there are from the lower note to the upper note. This allows us to “reverse engineer” an interval name and arrive at the right note names as well as the right sound.
In the next lesson we will see a practical example of the use of an alternate interval name.
Why are there two note names for most notes?
There are actually more than two if you count double sharps and double flats…
The choice of note name depends on the context.
If a note belongs to the key of the piece, its name is determined by the key signature.
If a note doesn’t belong to the key, its name is based on which note in the key it replaces.
When reading a new piece, the reason for some note names may not be apparent. In the coming lessons we will encounter some examples where an unusual note name is required. You can see and hear two of these in Sleight Of Ear.
In the meantime, let’s assume that unusual note names are used for a reason, so interval names need to be able to reflect which note name is used.
How To Name An Interval
Write out the interval ruler; the major and *minor (phrygian) scales built on the lower note of the interval. One way to do this is to write out the major scale then flatten the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th notes to get the *minor.
Look for the upper note of the interval in these scales.
If the upper note is in either scale or in or both scales, name it as we’ve already learnt, as a major, minor or perfect interval. You have the answer.
If it’s not in either scale, find the note of the same letter that’s closest in pitch to the upper note of the interval.
If the upper note is 1 semitone higher than the note of the same letter in the major scale, the interval is augmented.
If the upper note is 1 semitone lower than the note of the same letter in the *minor scale, the interval is diminished.
The degree is always the number of letters from the lower to the upper note, inclusive.
Try These…
Below is a blank interval ruler you can use as a template. For each of the following exercises, first write the scales of the lower note as per the template.
A. Name the following intervals, keeping the above method in mind:
A-G
A-Gb
C-C#
C-E
C-E#
Bb-Ab
Bb-Abb
D-A
D-Ab
D-G#
How To Name The Upper Note Of An Interval
Write out the interval ruler; the major and *minor (phrygian) scales built on the lower note of the interval.
For major, minor or perfect intervals, find the upper note by following where the degree and quality of the interval name intersect.
If the interval is augmented, sharpen the same letter note in the major scale.
If the interval is diminished, flatten the same letter note in the minor scale.
Try These…
B. Name the upper note of the following intervals. For the degree, count letters (including the starting note).
If the interval is augmented, sharpen the equivalent note in the major scale.
If the interval is diminished, flatten the equivalent note in the minor scale.
major 6th above G
augmented 6th above G
major 7th above G
augmented 7th above G
minor 3rd above E
diminished 3rd above E
perfect 5th above E
diminished 5th above E
minor 6th above C
diminished 6th above C
Answers at the end of this post.
Shortcuts
It may seem laborious to have to write out scales every time you want to name an interval.
If you know your keys well, you can do this in your head. In part, I have encouraged the learning of at least the key signatures of the major keys for this very reason. As we’ve seen, you can find the *minor by flattening the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th notes. Key relationships also provide some shortcuts for remembering keys. Have a quick look at the relevant lessons from Part 1 if you’re not sure…
The good news is that there are a number of shortcuts to help us to name intervals without writing out scales. These will become apparent over the next few lessons.
If you found this post helpful, please feel welcome to like, share or leave a comment. If you have any questions, leave them as a comment and I’ll respond as soon as I can. To stay up to date wth new posts, please subscribe.
The Interval-Singing Project is a database of popular song and theme titles, collected as an aid to teaching intervals.
The songs are well-known within their category and genre and feature a specific musical interval as the first interval in the melody.
Instead of a student having to learn the sound of each interval from scratch, they will be able to tap into their own knowledge by simply remembering the start of a well-known song within their lived experience and musical interests.
I have set up a survey to collect suggestions. Please share the link below with your music teacher or fellow musicians so we can build a rich resource.
The resulting database will be available free of charge to anyone by subscribing to my blog and will be updated regularly. A selection of results will be publicly posted here.
Being able to recognise and name intervals is one of the cornerstones of both music theory and musicianship and I hope that the resulting database will become a handy, free resource for anyone who learns or teaches music.
This post is one of a 2-part series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
Learning To Sing Intervals
Interval names are based on scale notes.
If we can sing, hum or imagine the sound of a scale, we can teach ourselves the character and name of various intervals by ear. We can count how many scale notes there are from the lower note of the interval to the higher note.
The easiest scale to sing, at least in Western culture, is the major scale. If you can’t sing a major scale straight away, please have a look at 17. Listen And Sing: How To Sing The Major Scale before reading on.
Major scale intervals
In 16. Intervals 1: Major, Minor And Perfect Intervals we saw that intervals are always counted from the lower note to the higher note, regardless of the order in which they’re played. The lower note of the interval becomes the root note of a major scale. We count scale notes to find the higher note and name the interval.
Counting up from the root note, the major scale contains the major 2nd, major 3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, major 6th, major 7th, and, of course, the octave.
Treat the root note of the scale as the lower note of an interval.
Now sing from the root note to the 2nd note. This is a major 2nd.
To sing a major 3rd, sing the first 3 scale notes in a row but sing the 2nd note quieter or shorter than the first and third notes (see below). After a few times, leave the second note out altogether.
Repeat this exercise from the root note to each of the other notes in the scale.
Tip: the most useful intervals to become really good at are the major 3rd, perfect 5th and the octave. They are the notes of a major triad, a sound which will feel familiar to the ear and provide a shortcut for larger intervals (more on triads in Part 2 of my course).
Try These…
Below are the intervals of C major. Most voices can find a comfortable way to sing a C in the lower part of their range. The note number/scale degree is indicated below the notes.
In the first line, sing along to the first bar, then sing the same notes again in the second bar while you hear the interval played together. Feel your voice hit the lower and higher notes of the interval at the start and end of the bar.
In the second line the in-between scale notes are left out. Again, keep singing the first bar while you hear the interval played together in the second bar.
Practice each interval long enough until you don’t need to listen to the example while you sing.
Major 2nd
Major 3rd
Perfect 4th
Perfect 5th
Major 6th
Major 7th
Octave (perfect 8th)
Once you build a little confidence, choose a slightly lower or higher note for your intervals.
The more you do exercises like these, the easier it will be to recognise the interval between two notes, whether you hear them as a melodic interval (consecutive notes) or as a harmonic interval (both notes sounding together).
How To Sing An Interval Above A Note
This is just like how we learnt the intervals starting on C
Choose a major or perfect interval by name, such as a perfect 4th.
Play a note towards the bottom of your range.
Sing that note, then sing a note that’s the chosen interval above it
If you need to, you can quietly sing the in-between scale notes like in the first exercise.
How To Name An Interval You’re Hearing
You can use the same method to name an interval that you hear.
First, identify both notes of the interval by singing them. They are a little harder to pick when played together.
Sing the lower note, then sing the notes of the major scale until you hear your note match the higher note, counting notes as you sing (the starting note counts as the first note).
2 notes is a 2nd, 3 notes is a 3rd, etc. The 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th are major intervals, the 4th and 5th are perfect. (Technically the octave is also perfect, we just don’t need to say so. An octave is just called an octave.)
Try These…
Below are audio files of a few harmonic intervals. Remember to sing both notes of each interval before singing (or thinking) scale notes. To make it a little easier, the two notes are quickly played as a melodic interval before hearing the two notes together.
Name each interval using the steps outlined above:
Answers at the bottom of this post.
If you found this post helpful, please feel welcome to like, share or leave a comment. If you have any questions, leave them as a comment and I’ll respond as soon as I can. To stay up to date wth new posts, please subscribe.
This post is one of a 2-part series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
