Do you ever wonder what people mean when they say go to the 5 chord or play a 3rd above my note or add a 9 to your root chord or bend up a minor third. Intervals are used to explain many facets of music, which make them useful but it can also make them confusing. ( whaddya mean play the V chord as a 7 ?)
An interval is the distance between 2 notes. Intervals are very useful because they are the building blocks of theory. Whether it's a chord formula, a scale, vocal harmony, ear training, or a chord progression, intervals are commonly used to explain various types of music theory.
In this section, I will go through the intervals in small sections. This will make it easier to follow and won't be so overwhelming for those that don't know much music theory.
First, we must know the musical alphabet.
Press to go directly to the specific interval of:
0 frets, 1 fret, 2 frets, 3 frets, 4 frets, 5 frets,
To find more about intervals from 6 frets to 12 frets, please check out my book.
Because the same distance between notes can often have different interval names, we must be sure to use correct letter names. We know that a F# and Gb sound the same; they are just spelled different. Let's find out why we sometimes prefer to call a note F# over a Gb and visa versa.
Let's start by figuring out the general interval distances. I call this the interval number. It could be a second, third, fourth ..... Later, we'll give it a quality - minor, major, diminished ....
To figure out the interval number, we count up all the natural notes with the starting note as 1.
In this section I will only using intervals going UP to the next note. It's easier to comprehend and more applicable to formulas
Ex. 1
What is the interval between F and A ?
If F is 1, then G is 2 and A is 3.
The interval between F and A is a 3rd.
Even if Sharps and flats are used, we still only count the natural letter names.
Ex. 2
What is the interval between A# and F ?
A=1 B=2 C=3 D=4 E=5 F=6.
So the interval between A# and F is a 6th.
I'm hoping this is starting to make sense. Here's one more way of looking at it-
Ex. 3
What's D# to Cb ? letter name D E F G A B C D interval number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
D to E is 2
D to F is 3
D to G is 4
D to A is 5
D to B is 6
so
D to C is a 7th.
Test your knowledge of interval numbers with Interval Quiz #1.
Next, we try to figure out what kind of interval it is. This can be referred to as the quality of the interval.
We have a few choices -
1. perfect
(P)
2. major (M)
3a. minor (m)
3b. flat (b)
4. diminished (dim) or
(o)
5a. augmented (aug) or (+)
5b. sharp (#)
Any interval that is a 1,4,5 or 8 and does NOT have one of the qualities listed above in it's name is assumed to be perfect.
Any interval that is a 2,3,6 or 7 and does NOT have one of the qualities listed above in it's name is assumed to be Major
i.e. a 4th is assumed to be a perfect 4th.
i.e. a 2nd is assumed to be a
major 2nd.
Let's go through each interval starting from a 0 fret distance:
An interval that moves a distance of 0 semitones is called a unison. Unison
also applies to 2 different instruments playing the exact same notes at the same
time.
When working from music formulas of any kind, we call the first note 1
or P1 (perfect 1). This first note is also referred to as the Root note (R). Any
of these describes the interval of 0 frets, but remember that the spelling has
to have the same letter name.
Ex.1
B to B is a unison, first or perfect first.
B to Cb is some
kind of second.
C# to C# is a unison, first or perfect first.
C# to Db is
some kind of second.
Some of this should be obvious. If I told you to play the first note of a Db chord, you would hopefully say Db and not C#. The Root of a Bb major scale is Bb, not A#.
Here's a few examples of playing a unison -
Ex. 1 Ex.2
E ------------- E -------------
B ------------- B -------------
G ------------- G -------------
D ------------- D -------------
A ------------- A -------0-----
E ----5--5----- E ----5--------
Ex.3 Ex.4
E ------------- E -------------
B ------------- B ------1------
G ---3--3------ G ---5---------
D ------------- D -------------
A ------------- A -------------
E ------------- E -------------
The interval of one fret is also known as a semitone. The semitone is more frequently used because it's applicable to any instrument.
Semitone - this is the smallest distance written in most western music. It is the movement equal to one fret on a guitar and the distance between the adjacent black and white keys of a piano. It is very important to know what a semitone is! I use it to explain all the other intervals.
The distance of one fret is the same as a semitone, like this
example:
E ------------------ B ------------------ G ------------------ D ------------------ A ------------------ E ------5--6--------
But this is also an example of a semitone:
E ------------------ B ------------------ G ------------------ D ------------------ A ---------1-------- E ------5-----------
So, on guitar, the interval of a semitone is one fret up or 4 frets back and one string up. ( the only exception is the from the G string to the B string - this is only 3 frets back and one string up).
Now, let's start thinking about the letter names. Here's the basic rules for the 1 fret intervals:
Semitone (ST) -
Any letters will do as long as the distance is a semitone.
Ex. A-Bb, B-C, Bb-B, A#-B, E#-Gb, A-A# ....
Half step (1/2 step) -
Another name for semitone.
Ex. A-Bb, B-C, Bb-B,
A#-B, E#-Gb, A-A# ....
Minor second (m2) -
This interval is a distance of 1 fret, but because
they're a second apart, they have to be spelled with the correct letter names.
The second letter must be one letter above the first when going up a minor
second.
i.e. A-Bb, B-C, D-Eb, E-F, A#-B ....
Flat second (b2) -
Another name for minor second.
i.e. A-Bb, B-C, D-Eb,
E-F, A#-B ....
Remember to count using only the natural notes when figuring out intervals that have notes with accidentals (#'s and b's).
These are NOT minor or flat seconds:
A-A#, Bb-B, E-Fb, Gb-G, ...
Ex.1
What is a minor 2nd above D ?
D is 1 and E is the second, but E is 2 semitones above D. We have to flatten
the E note to make it a minor second.
Eb is a minor 2nd above D.
Ex.2
What is a flat 2nd above E ?
E is 1 and F is the 2. As it turns out, F natural is one semitone away which
makes it a b2 above E.
F is a flat 2nd above E.
Ex.3
What is a semitone above A ?
It doesn't matter what letter name we give this note, as long as it's one
semitone above A. A# is a ST (semitone) above. Bb is also the same note.
A#,
Bb are all a semitone above A.
Test your knowledge of intervals of one fret on the Interval Quiz #2
Tone (T) -
Any letter name will do, as long as the interval is equal to 2
frets/semitones.
Ex. A-B, A-Cb, Gb-Ab, Bb-C, E-Gb ....
Major Second (M2, 2) -
This interval is a distance of 2 frets but because
they're a second apart, they have to be spelled with the correct letter names.
The second letter must be one letter above the first when going up a major
second.
Ex. A-B, A#-B#, Gb-Ab, Bb-C, E-F# ....
Here's some ways of playing a tone or major second:
Ex. 1 Ex.2
E ------------- E -------------
B ------------- B -------------
G ------------- G -------------
D ------------- D -------------
A ------------- A -------2-----
E ----5--7----- E ----5--------
Ex.3 Ex.4
E ------------- E -------------
B ------------- B ------1------
G ---3--5------ G ---3---------
D ------------- D -------------
A ------------- A -------------
E ------------- E -------------
Test your knowledge of 2 semitone intervals with
Interval Quiz #3.Tone and 1/2 (T 1/2) -
Any letter names will do as long as the interval is
equal to a distance of 3 frets.
Ex. A-C, A-B#, Gb-A, Bb-C#, Fb-G ....
Minor Third (m3) or Flat Third (b3) -
This interval is a distance of 3
frets but because they're a third apart, they have to be spelled with the second
letter 2 letter names above the first.
Ex. 1
What is a minor 3rd above C ?
First we figure out the interval number.
C is 1. D is 2. E is 3. E is a
3rd above C, but it is 4 semitones away. It has to be 3 semitones and an E note
to be a m3 above C. We have to flatten the E note.
Eb would be the minor 3rd
above C.
Ex. 2
What is a flat third above Db ?
D is 1. E is 2. F is 3. We know it has to be a F note, but F natural is 4
semitones away from Db. We have to flatten the F note.
Fb is the flat third
of Db.
Here's some ways of playing a minor or flat third:
Ex. 1 Ex.2 E ------------- E ------------- B ------------- B ------------- G ------------- G ------------- D ------------- D ------------- A ------------- A -------3----- E ----5--8----- E ----5--------
Ex.3 Ex.4 E ------------- E ------------- B ------------- B ------2------ G ---3--6------ G ---3--------- D ------------- D ------------- A ------------- A ------------- E ------------- E -------------
Test your knowledge of 3 semitone intervals with
Interval Quiz #4.2 Tones -
Any letter names will do as long as the interval is equal to a
distance of 4 frets.
Ex. A-C#, Ab-B#, Gb-A#, Bb-D, Fb-G# ....
Major Third (M3) or Third (3) -
This interval is a distance of 4 frets
but because they're a third apart, they have to be spelled with the second
letter 2 letter names above the first.
Ex. 1
What is a major 3rd above B ?
First we figure out the interval number.
B is 1. C is 2. D is 3. D is a
3rd above B, but it is 3 semitones away. It has to be 4 semitones and an D note
to be a 3rd above B. We have to make the D note sharp.
D# would be the major
3rd above B.
Ex. 2
What is a third above Db ?
D is 1. E is 2. F is 3. We know it has to be a F note and F natural is 4
semitones away from Db.
F is the third of Db.
Here's some ways of playing a major third (M3) or third (3):
Ex. 1 Ex.2
E ------------- E -------------
B ------------- B -------------
G ------------- G -------------
D ------------- D -------------
A ------------- A -------4-----
E ----5--9----- E ----5--------
Ex.3 Ex.4
E ------------- E -------------
B ------------- B ------3------
G ---3--7------ G ---3---------
D ------------- D -------------
A ------------- A -------------
E ------------- E -------------
Test your knowledge of 4 semitone intervals with
Interval Quiz #5.Perfect fourth (P4) or Fourth (4)
This interval is a distance of 5 frets
but because they're a fourth apart, they have to be spelled correctly. Count the
first note as 1 then count up all the natural notes until you reach letter
number four.
Ex. 1
What is a perfect 4th above G ?
First we figure out the interval number.
G is 1. A is 2. B is 3. C is 4. C
is a 4th above G and it is 5 semitones away so C would be the perfect 4th above
G.
Ex. 2
What is a fourth above Eb ?
E is 1. F is 2. G is 3. A is 4. We know it has to be an A note, but A natural
is 6 semitones away from Eb. It has to be Ab to be 5 ST (semitones) away from
Eb.
Ab is the Fourth above Eb.
Here's some ways of playing a perfect 4th or fourth:
Ex. 1 Ex.2
E ------------- E -------------
B ------------- B -------------
G ------------- G -------------
D ------------- D -------------
A ------------- A -------5-----
E ----5--10---- E ----5--------
Ex.3 Ex.4
E ------------- E -------------
B ------------- B ------4------
G ---3--8------ G ---3---------
D ------------- D -------------
A ------------- A -------------
E ------------- E -------------
Test your knowledge of 5 semitone intervals with
Interval Quiz #6.To find more about intervals from 6 semitones to 12 semitones, please check out my book.
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