Music Intervals

Question 1

What is an interval

Answer 1

An interval is distance between two notes

Question 2

What is a melodic interval

Answer 2

A melodic interval occurs when the notes of an interval are played one after the other

Question 3

What is a harmonic interval

Answer 3

A harmonic interval occurs when the notes of the interval are played at the same time

Question 4

How do you determine the number of the interval

Answer 4

The number of the interval is determined by counting the letter names from the lowest note to the highest note

Question 5

Name the perfect intervals

Answer 5

The perfect intervals are the intervals of unison, 4th, 5th and the octave

Question 6

Name the major intervals

Answer 6

The major intervals are the intervals of a 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th

Question 7

What determines an interval to be a major or perfect interval

Answer 7

Take the bottom note of the interval as a tonic of a major scale. If the upper note of the interval is a member of the scale of the lower note the interval will either be a perfect or a major

Question 8

Define a minor interval

Answer 8

A minor interval is one semi-tone smaller than a major interval

Question 9

Which are the only intervals that can be considered minor

Answer 9

Only the 2nd’s 3rd’s and 7th’s can be considered minor intervals

Question 10

How do you determine if an interval is minor

Answer 10

Take the bottom note of the interval as a tonic of a major scale. If the upper note is a semi-tone smaller than as a member of the major scale of the bottom note than it may be considered to be a minor interval

Question 11

How are intervals identified

Answer 11

Intervals are always identified by using the lowest note as the tonic

Question 12

How is a major interval converted into a minor interval

Answer 12

A major interval can be made minor by lowering the top note or raising the bottom note by one semi-tone

Question 13

What is an augmented interval

Answer 13

An augmented interval is one semi-tone larger than a perfect or a major interval. In other words, the notes of an augmented interval are one semi-tone further apart than the notes of a perfect or major interval

Question 14

What is a diminished interval

Answer 14

A diminished interval is one semi-tone smaller than either a perfect or minor interval. In other words the notes of a diminished interval are a semi-tone closer together that a major or perfect interval

Question 15

how can a perfect interval be converted into a diminished interval

Answer 15

A perfect interval can be converted into a diminished interval by lowering the top note or raising the bottom note by a semi-tone.

Question 16

How is a minor interval converted into a diminished interval

Answer 16

A minor interval is converted into a diminished interval by lowering the top note or raising the bottom note by a semi-tone

Question 17

How do you name an interval when the lowest note of the interval is not the tonic of a major key

Answer 17

1. Lower the bottom note to the note that is the tonic of existing key
2. Name the new interval
3. Move the lower note back up to its original pitch

Question 18

What are the two ways to invert an interval

Answer 18

1. Write the lower note above the upper note

2. Write the upper note below the lower note

Question 19

What happens to a major interval when it becomes inverted

Answer 19

When a major interval is inverted it becomes a minor interval

Question 20

What happens to a minor interval when it becomes inverted

Answer 20

When a minor interval is inverted it becomes a major interval

Question 21

What happens to an augmented interval when it is inverted

Answer 21

When an augmented interval is inverted it becomes a diminished interval

Question 22

What happens to a diminished interval when it is inverted

Answer 22

When a diminished interval is inverted it becomes an augmented interval

Question 23

What happens to a perfect interval when it is inverted

Answer 23

When a perfect interval is inverted it remains a perfect interval

Question 24

How do you write an interval below a given note

Answer 24

1. Determine the bottom note of the interval by counting down the required number of notes from the given note
2. Identify the interval
3. Adjust the bottom note to obtain the required interval