Study Music Flashcards
More bout intervals
An interval is a number that represents the amount of notes between one note and another in the diatonic scale (C, D, E, F, G, A, B) - the one we all know without sharps (#) or flats (b).
For example, from C to G, there are 5 notes (C, D, E, F, G), from E to A, there are 4 notes (E, F, G, A), and so on. This way, we call the interval C-G a fifth, and the interval E-A a fourth. There may be unisons (where both notes played are the same), seconds, thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, sevenths and octaves (for example low C to high C).
Intervals can be further named according to the amounts of ‘steps’ that they contain:
A step is the distance between one note and another in the chromatic scale (the 12 tones mentioned before with sharps and flats). C to C# has one step, C to D has 2 steps (from C to C# and from C# to D), etc. Remember that in the westernised scales, C# is the same sound as Db, D# is the same as Eb, and so on. Just take a look at a piano and see for yourself. Find C# (the black key right to C) and Db (the black key left of D). There you go.
interval 2
You must also remember that there are no black keys between E and F, and between B and C, so there is no such a thing as E#, Fb, B# or Cb.
So now, names are given to the different types of intervals:
0 steps = Unison (example: C-C)
1 step = Minor second (example: C-C#)
2 steps = Major second (example: C-D)
3 steps = Minor third (example: C-D#)
4 steps = Major third (example: C-E)
5 steps = Perfect fourth (example: C-F)
6 steps = Augmented fourth (example: C-F#)
6 steps = Diminished fifth (example: C-F#)
7 steps = Perfect fifth (example: C-G)
8 steps = Minor sixth (example: C-G#)
9 steps = Major sixth (example: C-A)
10 steps = Minor seventh (example: C-A#)
11 steps = Major seventh (example: C-B)
12 steps = octave (example: C-C)
