The distance
measured between
two notes is described
as an INTERVAL.
The intervals we will
identify are:
Major
Minor
Perfect
Tritone
Octave (8ve)
http://www.musictheory.net/exercises/ear-interval
Any two notes that sound
together or one after the other
form an interval.
Minor intervals are a
semitone smaller than
Major intervals.
The 4th, 5th and 8ve are
Perfect.
3 tones
2 tones
The Tritone is formed
by 3 tones distance.
1 tone
3 semitones
2 semitones
1 semitone
Recognising intervals by ear can be
tricky, and the ONLY way to improve
is practice.
Tritones sound scary!
sounds dissonant and large.
sound consonant but
larger than the others.
Perfect intervals sound
consonant (pleasant)
bright, happy and
satisfying.
sound consonant but
smaller than the others.
sounds dissonant and tiny.
Learn your intervals through songs
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Take On Me
Star Trek Theme/Somewhere from West Side Story
Chick Chick Chicken
Jai Ho
E.T. Theme
The Simpsons
Here Comes the Bride
While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks
Greensleeves
Happy Birthday
JAWS Theme
The first two notes of the song demonstrate the ASCENDING interval.
Learn your intervals through songs
Willow Weep for me
I Love You (Cole Porter)
Watermelon Man
The Music of The Night - ‘Night time sharpens..’
Love Story
Flintstones Theme
Blue Seven by Sonny Rollins
Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Summertime
Hey Jude
Mamma Mia
Joy to the World
These songs demonstrate the DESCENDING interval.
Some intervals sound better than others when played together...
Listen to the examples.
Dissonant, wants to resolve
Consonant, good harmony ‘Latin American sounding’
Consonant, bare, drone, power chords and chants!
VERY Dissonant!
Consonant
Consonant ‘Best’ harmony, sounds close
Dissonant, wants to resolve
Try to separate the two notes in your mind to work out the interval.
When describing a written interval check
the written distance between notes!
Augmented intervals are a
semitone bigger than Major
or Perfect intervals.
These intervals both sound the
same – a Tritone, but can be
described in 2 other ways.
Aargh!
How do I know
which is which?
Diminished intervals
are a semitone smaller
than Perfect intervals.
These intervals are both 5
semitones apart. When written
they are considered different.
The top notes are enharmonic (the
same sounding note written
differently.
Firstly decide on the number by counting the steps on the stave.
Secondly decide if the note is sharpened, flattened or as it should be in the scale.
Thirdly does that mean it is augmented, diminished, major or perfect?