Tricks for Hearing Intervals
Unison
Happy Birthday to You
minor second
Ascending:
Theme from Jaws
Descending:
O Danny Boy, Joy to the World, Für Elise
Major second
Ascending:
Frère Jacques, Silent Night, Do-Re-Mi
Descending:
Mary Had a Little Lamb, The First Noel, Three Blind Mice, One Love, Teen Spirit
minor third
Ascending:
Greensleeves, Jingle Bells, Hallelujah (Shrek), O Canada, The Impossible Dream (Man Of La Mancha),
So Long, Farewell (The Sound of Music), Iron Man (Black Sabbath), Seven Nation Army (The White
Stripes), Brahms’ Lullaby
Descending:
Hey Jude, The Star-Spangled Banner, Frosty the Snowman, This Old Man, Ring Around the Rosy
Major third
Ascending:
When the Saints Go Marching In, Kumbaya, Hava Nagilah, Do-Re-Mi (first and third notes), It’s A
Small World
Descending:
Summertime, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Hot n Cold (verse) (Katy Perry)
Perfect fourth
Ascending:
Amazing Grace, Jeopardy theme, Auld Lang Syne, O Tannenbaum, Here Comes the Bride, Tonight
(West Side Story), Bismilah from Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen),
Descending:
Old McDonald Had A Farm, I've Been Working on the Railroad, Every Little Thing She Does Is
Magic, Roxanne, All of Me, Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Mozart)
tritone
Ascending:
Maria (West Side Story), The Simpsons theme, Cool (West Side Story)
Descending:
YYZ
Perfect fifth
Ascending:
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Star Wars theme, My Favorite Things (“The Sound of Music”), Also
Sprach Zarathustra (“2001: A Space Odyssey”)
Descending:
Flintstones Theme, The Wizard of Oz (the Witch's Guards march), My Girl (bass part at intro)
minor sixth
Ascending:
Across the Stars (From Star Wars), Someday My Prince Will Come (Cinderella), saxophone hook from
Baker Street, The Entertainer (notes 3 and 4), Black Orpheus
Descending:
Roxanne, third and fourth notes of Usher's Yeah (the first interval is a perfect 5th)
Major sixth
Ascending:
My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean, Melody from NBC, Buddy Holly (oohh-whee-oohh). It Came Upon a
Midnight Clear, Because, Take the A-Train
Descending:
Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen, Sweet Caroline, Oops I Did It Again, The Music of the Night
(“Phantom Of The Opera”), Love Story theme
minor seventh
Ascending:
Theme from Star Trek, Somewhere (West Side Story), I've Had the Time of My Life (though I've
never) (“Dirty Dancing”)
Descending:
Watermelon Man
Major seventh
Ascending:
Take on Me, Over the Rainbow (first and third notes), Immigrant Song (First and third notes of opening
'wail')
Octave
Ascending:
Over the Rainbow, Let It Snow, Titanic theme (wher-ever), Play that Funky Music (bass line)
Descending:
Willow Weep for Me, Beethoven's 9th Symphony: Scherzo
Chords:
Major Chord (root position)
Ascending:
Descending:
Major Chord (first position)
Ascending:
Descending: Clocks intro (Coldplay), Your Song intro (Elton John),
Major Chord second position)
Ascending:
Descending:
minor Chord (root position)
Ascending:
Descending:
minor Chord (first position)
Ascending:
Descending:
minor Chord second position)
Ascending:
Descending: 2nd measure of Clocks intro (Coldplay)