How to identify Intervals

When learning music theory, intervals are one of the most fundamental concepts. Intervals are the building blocks of melodies and chords, and understanding them will greatly improve your ability to read, play, and compose music. In this article, I'll explain what intervals are and how they are measured.

What are Intervals in Music?

An interval is the distance between two notes. It tells you how far apart the notes are in pitch. Intervals are named according to two main factors: quality and number. These determine how the interval sounds and how far apart the notes are.

For example, the interval between C and E is called a "major third." This name tells us both the quality (major) and the number (third), meaning that E is the third note above C in a major scale.

Types of Intervals

There are different types of intervals, each with its own characteristics. Let's get to know how to distinguish them first:

How to identify Major, Minor or Perfect Intervals

When identifying the interval quality one method is to pretend the lower note, e. g. d is the tonic of its scale (the first note of the scale). Now create the corresponding major scale (D-major with f# and c#) and check if the upper note is part of that scale. If it is, it has to be either a major or a perfect interval. If it is one semitone smaller than the major interval it is a minor interval. For example, d to a is a fifth. Because there are no major or minor fifths it has to be a perfect fifth. C is not part of the D-Major scale and it is one semitone smaller than the major interval so it is a minor seventh.

Perfect Intervals

Perfect intervals are considered the most consonant and stable in music. These include:

  1. Perfect Unison (P1): When two notes are the same but one ocatave apart, such as C3 to C4.
  2. Perfect Fourth (P4): From C to F.
  3. Perfect Fifth (P5): From C to G.
  4. Perfect Octave (P8): From C to the next higher C.

Major an Minor Intervals

Major intervals are one half step (semitone) larger than minor intervals. They include:

  1. Major Second (M2): From C to D.
  2. Major Third (M3): From C to E.
  3. Major Sixth (M6): From C to A.
  4. Major Seventh (M7): From C to B.

Minor intervals are one half step smaller than their major counterparts:

  1. Minor Second (m2): From C to D.
  2. Minor Third (m3): From C to E.
  3. Minor Sixth (m6): From C to A.
  4. Minor Seventh (m7): From C to B.

Diminished and Augmented Intervals

These intervals are used to describe intervals that are smaller or larger than perfect or major intervals.

  1. Augmented Intervals are one half step larger than perfect or major intervals. For example, from C to G# is an Augmented Fifth (A5).
  2. Diminished intervals are one half step smaller than perfect or minor intervals. From C to Gb is a Diminished Fifth (d5).

How to measure Intervals

Intervals are measured by counting both the starting and ending notes, including all the notes in between. Here’s a simple way to count them:

  1. Start with your first note (the root).
  2. Count up through the musical alphabet until you reach your second note.

For example, to find the interval from C to G: Start at C (1), then count D (2), E (3), F (4), and finally G (5). This gives you a "fifth."

Practice Tips for Mastering Intervals

Here are some practical ways to improve your understanding and recognition of intervals:

  1. Interval Ear Training: Use apps or online tools that play random intervals and challenge you to identify them by ear. This will sharpen your listening skills and help you internalize how each interval sounds.
  2. Play Intervals on and Instrument: Practice playing intervals on your instrument, whether it's a piano, guitar, or another instrument. Start with the perfect intervals, then work through the major, minor, augmented, and diminished intervals.

Conclusion

Understanding intervals is an essentail part of music theory and allows you to learn more difficult concepts like scales or chords. To make sure you understood the concept of intervals use this interval quiz. Additionally, you can have a look at this article about chords.