Intervals Intervals are determined by the distance between two notes and are either harmonic or melodic in nature Melodic intervals are performed successively Harmonic intervals are performed simultaneously ID: 643991
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Slide1
Intervals
The distance in pitch between two notesSlide2
Intervals
Intervals are determined by the distance between two notes and are either harmonic or melodic in nature.
Melodic intervals are performed successively
Harmonic intervals are performed simultaneouslyWhether the interval is harmonic or melodic has no bearing on the intervallic relationship of the notes It does not matter how the interval is performed because the interval itself is not changing!Slide3
Intervals
Intervals have two components. A distance component and what is referred to as a modifier.
The number of note names you pass through indicates a numerical value that applies to a given interval.
ie. 1st (Unison), 2nd, 3rd, 4th
, 5
th
, 6
th
, 7
th
or 8
th
(Octave).
Additionally, the distance you cover to get to that note name will suggest an accompanying modifier.
ie
. ½ step, 1 step, 1 ½ steps, etc.
A modifier is a description of what type of interval you are working with.
ie
. Major, minor, Perfect, Augmented, DiminishedSlide4
Intervals
Only certain modifiers can accompany certain intervals
Major/minor modifiers can only apply to:
2nd’s, 3rd’s, 6th’s, & 7th’s Perfect modifiers can only apply to:
1
st’s
, 4
th’s
, 5
th’s
& 8
th’s
Major or minor intervals
cannot
be Perfect
Perfect intervals
cannot
be Major or minor
All
intervals can be augmented or diminishedSlide5
Intervals
Intervals which occur between the tonic note
(Do)
of a scale and each degree of that scale may be described as Perfect-P or Major-MIf you call the bottom note Do and the other note falls within that major scale, your interval will be Perfect or Major. In order for this to work successfully, you must identify Do
AND
the key signature that goes along with that
Do
. If it falls within the given key signature, your interval will be Perfect or Major. If it does not, you will need to refer to the following rules.
A
minor interval
is created by
decreasing
a major interval by ½ step
A
diminished interval
is created by
decreasing
a Perfect
or
minor interval by ½ step
An
augmented interval
is created by
increasing
a Perfect or Major interval by ½ stepSlide6
Intervals
When you are working with larger intervals it may be faster for you to invert them.
Inversions should always add up to 9
If you have a large ascending interval like, D-B, you can invert it, B-D. B-D is a 3rd (passing through 3 note names B, C & D). If you use 9 as the constant and subtract 3 you get 6. Your D-B interval is a 6th. In order to find out the modifier you can also use another inversion technique.B-D is a m3 because you are ascending 11/2 steps (AND if you are in the key of B, D should be sharp. D natural is ½ lower, which would make the interval minor). If the original modifier is minor, your inverted modifier will be the opposite, Major. Perfect intervals remain the same. Likewise, Augmented intervals become diminished and diminished intervals become augmented.
Why do I care???
If you apply the inversion technique, the highest interval you need to learn is an Augmented 4
th
!!!
Practice your intervals at musictheory.net