A Complete Guide to the Music Intervals
Music Intervals
Intervals are essential elements of music theory. Basically, they provide a fundamental framework for comprehending the relationships between musical notes.
They also serve as the foundation for constructing melodies, harmonies, and chords and can evoke a range of emotions and moods in music.
For musicians, composers, and music students, grasping the concept of intervals is crucial. The reason is that it facilitates the ability to read and write sheet music. It also helps musicians analyse musical compositions and create new pieces.
Intervals are really one of the essential foundations of music for every musician, both novice and experienced.
Absolutely, developing an understanding of intervals is a critical component of musical literacy that can heighten your appreciation and composition of music.
In this guide to music intervals, we will delve into the basics of music intervals. These will include their definition, types, and practical applications in music. We will also cover how they are measured and named.
In the end, the guide will help us have a proper understanding of intervals in music. However, to start off, let’s define what an interval is.
What Are Intervals in Music?
Intervals are a musical term describing the distance between two pitches or two musical notes.
When one increases the interval between two notes, the pitch difference between them also increases.
Conversely, when one decreases the interval between two notes, the pitch difference between them also decreases.
Moreover, the distance between two notes can be either vertical or horizontal.
In the case of measuring vertically, we use the term “harmonic intervals.” This is because the two notes are sounded together.
On the other hand, when measuring horizontally, we use the term melodic intervals. The reason for that is because the notes follow one another sequentially.
To grasp the fundamentals of music theory, one must comprehend the relationships between individual notes. This relationship is established by intervals, which are the measurements of distance between those notes.
Intervals form the foundation for virtually all aspects of music. They create the building blocks for scales, melodies, and chords.
Basically, whenever there are multiple notes, there is an interval between them. For instance, the notes at smaller intervals are used to construct the scales.
Melodies are created when one plays the notes in an interval successively. Also, the notes at larger intervals combine together to form the chords.
Of course, musical intervals are an important concept in music theory. Primarily, they help musicians and composers understand the relationships between different notes and how they interact with each other.
Additionally, intervals play a critical role in voice leading, composition, and transposition. In fact, the richness of music is derived from intervals.
It is challenging to imagine a musical context without intervals, with rare exceptions such as a snare drum solo.
Even in highly dissonant 20th-century music, intervals remain a fundamental aspect of both creating and analysing musical compositions.
Basic Music Intervals
There are two basic intervals in music. These are semitones and tones. Semitones are sometimes referred to as half steps. Likewise, the tones are also known as whole steps.
Both semitones and tones are the building blocks of musical intervals.
A semitone is the smallest interval used in Western music. It is the distance between two adjacent keys on a piano keyboard.
Each note on a piano keyboard is a semitone apart from its adjacent notes, irrespective of their colour (white or black).
|| A tone can be described as the distance between two adjacent white keys on a keyboard that are separated by a black key. On the other hand, a semitone refers to the distance between two adjacent white keys on a keyboard without any black key in between.
For example, the distance between C and C# is one half-step. Also, the distance between E and F is a half-step.
A tone or whole step is precisely two times larger than a half-step. In other words, one whole step comprises two half steps.
For example, the distance between C and B is a whole step. Likewise, the distance between E and F# is a whole step.
Check out our Quick Guide to Half Steps and Whole Steps in Music to learn more.
Measuring Intervals in Music
Generally, music intervals are measured by the number of half-steps, or semitones, between two notes.
Intervals can be measured in two ways: by counting the number of half-steps between two notes, or by using their interval name.
Interval names are based on the distance between the two notes in the diatonic scale, which is a seven-note scale used in Western music.
To measure an interval by its name, you first need to know the names of the notes involved and their position in the diatonic scale.
For example, the interval between C and E is a third because E is the third note in the diatonic scale above C.
Similarly, the interval between C and G is a fifth because G is the fifth note in the diatonic scale above C.
Types of Musical Intervals
There are two main types of intervals in music, and they are:
1. Melodic intervals
2. Harmonic intervals
Melodic Intervals
A melodic interval is the distance between two notes played consecutively or one after the other.
Melodic intervals are important in creating melodies and musical phrases.
|| Melodic intervals refer to the distance between two pitches that are played one after the other, such as in a melody.
Initially, we can categorise melodic intervals as either ascending or descending.
An interval is considered ascending when it starts on one note and the second note is higher or moves up.
Conversely, it is a descending interval when the second note falls lower than the first note.
For example, notes D and G played in succession make an ascending fourth on the musical scale.
On the other hand, play notes C and G in succession, with the first note being an octave above middle C.
Thus, the second note, G, is being played at a lower pitch than the initial pitch. This scenario exemplifies a descending melodic interval.
The distance between the notes in a melody can create tension, release, and various emotions in the listener.
For example, a minor second interval, which is the smallest interval in Western music, creates a dissonant and tense sound.
In contrast, a major third interval creates a brighter and more uplifting sound.
Harmonic Intervals
A harmonic interval is the distance between two notes played simultaneously or together.
When two or more notes are played together, they create a chord or harmony.
The distance between these notes is known as the harmonic interval.
|| Harmonic intervals refer to the distance between two pitches that are played at the same time, such as in a chord.
Harmonic intervals comprise a variety of spacings between two notes. These intervals include seconds, thirds, fourths, fifths, and sixths.
The quality of harmonic intervals is observed when notes based on a musical chord are played together.
Two kinds of chords are commonly used in musical compositions, namely major and minor chords.
Specifically, major chords are associated with a cheerful or uplifting sound. On the other hand, minor chords tend to have a lower or sadder sound.
Components of Interval
As previously discussed, the term “interval” refers to the distance between two notes in music theory. The distance is usually measured in terms of the number of steps or half-steps between the two notes.
There are two components to an interval, and these are
1. The interval quantity
2. The interval quality
These two components serve as the identity of an interval, and this goes for both harmonic and melodic intervals.
The Interval Quantity (Distance)
This is also known as the interval number or interval distance. Basically, the interval quantity is the distance the two notes are from each other.
It refers to the number of letter names or pitches between the two notes. For instance, the distance between C and G is five since there are five letter names (C, D, E, F, and G) between them.
To find the quantity of an interval, you have to find the distance two notes are from each other.
This is done by counting the lines and spaces on the staff separating the two notes, including the line or space the first note is on.
For example, if we have this D and C on the treble clef, we will count the D space as one, the E line as two, the F space as three, the G line as four, the A space as five, the B line as six, and the C space as seven. This is shown in the diagram below.
With our counting, we will have three lines and four spaces. So, the distance between these two notes is a seventh.
Check out another example in the treble clef displayed in the second diagram above.
We want to consider the quantity and distance of the interval between A and D.
To know the interval distance between A and D, we will count the A space as one, the B line as two, the C space as three, and the D line as four.
With our counting, we will have two lines and two spaces. So, the distance between these two notes is a fourth.
Note
If possible, you can practice your own finding of interval distances between two notes by counting the lines and spaces between them. This process will help you get comfortable with it.
Interval Distance Name
In music theory, we can number the seven main notes in any scale using a numerical system. This system assigns the number one to the first note, two to the second note, and so on.
Specifically, this method is used to describe the seven degrees (scale degrees) of a musical scale and also the interval distances.
Thus, there are various names used to denote the quantities of intervals and used to state the interval distances using a numerical system.
These are:
- Unison
- Second
- Third
- Fourth
- Fifth
- Sixth
- Seventh
- Octave
Examples of Interval Distance Name
Let us take this C major scale as an example to find the distances of the intervals between the tonic and the rest of the scale degrees.
The interval between the tonic and the tonic is the first interval, but it has a special name.
Although you might expect it to be called a “first,” the distance between two identical notes is actually referred to as a “unison.”
Generally, this interval, as well as any other interval between identical notes, is considered a unison.
Following that, let’s consider the distance between C and D. By counting the C line as one and the D space as two, we can determine that the interval distance between these two notes is a second.
Moving on to the distance between C and E, we can count the C line as one, the D space as two, and the E line as three. This results in an interval distance of three.
The process of counting intervals can be extended up to the seventh scale degree, where the distance between C and B is seven. Hence, we refer to this distance as a seventh.
The interval between low C and high C has a special name. This interval distance is called an octave.
The term “octave” originates from the Latin word “octo,” meaning “eight.”
The reason is that the distance between the starting note and its eighth note up on the scale is an octave.
Thus, the distance between this high C and that low C is an octave. Also, all of the intervals listed below are octaves.
The Interval Quality
The term “interval quality” specifies the exact number of semitones between two pitches. This is different from interval quantity, which indicates only the number of letters between the two pitches.
Basically, interval quality measures the written distance between notes more accurately. Together with the interval’s distance, it describes the aural sound of an interval.
The interval quality, on the other hand, describes the sound of the interval. It is determined by the number of half-steps between the two notes.
Generally, the quality of the intervals differentiates them when they share the same distance but have varying numbers of half-steps.
There are 5 types of interval quality, and these are
- Major,
- Minor,
- Perfect
- Augmented,
- Diminished
Perfect intervals are considered the most stable and consonant intervals. They are neither major nor minor and include the unison, octave, and fifth. For example, the interval between C and G is a perfect fifth.
Major intervals are wider than their minor counterparts and have a brighter, more uplifting sound. For example, the interval between C and E is a major third, as it comprises four half-steps.
Minor intervals are narrower than their major counterparts and have a sadder, more melancholic sound. For example, the interval between C and Eb is a minor third, consisting of three half-steps.
Augmented intervals are larger than perfect or major intervals and have a more dissonant, tense sound. For example, the interval between C and G# is an augmented fifth.
Diminished intervals are smaller than perfect or minor intervals and also have a dissonant, tense sound. For example, the interval between C and Gb is a diminished fifth.
Using Intervals in Music
Intervals are used in a variety of ways in music, including the construction of chords, melodies, and harmonies.
Chords are built by stacking intervals on top of each other, with the root note being the starting point.
For example, a C major chord is made up of a root note (C), a major third (E), and a perfect fifth (G).
Melodies are created by moving from one note to another in a sequence of intervals.
The melody of a song can be thought of as a series of intervals that move up and down, creating a sense of tension and release.
For example, the opening melody of the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” moves from the root note (C) up a major sixth (A) and then down a minor third (F), creating a sense of yearning and longing.
Harmonies are created by combining different intervals and chords to create a sense of depth and richness in a musical composition.
Harmonies can be created by using intervals that complement each other, such as a major third and a minor seventh, or by using intervals that clash, such as a minor second and a major seventh.
The use of different intervals in harmonies can create a wide range of emotions and moods in music, from joy and happiness to sadness and despair.
Final Thought
From this guide, we understand that musical intervals are an essential part of music theory. Of course, they are the building blocks of melody and harmony.
They can be measured, heard, and felt, and they give music its unique colour and texture.
Without intervals, music would lack its fundamental structure, its beauty, and its power to move us.
At Phamox Music, we go all out for exactness and honesty. For this purpose, if by any means you found any possible glitch, be it factual, editorial, or something that we need to update, kindly contact us.
If you find the information provided in this post, Music Intervals, interesting and helpful, kindly share it with someone you know who might need it.
