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Understanding intervals is fundamental to music education. They form the building blocks of melodies and harmonies. Listening to audio examples helps students grasp the sound and feel of different intervals, both simple and compound.
What Are Intervals?
An interval is the distance between two pitches. Intervals are classified as either simple or compound. Simple intervals span an octave or less, while compound intervals extend beyond an octave.
Common Simple Intervals
- Unison: Two identical pitches played together or in succession.
- Minor Second: One semitone apart, like C to C#.
- Major Second: Two semitones, like C to D.
- Minor Third: Three semitones, like C to D#.
- Major Third: Four semitones, like C to E.
- Perfect Fourth: Five semitones, like C to F.
- Perfect Fifth: Seven semitones, like C to G.
- Minor Sixth: Eight semitones, like C to G#.
- Major Sixth: Nine semitones, like C to A.
- Minor Seventh: Ten semitones, like C to A#.
- Major Seventh: Eleven semitones, like C to B.
- Octave: Twelve semitones, like C to the next C.
Audio Examples of Simple Intervals
Below are audio clips demonstrating each of the common simple intervals. Listen carefully to the distinct sound of each interval.
Unison: Both pitches are the same.
Minor Second: Closest interval, very dissonant.
Major Second: Slightly more consonant than minor second.
Minor Third: Common in melodies, gives a somber tone.
Major Third: Bright and happy sound.
Perfect Fourth: Stable and consonant.
Perfect Fifth: Strong and harmonically stable.
Minor Sixth: Slightly dissonant, adds tension.
Major Sixth: Bright, joyful sound.
Minor Seventh: Dissonant, used in jazz and blues.
Major Seventh: Very dissonant, creates tension.
Octave: Same note, higher pitch.
Common Compound Intervals
Compound intervals are extensions of simple intervals, spanning more than an octave. They are named by adding the number of octaves to the simple interval.
- Compound Second: Thirteen semitones, like C to D an octave higher.
- Compound Third: Fourteen semitones, C to E an octave higher.
- Compound Fourth: Fifteen semitones, C to F an octave higher.
- Compound Fifth: Seventeen semitones, C to G an octave higher.
- Compound Sixth: Eighteen semitones, C to A an octave higher.
- Compound Seventh: Nineteen semitones, C to B an octave higher.
- Octave + Unison: Two octaves, C to C two octaves higher.
Audio Examples of Compound Intervals
Listen to these audio clips to understand how compound intervals sound, and how they differ from simple ones.
Compound Second: An octave plus a second.
Compound Third: An octave plus a third.
Compound Fourth: An octave plus a fourth.
Compound Fifth: An octave plus a fifth.
Compound Sixth: An octave plus a sixth.
Compound Seventh: An octave plus a seventh.
Two Octaves: The same note spanning two octaves.