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Specific Intervals

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H4yden
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7 views

Specific Intervals

Uploaded by

H4yden
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Theory Lessons for iPhone and iPad

Specific Intervals

Specific intervals are measured both on the


staff and in half steps on the keyboard.
As you learned in the previous lesson, C to D
and C to Db are both generic seconds.
Specifically, however, C to D is one half step
larger than C to Db.

Let's learn a few specific intervals.

A major second is made up of two half


steps.
C to D is a major second since it is a generic
second on the staff and two half steps on the
keyboard.

E to F# would be another example of a major


second.

A major third is made up of four half steps.


C to E is a major third.

E to G# is also a major third.

A perfect fourth is made up of five half


steps.
C to F is a perfect fourth.

F to Bb is also a perfect fourth.

A perfect fifth is made up of seven half


steps.
C to G is a perfect fifth.

B to F# is also a perfect fifth.

A major sixth is made up of nine half steps.


C to A is a major sixth.

Eb to C is also a major sixth.

A major seventh is made up of eleven half


steps.
C to B is a major seventh.

D to C# is also a major seventh.

Finally, a perfect eighth (or perfect octave)


is made up of twelve half steps.
C to C is a perfect eighth.

The terms “major” and “perfect” refer to the


interval's quality.
Only seconds, thirds, sixths, and sevenths
can have a major quality. Firsts, fourths,
fifths, and eighths use “perfect” instead.

Next, let's discuss minor intervals.


A minor interval has one less half step than a
major interval.

For example: since C to E is a major third (4


half steps), C to Eb is a minor third (3 half
steps).

E to G is also a minor third (since E to G# is a


major third).

Since minor intervals transform from major


intervals; only seconds, thirds, sixths, and
sevenths can be “minor”.

An augmented interval has one more half


step than a perfect interval.

Since C to F is a perfect fourth (5 half steps),


C to F# would be an augmented fourth (6 half
steps).

F to B is also an augmented fourth (since F to


Bb is a perfect fourth).

Major intervals can be augmented by adding


a half step.

For example, since C to A is a major sixth (9


half steps), C to A# is an augmented sixth (10
half steps).

Db to B is also an augmented 6th (Since Db to


Bb is a major sixth).

A diminished interval has one less half step


than a perfect interval.

Since C to G is a perfect fifth (7 half steps), C


to Gb would be a diminished fifth (6 half
steps).

B to F is also a diminished fifth (since B to F#


is a perfect fifth).

Minor intervals can also be diminished by


subtracting a half step.

Recall that C to B is a major seventh (11 half


steps) and C to Bb is a minor seventh (10 half
steps).
C to Bbb is a diminished seventh (9 half
steps).

3 6

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This chart shows the relationship among the


different interval qualities.

This chart shows the number of half steps


that each specific interval contains.

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