{"id":15645,"date":"2023-07-30T08:47:41","date_gmt":"2023-07-30T06:47:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodandfirestudio.com\/?p=15645"},"modified":"2023-09-19T14:36:33","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T12:36:33","slug":"intervalle-musik","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodandfirestudio.com\/en\/intervalle-musik\/","title":{"rendered":"Musical intervals explained (with audio examples)"},"content":{"rendered":"

In music theory, intervals are the distances between the pitches of two notes. In Western music, there are a total of 12 different notes within an octave, so there are 12 basic types of musical intervals. Each note is the same distance from the next notes, measured in semitones or cents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A semitone is exactly 100 cents - on the piano, a semitone step is the distance between a white key and the black key next to it, or the distance between B and C or E and F. On the guitar, each fret corresponds to a semitone step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"As
Distance of a semitone on the piano<\/a><\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why are musical intervals so important?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Each interval has its own sound and effect. Melodies<\/a> are ultimately made up of intervals, so the choice of intervals has a great impact on the final result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I compose melodies using only perfect fifths and thirds, the melody will be beautiful, romantic or nostalgic. But if I use tritone intervals, my melody suddenly sounds creepy and scary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on which intervals I choose for my melody and how I combine them, it will have a completely different mood and effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But not only melodies are made of intervals, chords<\/a> are too! The only difference is that in melodies the musical intervals are played one after the other (melodic intervals), while in chords they are played simultaneously (harmonic intervals).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Melodic
Melodic and harmonic interval<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Again, the chord has a very different effect depending on which interval combination you choose. A major chord<\/a>, one of the happiest chords, consists of a major third and a major fifth, both very bright and happy intervals. A diminished chord<\/a>, on the other hand, is made up of a minor third and a diminished fifth, both of which are sad and very tense intervals - accordingly, diminished chords sound very tense and sinister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interval names<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Interval names consist of two important properties: The number and the \"quality\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interval number<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Intervals in Western music are based on heptatonic scales<\/a> (scales with seven steps per octave, of which 5 are whole tone steps and 2 are half tone steps. The names are derived from the Latin ordinal numbers of these steps (prima = \"the first\", secunda= \"the second\", tertia = \"the third\", etc.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step of the scale<\/th>Designation<\/th><\/tr>
1<\/td>Prime<\/td><\/tr>
2<\/td>Second<\/td><\/tr>
3<\/td>Third<\/td><\/tr>
4<\/td>Fourth<\/td><\/tr>
5<\/td>Fifth<\/td><\/tr>
6<\/td>Sixth<\/td><\/tr>
7<\/td>Seventh<\/td><\/tr>
8<\/td>Octave<\/td><\/tr>
9<\/td>Ninth<\/td><\/tr>
10<\/td>Tenth<\/td><\/tr>
11<\/td>Undecime<\/td><\/tr>
12<\/td>Duodecime<\/td><\/tr>
13<\/td>Tredecime <\/td><\/tr>
14<\/td>Quartdecime<\/td><\/tr>
15<\/td>Fifth decimal or double octave<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For example, \"a fourth up\" means the transition from one note to the note three positions higher on the scale, always using the current scale as the reference system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example: We are in the key of C major, and I want to go up a fifth from D. To do this, I simply have to go up 4 steps on the scale from D and end up at A.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
A fifth upwards corresponds to 4 steps in the scale<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Interval quality<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Depending on how many semitones there are in the difference between our two steps of the scale, the interval is given a different name. The quality of an interval can be perfect, major, minor, augmented, or diminished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perfect intervals<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

These intervals are called like this because they are generally perceived as perfectly harmonic, although the fourth is not necessarily so. In contrast, minor, major, augmented and diminished intervals sound less harmonious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Perfect
Perfect intervals: unison, perfect fourth, perfect fifth and octave<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are 4 intervals called pure: the unison, the perfect fourth, the perfect fifth, and the octave. The unison and the octave are always perfect, as are most fourths and fifths. Perfect fourths have 5 semitones and perfect fifths have 7 semitones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major and minor intervals<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A major interval is the larger of two possible intervals in a given key. Major intervals are the major second, major third, major sixth, and major seventh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Major
Major intervals: major second, major third, major sixth and major seventh<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A minor interval is the smaller of two possible intervals in a given key. Minor intervals are the minor second, minor third, minor sixth, and minor seventh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Minor
Minor intervals: minor second, minor third, minor sixth and minor seventh<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A second, third, sixth, or seventh is major if the higher note is in the major scale of the lower note. For example, the third between G and B is major because B is in the G major scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we reduce a major interval by a semitone, the interval becomes minor. That is why the third between G and B\u266d is small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Augmented and diminished intervals<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Augmented and diminished intervals occur in diatonic scales when a pure interval is diminished or augmented by a semitone. But they can also occur when small or large intervals are diminished or augmented by a semitone - but such intervals do not occur naturally in the scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Augmented
Augmented intervals: augmented unison, augmented fourth, augmented fifth, and augmented octave<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Diminished
Diminished intervals: diminished fourth, diminished fifth and diminished octave<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Example: A diminished fifth (6 semitones) is created by lowering a perfect fifth (7 semitones) by one semitone. An augmented fifth (8 semitones) is created by raising the perfect fifth by one semitone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frequency ratios<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Another important property of intervals is frequency ratio. This describes the ratio of the actual frequencies of the two tones to each other, and is calculated by dividing the higher frequency by the lower frequency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example: the musical note<\/a> A4<\/sub> has a frequency of 440 Hz, the note D5<\/sub> has a frequency of 587.33. The interval between the two notes is a perfect fourth (5 semitones) and has a frequency ratio of 587.33 Hz\/440 Hz = 4\/3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here<\/a> you can find the exact frequencies of all music notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Table of all interval names<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The number and quality then give the full names of all musical intervals:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interval name<\/th>Halftone spacing<\/th>Frequency ratio <\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Prime\/Unisono<\/td>0<\/td>1\/1<\/td><\/tr>
Minor second<\/td>1<\/td>16\/15<\/td><\/tr>
Major second<\/td>2<\/td>9\/8<\/td><\/tr>
Minor third<\/td>3<\/td>6\/5<\/td><\/tr>
Major third<\/td>4<\/td>5\/4<\/td><\/tr>
Perfect fourth<\/td>5<\/td>4\/3<\/td><\/tr>
Diminished fifth\/Tritonus<\/a><\/td>6<\/td>45\/32<\/td><\/tr>
Perfect fifth<\/td>7<\/td>3\/2<\/td><\/tr>
Minor sixth\/Augmented fifth<\/td>8<\/td>8\/5<\/td><\/tr>
Major sixth<\/td>9<\/td>5\/3<\/td><\/tr>
Minor seventh<\/td>10<\/td>9\/5<\/td><\/tr>
Major seventh<\/td>11<\/td>15\/8<\/td><\/tr>
Octave<\/td>12<\/td>2\/1<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Of course, there are musical intervals beyond the octave, but these can be constructed by adding these 12 intervals. The semitones and cents are added, but the frequency ratios are multiplied - so they behave exponentially.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interval<\/th>Frequency ratio<\/th><\/tr>
1 octave<\/td>2\/1<\/td><\/tr>
2 octaves<\/td>4\/1<\/td><\/tr>
3 octaves<\/td>8\/1<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Audio examples<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here is an audio example for each interval: one as a melodic interval (two notes one after the other) and one as a harmonic interval (two notes at the same time).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/lt-div><\/lt-div><\/lt-highlighter>Interval<\/th>Audio example for melodic interval<\/th>Audio example for harmonic interval<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Minor second<\/td>
Major second<\/td>
Minor third<\/td>
Major third<\/td>
Perfect fourth<\/td>
Diminished Fifth\/Tritone<\/td>
Perfect fifth<\/td>
Minor sixth\/Augmented fifth<\/td>
Major sixth<\/td>
Minor seventh<\/td>
Major seventh<\/td>
Octave<\/td>