What are intervals in music?

Question

Today I started music at high school. I know how to read sheet music for piano, wind instruments, etc, but I play the drums, so I don't know much more about notes then that. The music teacher was talking about the intervals major 2, major 3, perfect 4, perfect 5, major 6, major 7, and perfect 8/octave. He said that an interval is the distance between notes, and played some examples of different songs on the keyboard for each one, but I'm not quite sure if I get it. Is it that a major 2 is two notes apart, a perfect 5 is five notes apart, etc? Can you please explain how it works? Thanks.

Answer 1

Let me simplify it for you. Intervals are based on their relationship to each other. Lets use the C major scale as an example: C D E F G A B C

C to D is a major 2nd

C to E is a major 3rd

C to F is a perfect 4th

C to G is a perfect 5th

C to A is a major 6th

C to B is a major 7th

C to C is a perfect octave



It is the distance between the notes that determines the interval. You can play intervals one note at a time or play them simultaneously to hear their unique sound.



Since you play piano you are familiar with a basic major chord. A major chord is created when you play the root, third, and 5th all at the same time (C E G)



This is the basic concept of intervals as they relate to the major scale.



More advanced concepts: (Do not worry about these right now)

When you flat a major interval it becomes a minor interval. (C to E is a major 3rd, C to Eb is a minor 3rd)

When you flat a perfect interval it becomes diminished. When you sharp a perfect interval it becomes augmented. These will overlap too (an augmented 4th is the same as a diminished 5th)

Answer 2

Quality



The name of any interval is further qualified using the terms perfect (P), major (M), minor (m), augmented (A), and diminished (d). This is called its interval quality. It is possible to have doubly-diminished and doubly-augmented intervals, but these are quite rare, as they occur only in chromatic contexts. The quality of a compound interval is the quality of the simple interval on which it is based (see here for details).



Major/minor

Major and minor intervals are so-called because certain diatonic intervals (seconds, thirds, sixths, sevenths, and their compounds) may occur in two sizes in the diatonic scale. The larger of the two versions is called major, the smaller one minor. For example, the third occurs both as three semitones away from Re, Mi, La, and Ti in the major scale (or in the C major diatonic scale, three semitones above D, E, A, and B), and four semitones away from Do, Fa, and Sol, (or C, F, and G). The smaller, three-semitone version is called the "minor third" and the larger, four-semitone one is called the "major third". Major intervals invert to minor ones, and vice-versa. For example, a major second inverts to a minor seventh, and the reverse.



Perfect

Perfect intervals are so-called because of their high levels of consonance, and because the inversion of a perfect interval is also perfect. Other kinds of intervals have an opposite quality with respect to their inversion. The inversion of a major interval is a minor interval, the inversion of an augmented interval is a diminished interval. Within the diatonic scale all fourths and fifths are perfect, with five and seven semitones respectively, except for one occurrence each of six semitones: the fourth between Fa and Ti (an augmented fourth), and its inversion, i.e. the fifth between Ti and Fa (a diminished fifth).



Augmented/diminished

Augmented and diminished intervals are so called because they exceed or fall short of either a perfect interval, or a major/minor pair by one semitone, while having the same interval number (i.e. encompassing the same number of staff positions). Except for the augmented fourth (Fa-Ti) and diminished fifth (Ti-Fa), they do not appear in the diatonic scale. For instance, there is no three-semitone interval in the diatonic scale that functions as a second, and the augmented second (e.g., E♭–F♯) is three semitones wide.

[edit] Example



Neither the number, nor the quality of an interval can be determined by counting semitones alone. As explained above, the number of staff positions must be taken into account as well.



For example, as shown in the table below, there are four semitones between A and C♯, between A and D♭, between A♯ and D, and between A♭ and B♯, but



* the interval A-C♯ is called a major third (as it spans 3 staff positions),

* the intervals A-D♭ and A♯-D are called diminished fourths (as they span 4 staff positions),

* the interval A♭-B♯ is called a doubly augmented second (as it spans 2 staff positions).

Answer 3

In short, an interval is the vertical distance between two notes in music.

Answer 4

To try and figure this all out quickly is positive thinking, but relax and ask the teachers your questions. Keep asking until you understand.