MUSIC THEORY UNIT 4: Intervals An interval is the musical distance between two pitches. The distance is labeled with two labels, the numeric distance and the quality term.

Numerical Terms: Counted distance between the two given notes, (note* count the given pitch at the bottom of the interval as ONE) unison or prime 1 second 2 third 3 fourth 4 fifth 5 sixth 6 seventh 7 octave 8

Qualitative Terms: unison, fourth, fifth, octave augmented + perfect P diminished o second, third, sixth, seventh augmented + major M minor m diminished o

AUGMENTED intervals are a ½ step bigger than PERFECT (for 1,4,5,8) or MAJOR (2,3,6,7)

MINOR intervals are a ½ step smaller than MAJOR (for 2,3,6,7)

DIMINISHED intervals are a ½ step smaller than PERFECT (1,4,5,8) OR MINOR (2,3,6,7)

Labeling Melodic Intervals One easy way to correctly label intervals is to memorize those found in a major scale and to then derive others from these. Scale degrees: 1 up to 2 = M2 1 up to 3 = M3 1 up to 4 = P4 1 up to 5 = P5 1 up to 6 = M6 1 up to 7 = M7 1 up to 8 = P8 (octave)

IMPORTANT CONCEPT: In a MAJOR scale, moving from the root note of the key to another note above it will produce intervals that are either MAJOR INTERVALS or PERFECT INTERVALS.

USE THIS INFORMATION TO FIGURE OUT ANY GIVEN OR REQUESTED INTERVAL

Follow the procedure below to practice: Step 1: Determine the numeric distance between the two notes. (include the given note as 1 when counting) (ex: Bb going up to Gb would be a 6th) Step 2: follow the flow chart:

Is the given top (highest) note in the Major Key/Scale of the bottom (lowest) note?

If NO, ask yourself: what If yes, then the interval note WOULD use that same is either Major or letter/position in the major Perfect key and how far is the given note from the note that IS in the key?

The interval is Major if the numeric distance The interval is Perfect if was a 2,3,6,7. it is: 1,4,5,8.

If the numeric distance is a 1,4,5,8 , then the requested interval is either If the numeric distance is a bigger (augmented) than a PERFECT 2,3,6,7, then the requested interval OR smaller (diminished) than a interval is either bigger or PERFECT interval. 1/2 step bigger than smaller than MAJOR. 1/2 perfect = augmented. 1/2 step smaller step bigger than Major = than perfect = diminished. augmented. 1/2 step (a 1/2 step MORE than augmented is smaller than Major = double augmented...and a 1/2 step MINOR. 1/2 step smaller smaller than dimished is double than minor = diminished. diminshed.

Example: Bb up to Gb. Is “Gb” a note in the “key of Bb Major”?  If yes, the interval IS major or perfect depending on numeric distance (It is a 6th). If no, proceed to further questions. o Answer: NO. Move on in the flow chart: What note IS in the Key of Bb in the that (6th) position?  Answer: G natural How far is Gb (the requested note) from G natural (the note that IS in the Major scale)?  Answer: ½ step lower. Since the interval is a 6th and the given interval is ½ step lower than a Major interval….  The final answer is: MINOR 6th. (since a minor interval is ½ step lower than major)

INTERVAL INVERSIONS:

An inversion is when you flip an interval upside down.

Example:

C up to A is a Major 6th

Inverted, the interval becomes

A up to C is a minor 3rd.

An inverted interval raises the bottom note an octave or lowers the top note an octave which results in the interval being flipped upside down.

A Perfect interval inverted remains a perfect interval. (P5 becomes P4) A Major interval inverted becomes minor. (M6 becomes m3) A minor interval inverted becomes major. (m7 becomes M2) A diminished interval is a half step smaller than minor or perfect. - Dim. inverts to Aug. An augmented interval is a half step larger than Major or perfect.- Aug. inverts to Dim.

When inverted, the sum of the numeric distances between both the original and the inverted interval will add up to NINE.

1 inverts to 8 2 inverts to 7 3 inverts to 6 4 inverts to 5 5 inverts to 4 6 inverts to 3 7 inverts to 2 8 inverts to 1