Grade 12 Theory INTERVALS AND TRIADS - REVIEW

Name: ______ Class/Section: ______

An interval is the distance between two notes. All intervals have two parts: Size: Measured by counting the number of letter names between the two notes (including the note that you start on and the note that you end on) Quality: Measured by counting the number of between the two notes. The quality of an interval can also be determined by using the key of the interval.

DIATONIC INTERVALS Intervals that are formed between the tonic (first note) of a and the other notes of the same scale are called Diatonic Intervals. Diatonic intervals occur when the top note of the interval belongs in the key of the bottom note (the bottom note of any interval always determines the “key” of the interval). The quality of all diatonic intervals is either perfect or major.

Perfect Intervals Diatonic intervals with a size of 1, 4, 5 or 8 are perfect. The symbol for major is P. Major Intervals Diatonic intervals with a size of 2, 3, 6 or 7 are major. The symbol for major is +.

CHROMATIC INTERVALS Chromatic intervals occur when the top note of the interval does not belong in the key signature of the bottom note. The quality of a chromatic interval is either minor, diminished, or augmented.

Minor Intervals If a major interval (2, 3, 6 or 7) is made one smaller, it becomes minor. The symbol for minor is - .

Diminished Intervals A diminished interval is one semitone smaller than a minor interval (or two semitones smaller than a major interval). A diminished interval is also one semitone smaller than a perfect interval. The symbol for diminished is º .

Augmented Intervals An augmented interval is one semitone larger than a major interval (2, 3, 6 or 7) or one semitone larger than a perfect interval (1, 4, 5 or 8). The symbol for augmented is x .

COMPOUND INTERVALS Compound intervals are larger than one (the two notes that make up the interval are more than eight letter names apart). The size of a compound interval can be found by counting letter names. The quality of a compound interval can be determined by reducing the interval to its simple form - by writing it within one octave. The quality of a compound interval will be the same as the quality of the equivalent simple interval.

All interval qualities can be summarized with the following chart:

Size 2 Semitones Smaller 1 Semitone Smaller Diatonic Interval 1 Semitone Larger

1, 4, 5, 8 Diminished (o) Perfect (P) Augmented (x) 11, 12, 15

2, 3, 6, 7, Diminished (o) Minor (-) Major (+) Augmented (x) 9, 10, 13, 14 INVERIONS An inversion is the creation of a new interval by flipping an interval upside down. The bottom note becomes the top note of the inversion, and the top note becomes the bottom note (and the key of the new interval). With compound intervals, an inversion is created by raising the bottom note one octave and lowering the top note one octave. The inversion of a compound interval will always be a simple interval. As a result, inversions have different sizes and qualities.

When inverting an interval, there are a few simple rules that can be used to check the accuracy of the inversion: 1. The size of a simple interval plus the size of its inversion must equal nine. The size of a compound interval plus the size of the inverted interval must equal 16. 2. When inverted, the quality of the interval changes in the same way as with simple intervals • Major (+) becomes Minor (-) • Minor (-) becomes Major (+) • Augmented (x) becomes Diminished (o) • Diminished (o) becomes Augmented (x) • Perfect (P) remains Perfect (P)

TRIADS A triad is a three note chord where each of the three notes are a (or three letter names) apart. The lowest note of the triad is called the root. Like the bottom note of an interval, the root determines the key of the triad. The middle note is called the third (it is a third above the root). The top note is called the (it is a fifth above the root - or a third above the middle note).

Like intervals, triads can have different qualities (or “kinds”). Triads can be major, minor, diminished or augmented.

Major triads Major triads consist of a and a above the root

Minor triads Minor triads consist of a and a perfect fifth above the root

Diminished triads Diminished triads consist of a minor third and a diminished fifth above the root

Augmented triads consist of a Augmented triads major third and an augmented fifth above the root

To identify a triad, you must first find its root (the bottom note). The root is the name and key of the triad. Next, you must determine the triad’s quality (or “kind”) by identifying the two intervals within the triad (between the root and the third, and between the root and the fifth). These intervals will determine whether the triad is major, minor, diminished or augmented. Grade 12 Theory INTERVALS AND TRIADS - REVIEW

Name: ______ Class/Section: ______

1. Name each of the following intervals.

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2. Write each of the following intervals above the given notes.

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3. Name each of the following intervals. In the space provided, invert each interval and name the inversion

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4. Name the following triads.

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5. Write the following triads.

G+ F- C#º Ebx Bb+

Eb- A+ Fx Gº D-

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ASSIGNMENT TOTAL /50