Intervals

( Back to Musical Theory )
( Back to Music Library )

Shortcuts to Some Of The Other 100 Pages On This Website
Pubs Celebrities Cinemas Winscale Night Clubs

The Interval, is the distance in pitch betwen two notes. Intervals are measured by the number of letter names between the two notes, But including the source note and the target note.
But remember, count Letter Names, not tones or semitones.

Semitones	Quality	Interval	Compound Octave Of
1	-	Unison	-
2	minor	Second	-
3	Major Diminished	Second Third	- -
4	Augmented minor	Second Third	- -
5	Major	Third	-
6	Perfect	Fourth	-
7	Augmented Diminished	Fourth Fifth	-
8	Perfect	Fifth	-
9	Augmented minor	Fifth Sixth	- -
10	Major Diminished	Sixth Seventh	- -
11	Augmented minor	Sixth Seventh	- -
12	Major	Seventh	-
13	Perfect	Octave	Root
14	Diminished	Ninth	(2) minor 2nd
15	Major	Ninth	(3) Major 2nd
16	minor	Tenth	(4) minor 3rd
17	Major	Tenth	(5) Major 3rd
18	Perfect	Eleventh	(6) Perfect 4th
19	Augmented Diminished	Eleventh Twelth	(7) Diminished 5th
20	Perfect	Twelth	(8) Perfect 5th
21	minor	Thirteenth	(9) minor 6th
22	Major	Thirteenth	(10) Major 6th

If the interval includes two notes in the same key then the interval is described as a diatonic interval
E.G. ( G to A ) in C major

When the interval involves two notes with the same letter name, then the interval is called a chromatic
E.G. ( C to C# ) or ( A to Ab )

Choosing the Quality Descriptive for a given interval, depends upon the key signature, and the same interval can have a different name in a different key

An interval which is more than an Octave is called a Compound Interval. And the decriptive word for the interval is the same descriptive as the interval with an octave less..
E.G.
A Gsus13th chord Contains G and it's Major 13th, The E ( 22 semitones higher ) but an E only 10 semitones higher is called a sixth or Major Sixth