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  3. Ch.6.9 The five types of intervals

6.9 The five types of intervals

 

Category: Harmony | Tags: Intervals, Ear training: intervals

Theory

In this chapter, you'll get an overview of all the types of intervals you've learned so far. In the exercises, you are going to make them yourself. You will also learn to distinguish all intervals by ear.

1. Five types of intervals

The five types of intervals are called perfect, minor, major, diminished or augmented.

  • The intervals fourth, fifth and octave are perfect.
  • The intervals second, third, sixth and seventh are minor or major.
  • A perfect or minor interval, lowered by a half step is called diminished.
  • A perfect or major interval, raised by a half step is called augmented.

 

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Of the diminished and augmented intervals, the augmented fourth, the diminished and augmented fifth,
and the diminished seventh are most commonly used.

2. Second

The second is minor or major. A minor second, lowered by a half step, is called a diminished second. A major second, raised by a half step, is called an augmented second.

 

Examples

Diminished second - minor second - major second - augmented second.

note example

piano example

3. Third

The third is minor or major. A minor third, lowered by a half step, is called a diminished third. A major third, raised by a half step, is called an augmented third.

 

Examples

Diminished third - minor third - major third - augmented third.

note example

piano example

4. Fourth

The fourth is perfect. A perfect fourth, lowered by a half step, is called a diminished fourth. A perfect fourth, raised by a half step, is called an augmented fourth.

 

Examples

Diminished fourth - perfect fourth - augmented fourth.

note example

piano example

5. Fifth

The fifth is perfect. A perfect fifth, lowered by a half step, is called a diminished fifth. A perfect fifth, raised by a half step, is called an augmented fifth.

 

Examples

Diminished fifth - perfect fifth - augmented fifth.

note example

piano example

6. Sixth

The sixth is minor or major. A minor sixth, lowered by a half step, is called a diminished sixth. A major sixth, raised by a half step, is called an augmented sixth.

 

Examples

Diminished sixth - minor sixth - major sixth - augmented sixth.

note example

piano example

7. Seventh

The seventh is minor or major. A minor seventh, lowered by a half step, is called a diminished seventh. A major seventh, raised by a half step, is called an augmented seventh.

 

Examples

Diminished seventh - minor seventh - major seventh - augmented seventh.

note example

piano example

8. Octave

The octave is perfect. A perfect octave, lowered by a half step, is called a diminished octave. A perfect octave, raised by a half step, is called an augmented octave.

 

Examples

Diminished octave - perfect octave - augmented octave.

note example

piano example

9. Compound intervals

Intervals larger than an octave are called:

  • ninth, interval of 9 steps
  • tenth, interval of 10 steps
  • eleventh, interval of 11 steps
  • twelfth, interval of 12 steps
  • etc.

Intervals larger than an octave are called compound intervals. Compound intervals are functionally the same as the corresponding simple intervals (those an octave or less in size). Thus, a 9th is a compound 2nd, a 10th is a compound 3rd, an 11th is a compound 4th, a 12th is a compound 5th, etc.

 

Examples

note example

piano example

10. Practise

Harmony exercise 6d: practise making intervals on all notes.

Harmony exercise 6e: practise making intervals under all notes.

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11. Ear training

 

Practise

Ear Training exercise 6g: distinguishing the difference between all intervals up to the octave by ear.

Ear Training exercise 6h: distinguishing the difference between all intervals up to the octave by ear. The intervals are only played harmonically.

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Example question

Which interval do you hear?

The exercise should be completed with the following abbreviations:

  • mi = minor
  • ma = major
  • p = perfect
  • a = augmented
  • 2 = second
  • 3 = third etc.

For example: minor second = mi2, major sixth = ma6, augmented fourth = a4, perfect fifth = p5 etc.

 

Practical steps

Sing the interval being played to train your inner hearing abilties. Decide which interval is being played.

Answer: mi6.