Interval is the
shortest distance between two notes in music. Like between two frets
on a guitar, two keys on a piano etc.
Understanding the Interval is a
key understanding the mechanics of music.
The main interval is Octave. This
can be best understood if we look at the frequency. for example, the
note A has a frequency of 440Hz. An octave higher note, thus A
again, will have 880Hz, etc.
All cultures have the Octave. many
cultures div9ide it differently. In the Christian World, broadly
speaking, an Octave is divided into 12 notes. In Middle and Far
Eastern cultures, this divide goes into greater detail, 16, 18, 22
and even 24 notes are found within an Octave. But we will stick to
the European, Christian understanding, so to say.
A scale is a set of of notes
following some order. There are 7 notes in a scale, and the eight is
the octave. Thus, there are seven main intervals, with 5 variations
in our 12 note system.
The Intervals are as follows:
First (Prima), Second (Sekunda), Third (Terca), Fourth (Kvarta),
Fifth (Kvinta), Sixth (Seksta), Seventh (Septima) and Eighth (Oktava).
This corresponds to the Natural Major Scale (the white keys on the
piano.:
| I |
|
II |
|
III |
IV |
|
V |
|
VI |
|
VII |
VIII |
| C |
|
D |
|
E |
F |
|
G |
|
A |
|
B |
C |
Fourth and Fifth are known as Perfect
Intervals. They can be Diminished (-) or Augmented (+).
Second, Third, Sixth and Seventh can be Major
(default), or Minor (b). There are some common exceptions of
this rule.
If a scale contains a Major Third, it's a
Major Scale. If it contains a Minor Third, it's a Minor Scale.
Most of the other scales divided into Major or Minor scales.
Thus, the whole list of intervals looks like
this:
| Usually |
Alt |
Interval
name |
Example |
| 1 |
|
First |
C |
| 2b |
|
Minor Second |
Db |
| 2 |
|
Major Second |
D |
| 3b |
|
Minor Third |
Eb |
| 3 |
4- |
Major Third
(Diminished Fourth) |
E (Fb) |
| 4 |
|
Perfect
Fourth |
F |
| 5- |
4+ |
Diminished
Fifth (Augmented Fourth) |
Gb (F#) |
| 5 |
|
Perfect
Fifth |
G |
| 6b |
5+ |
Minor Sixth
(Augmented Fifth) |
Ab (G#) |
| 6 |
|
Major Sixth |
A |
| 7b |
|
Minor
Seventh |
Bb |
| 7 |
|
Major
Seventh |
B |
| 8 |
|
Octave |
C |
| 9b |
|
Minor Ninth
(Octave + Minor Second) |
Db |
| 9 |
|
Major Ninth
(Octave + Major Second) |
D |
| 9+ |
|
Augmented
Ninth |
D# |
10 |
|
(not
used) |
E |
| 11 |
|
Eleventh
(Octave + Perfect Fourth) |
F |
12b |
|
(not
used) |
Gb |
12 |
|
(not
used) |
G |
13b |
|
(not
used) |
Ab |
| 13 |
|
Thirteenth
(Octave + Major Sixth) |
A |
Intervals
