In this section, you will find articles on intervals, compound intervals and inversions of musical intervals. Intervals can best be described as the distance between two notes. The most commonly use intervals are the fourth, fifth and octave as they are the most consonant, however during the sixteenth century, perfect fifths, perfect octaves, major thirs, minor thirds, major sixth and minor sixths were considered consonant. Music contains different types of intervals they are : Perfect, major, minor, augmented and diminished. It is also possible to have inversion of intervals. How to work out intervals Example 1
1 ) Use the key signature to determine the two notes. In this case B and F sharp. 2 ) Write out the Major scale on the bottom note : B, C sharp, D sharp, E, F sharp, G sharp, A sharp, B. 3 ) As B to F sharp is a 5th in this scale from the table above this interval is a Perfect ffth. Example 2
1 ) Use the key signature to determine the two notes. In this case B flat and G sharp. 2 ) Write out the Major scale on the bottom note (B flat major scale) B flat, C, D, E flat, F, G, A, B flat. 3 ) As B flat to G is a Major 6th, and we have G sharp at the top, a semitone higher. The inteval is an Augmented 6th. Compound Intervals These are intervals that are greater than an octave. Example
The quality (Major) of the interval remains the same. Seven is added to the quantity. Inversions of Intervals Examples
From the above pairs of examples the following rules of interval inversion become apparent. 1 ) An interval and its inversion always add up to 9 (ie. a 2nd becomes a 7th, a 3rd becomes a 6th etc) 2 ) A Major interval becomes minor 3 ) A minor interval becomes Major 4 ) A perfect interval remains perfect (this is why it is so named). 5 ) A diminished interval becomes Augmented. 6 ) An Augmented interval becomes dinimished. |
