Show/Hide Left Menus Interval
The distance between two pitches or notes. Intervals may be measured in a number of ways; e.g., by counting the number of semitones, subtracting frequencies, etc. Counting semitones is used in set theory. However, the most common method is by counting letter names; e.g. C, D, E, F includes 4 letters -thus, C to F is called a fourth and is always a fourth, no matter how the notes may be altered by sharps or flats. This is called the "general size" of the interval. However, each general interval may have several "specific sizes"; e.g. a third could be major, minor, diminished?, augmented?, etc. The specific size is determined by 1. the general size, and 2. the number of semitones it contains. (Solomons Musical Glossary)The distance in pitch between two notes, harmonic if they are played together, melodic? if they are played in succession.
Perfect : the prime?, fourth, fifth, and octave.
Major : the second?, third, sixth?, and seventh? of the major scale.
Minor : a chromatic? half step smaller.
Augmented? : a chromatic? half step larger than perfect and major.
Diminished? : a chromatic? half step smaller than perfect and minor.
An interval is a combination of two tones. It is also the distance between or the difference between two tones. When these two tones are sounded together the result is an harmonic interval, and when they are sounded one after the other the result is a melodic? interval. The quality of an interval is determined by its size and by the relationship of its position to the keynote.
Augmented Interval A musical interval slightly increased in pitch by the addition of a sharp.
Diminished Interval A perfect or minor interval reduced by a semitone.
| Perfect Interval The Perfect Interval is a Major Interval where the lower tone is found in the Major Scale of the upper tone as well as the upper tone is found in the Major Scale of the lower tone. The Major 6th to the right is Major as D is part of the Major Scale of F but F is not part of the Major Scale of D. Therefore it is not a Perfect Interval. The Perfect 4th to the lower right is Perfect because F is found in the Major Scale of C and C is found in the Major Scale of F. Perfect Intervals may be a 1st, 4th, 5th and 8th. |  |
There are five types of intervals: major (indicated by M), minor (m), perfect (P), diminished? (dim.), and augmented? (Aug.).
A major interval contracted - by lowering the upper note or raising the lower note - by one half step becomes minor, and contracted by another half step becomes diminished?.
A perfect interval contracted by a half step becomes diminished?, and contracted by another half step (not usually practical), becomes doubly diminished?.
A perfect or a major interval expanded by a half step becomes augmented?. (Byre, Joseph; Basic Principles of Music)
The distance in pitch between two notes, which is expressed in terms of the number of notes of the diatonic scale? which they comprise (e.g. third, fifth, ninth?) and a qualifying word (perfect, imperfect?, major, minor, augmented?, or diminished?). The number is determined by the position of the notes on the staff, the qualifying word by the number of tones and semitones in the interval. Thus (no clef) C - G is always a third, while (F clef) C - G is a major third?, being a distance of two tones, and (G clef) C - G is a minor third?, being a distance of a tone and a half. (Collin's Music Encyclopedia)
Click Here to Calculate Music Intervals in any Octave
| Interval | Ratio | Numerator | Denominator | Decimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pythagorean Komma? | 81/80 | 81 | 80 | 0.9765625 |
| Enharmonic | 128/125 | 128 | 125 | 0.9765625 |
| Lesser Chromatic Semitone? | 25/24 | 25 | 24 | 0.96 |
| Leimma? | 256/243 | 256 | 243 | 0.94921875 |
| Greater Chromatic Semitone? | 135/128 | 135 | 128 | 0.94814814814815 |
| Minor Semitone? | 17/16 | 17 | 16 | 0.94117647058824 |
| Major (Diatonic) Semitone? | 16/15 | 16 | 15 | 0.9375 |
| Minor Second? | 27/25 | 27 | 25 | 0.92592592592593 |
| Minor Tone? | 10/9 | 10 | 9 | 0.9 |
| Major Second? | 9/8 | 9 | 8 | 0.88888888888889 |
| Augmented Second? | 75/64 | 75 | 64 | 0.85333333333333 |
| Minor Third? (Pythagoras) | 32/27 | 32 | 27 | 0.84375 |
| Minor Third? | 6/5 | 6 | 5 | 0.83333333333333 |
| Major Third? | 5/4 | 5 | 4 | 0.8 |
| Major Third? (Pythagoras) | 81/64 | 81 | 64 | 0.79012345679012 |
| Diminished Fourth? | 32/25 | 32 | 25 | 0.78125 |
| Augmented Third? | 125/96 | 125 | 96 | 0.768 |
| Perfect Fourth? | 4/3 | 4 | 3 | 0.75 |
| Augmented Fourth? | 25/18 | 25 | 18 | 0.72 |
| Tritone? | 45/32 | 45 | 32 | 0.71111111111111 |
| Diminished Fifth? | 64/45 | 64 | 45 | 0.703125 |
| Diminished Fifth? | 36/25 | 36 | 25 | 0.69444444444444 |
| Perfect or Major Fifth | 3/2 | 3 | 2 | 0.66666666666667 |
| Augmented Fifth? | 25/16 | 25 | 16 | 0.64 |
| Minor Sixth? | 8/5 | 8 | 5 | 0.625 |
| Major Sixth? | 5/3 | 5 | 3 | 0.6 |
| Augmented Sixth? | 125/72 | 125 | 72 | 0.576 |
| Harmonic Seventh? | 7/4 | 7 | 4 | 0.57142857142857 |
| Dominant or Minor Seventh? | 16/9 | 16 | 9 | 0.5625 |
| Minor or Tonic Seventh? | 9/5 | 9 | 5 | 0.55555555555556 |
| Major Seventh? | 15/8 | 15 | 8 | 0.53333333333333 |
| Diminished Octave? | 48/25 | 48 | 25 | 0.52083333333333 |
| Augmented Seventh? | 125/64 | 125 | 64 | 0.512 |
| Octave | 2/1 | 2 | 1 | 0.5 |
| Minor Ninth? | 32/15 | 32 | 15 | 0.46875 |
| Major Ninth? | 9/4 | 9 | 4 | 0.44444444444444 |
| Harmonic or Minor Tenth? | 7/3 | 7 | 3 | 0.42857142857143 |
| Minor Tenth? | 12/5 | 12 | 5 | 0.41666666666667 |
| Major Tenth? | 5/2 | 5 | 2 | 0.4 |
| Perfect Eleventh? | 8/3 | 8 | 3 | 0.375 |
| Harmonic Eleventh? | 11/4 | 11 | 4 | 0.36363636363636 |
| Augmented Eleventh? | 45/16 | 45 | 16 | 0.35555555555556 |
| Perfect Twelfth? | 3/1 | 3 | 1 | 0.33333333333333 |
| Augmented Twelfth? | 25/8 | 25 | 8 | 0.32 |
| Minor Thirteenth? | 16/5 | 16 | 5 | 0.3125 |
| Harmonic Thirteenth? | 13/4 | 13 | 4 | 0.30769230769231 |
| Major Thirteenth? | 10/3 | 10 | 3 | 0.3 |
| Harmonic Fourteenth? | 7/2 | 7 | 2 | 0.28571428571429 |
| Dominant Fourteenth? | 32/9 | 32 | 9 | 0.28125 |
| Tonic Fourteenth? | 18/5 | 18 | 5 | 0.27777777777778 |
| Major Fourteenth? | 15/4 | 15 | 4 | 0.26666666666667 |
| Double Octave?, Fifteenth | 4/1 | 4 | 1 | 0.25 |