interval explained
theoryIN-ter-vul
A comprehensive guide to the distance between two musical pitches.
An interval is the distance between two notes, measured by the number of scale steps and the quality of the gap. Intervals are named by their numerical distance (unison, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, octave) and qualified by type (major, minor, perfect, augmented, diminished). The most consonant intervals — the octave, perfect fifth, and perfect fourth — form the foundation of harmony. The interval of a tritone (augmented fourth or diminished fifth) is the most dissonant in Western music, historically called the "devil's interval." Melodic intervals occur between successive notes; harmonic intervals occur between simultaneous notes. Intervals are the building blocks of scales, chords, and melodies. Ear training — the ability to recognise intervals by sound — is one of the most important skills in musicianship. Each interval has a distinctive emotional quality that composers exploit for expressive effect.