What Are Intervals? (Part 1)

Just like atoms are the building blocks of matter (which makes up all of the physical things around us), Intervals are the building blocks of music.

The word “Interval” refers to the distance between two notes or pitches. This distance can be seen visually as the distance between different keys on the piano, and can be heard as the distance/difference between the sounds of pitches. Let’s look and listen at the distance between the notes C and A, which can also be represented as frequency numbers of C=261.63Hz and A=440.00Hz in science lingo (these different numbers of science are responsible for making the pitches sound different!) but don’t worry about that for now.

This distance between pitches is very important because it determines the feeling and emotion of music. For example, if you play C with E above, you will convey a “Happy” sound, but if you play C with Eb (Eflat) you will convey a “sad” feeling. A very small change in distance has a huge effect on the sound and emotion of the music. Just like atoms are the building blocks of matter (which makes up all of the physical things around us), Intervals are the building blocks of music. You can arrange intervals in two different ways, either they can be played simultaneously (like in chords), or they can be played one after another (like in a melody). This organization of pitches and the distances between them, (the intervals), are the basic structures of melodies, chords, and music. In everyday life we can measure distance in centimeters and meters or inches and feet. And in music we measure distance in half steps and whole steps (intervals). We give the musical distances names, like “Major 3rd”. There is always a number + a word (Major, Minor, Perfect, Augmented or Diminished.) Let’s look at some examples of distances from C, or intervals with C. If we travel from C to D, that’s a major 2nd. Why? Because: 1) we always count the starting note and 2) because D is part of the C Major scale. These are the guidelines you will follow to identify any other interval. Ok… but I have no idea what a C Major scale is… This one is simple, it’s all the white keys on the keyboard!

This is the C Major scale^^^^^ (A scale is a pattern of notes.) The C Major Scale is made up of whole steps and a few half steps. THE PATTERN OF THESE DISTANCES IS THE SAME IN EVERY MAJOR SCALE, IN EVERY KEY! This pattern is what makes the major scale sound major. A whole step= two half steps, and a half step is the smallest step you can take on the keyboard. E to F is a half step, and C to D is a whole step because you pass two keys, (don’t forget to count the black keys!) These are good definitions to know and be aware of, but you can also just call them 1 step and 2 steps, just remember that 1 step is actually a half step and 2 steps make a whole step. (Apparently in music you need to have two legs to take a whole step.) Check out What Are Intervals? (Part 2) for more in-depth explanations. Do you have questions? Send me an email! tetyanahar@gmail.com