Intervals
An interval is the distance between two notes. It is named with a number, which counts the notes it spans, and a quality (perfect, major, minor, augmented, diminished): from C to G is a perfect fifth, equal to seven half steps.
An interval is the distance between two notes. Listen to them one by one, then test your ear with the recognition game.
Listen to the intervals
Tap an interval to hear it.
Simple intervals
Compound intervals
Name the interval
You hear two notes and pick the interval among the simple ones. You can listen again as many times as you like.
How intervals are named
An interval name has two parts. The number counts the notes it spans, both ends included: from C to E there are three notes, so it is a third. The quality refines the size: unison, fourth, fifth and octave are perfect; second, third, sixth and seventh can be major or minor.
A perfect or major interval widened by a half step becomes augmented; a perfect or minor one narrowed by a half step becomes diminished. Intervals wider than an octave are called compound: a ninth is a second plus an octave.
Inversions
Move the lower note up an octave and you get the inversion. The two numbers always add up to nine; major becomes minor, augmented becomes diminished, perfect stays perfect.
| Interval | Inversion |
|---|---|
| Minor second | Major seventh |
| Major second | Minor seventh |
| Minor third | Major sixth |
| Major third | Minor sixth |
| Perfect fourth | Perfect fifth |
| Augmented fourth (tritone) | Diminished fifth |
| Perfect fifth | Perfect fourth |
| Minor sixth | Major third |
| Major sixth | Minor third |
| Minor seventh | Major second |
| Major seventh | Minor second |
Frequently asked questions
- How many half steps are in each interval?
- Minor second 1, major second 2, minor third 3, major third 4, perfect fourth 5, tritone 6, perfect fifth 7, minor sixth 8, major sixth 9, minor seventh 10, major seventh 11, octave 12.
- What is a tritone?
- It is the interval of six half steps, that is three whole steps: it splits the octave exactly in half. It is written as an augmented fourth (C–F sharp) or a diminished fifth (C–G flat).
- How do you train your ear to recognise intervals?
- By listening to them many times, first ascending, then descending and harmonic, and linking each one to a familiar sound. The recognition game on this page plays random intervals and lets you hear the one you picked when you get it wrong.
From theory to practice
With GEN you generate ever-new exercises on the scales you are studying.