Musical Intervals: Explained for Beginners & Musicians

Musical intervals are the fundamental building blocks of melody and harmony, adding depth and emotion to every piece of music. Understanding intervals is essential for musicians and composers, as it allows them to create captivating melodies and harmonies. In this article, we will delve into the captivating world of musical intervals, exploring their definition, types, and significance in the realm of music.

1. Defining Musical Intervals: Musical intervals are the spaces between two notes, determining the pitch relationship between them. Each interval is defined by its distance in terms of steps, known as semitones or half steps. Semitones are the smallest distance between two notes on a piano, while a whole step consists of two semitones. Intervals can be classified based on their size and quality.
2. Types of Intervals: a. Perfect Intervals: Perfect intervals are the most stable and consonant intervals, offering a sense of resolution. They include the unison (same note), perfect fourth, perfect fifth, and octave. The octave is considered a perfect interval because it shares the same note name but has double or half the frequency of the starting note.

Major and Minor Intervals

Significant intervals are larger than perfect intervals, while minor intervals are smaller. Significant intervals include the major second, major third, major sixth, and major seventh. Minor intervals consist of the minor second, minor third, minor sixth, and minor seventh.

Augmented and Diminished Intervals

Augmented intervals are larger by one semitone compared to significant intervals, while diminished intervals are one semitone smaller than minor intervals. For instance, the augmented second is one semitone larger than the major second, and the diminished third is one semitone smaller than the minor third.

Intervals in Melodies

Melodies often feature a sequence of various intervals, giving them their distinct character and emotional impact. The choice and arrangement of intervals contribute to the mood and narrative of a musical piece. Harmonic intervals in melodies form the basis for creating chords and harmonies, adding richness and complexity to the overall composition.

Intervals in Harmony

In harmony, intervals are the basis for creating chords, which are essential for establishing harmonious progressions and textures in music. Chords are built by stacking intervals on top of each other. For example, a major chord is formed by stacking a major third and a minor third above the root note, while a minor chord is formed by stacking a minor third and a major third.

Significance in Musical Expression

Musical intervals play a pivotal role in evoking emotions and creating tension and release in music. Different intervals carry distinct emotional qualities, ranging from the serene and calming nature of perfect intervals to the tension and dissonance of augmented and diminished intervals.

Additional sources 

• How Intervals Work – Music Theory Crash Course – https://youtu.be/2V3bvZu2Xqo 
• Interval Numbers – Intervals Made Easy (Part 1) – Easy Music Theory – https://youtu.be/aDD4q9xd8Ac