Dr. Barbara Murphy
University of Tennessee
School of Music
INTERVALS
An INTERVAL is the distance between two notes /pitches.
Intervals are named by size and quality:
Interval Size:
The size is an Arabic number. (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4)
To determine the size, count the note names between the two notes given
(inclusive).
Interval Quality:
The possible qualities are major, minor, perfect, diminished, and augmented.
Intervals that are 2, 3, 6, or 7 in size (or their multiples) can be major (M), minor
(m), diminished (d) or augmented (A). These intervals can never be perfect.
Intervals that are 1, 4, 5, or 8 (or their multiples) in size can be perfect (P),
diminished (d)`or augmented (A). These intervals can never be major or
minor.
Intervals are:
perfect if: (1) the top note is in the major key of the bottom note AND (2) the
bottom note is in the major key of the top note.
major if the top note is in the major key of the bottom note.
minor if it is a half step smaller than major.
diminished if it is a half step smaller than minor or perfect.
augmented if it is a half step larger than major or perfect.
