Intervallic ideas

Scott Jones · 02-24-2007, 12:50 AM

On intervals...

Intervallic step formulae: (the steps within)

2nds:

min (1 half step)
maj (1 whole step)

3rds:

min (1 step and a half; or 3 half steps)
maj (2 whole steps or; 4 half steps)

4ths:

perfect (2 1/2 steps; or 5 half steps)
augmented (3 whole steps; or 6 half steps)

5ths:

diminished (3 whole steps; or 6 half steps)
perfect (3 1/2 steps; or 7 half steps)

6ths:

min (4 steps; or 8 half steps)
maj (4 1/2 steps; or 9 half steps)

7ths:

min (5 steps; or 10 half steps)
maj (5 1/2 steps; or 11 half steps)

Let’s look closer at the major scale:

All 12 intervals are contained in the Major scale: (C for my example)

*2 minor 2nds (B-C; E-F)
**5 major 2nds (C-D; D-E; F-G; G-A; A-B)
***4 minor 3rds (D-F; E-G; A-C; B-D)ondensed (pun intended)

****3 major 3rds (C-E; F-A; G-B)
*****6 perfect 4ths (C-F; D-G; E-A; G-C; A-D; B-E)
******1 augmented 4th (F-B)
******1 diminished 5th (B-F)
*****5 perfect 5ths (C-G; D-A; E-B; F-C; G-D; A-E)
****3 minor 6ths (E-C; A-F; B-G)
***4 major 6ths (C-A; D-B; F-D; G-E)
**5 minor 7ths (D-C; E-D; G-F; A-G; B-A)
*2 major 7ths (C-B; F-E)

Note the inverted notes corresponding to the * designation (all intervals have an inverse--as F to B is an augmented 4th, B to F is a diminished 5th)

Their is a numeric factor with the sum “7” corresponding to each intervallic set, as well...

3rd/6th family (3+4=7)

2nd/7th family (2+5=7)

4th/5th family (1+6=7)

And the following progressive sum:

aug 4th/dim 5th =1
min 2nd/maj 7th=2
maj 3rd/min 6th=3
min 3rd/maj 6th=4
maj 2nd/min 7th=5
perf 4th/perf 5th=6

Totalling: 7

Ok...

The sound (mood, or color) of the intervals:

2nds are thought of as: dissonant, tight, sharp-edged

maj 3rds are thought of as: happy, brite, passive, resolving

min 3rds are thought of as: sad, dark, moody

perfect 4ths are thought of as: foundational, strong, needing to resolve downward

augmented 4ths are thought of as: dissonant, sinister, needing to resolve upward

diminished 5ths are thought of as: dissonant, sinister, needing to resolve upward

major 6ths are thought of as: emotive, moving, soaring

minor 6ths are thought of as: provocative, stirring, lamenting

major 7ths are thought of as: tense, lush, loving

minor 7ths are thought of as: hard edged, strong willed, pivotal

Now an exercise:

Play all 2nds up and down each of the 5 sets of 2 adjacent strings (strings next to each other)

Do the same with 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths

Then the 6ths, this time skipping a string in between notes (4 sets of non-adjacent strings)

Then 7ths on that same set of non adjacent strings

Next...

Move from one kind of interval to another:

2nd to 3rd, 2nd to 4th, 2nd to 5th, 2nd to 6th, 2nd to 7th
3rd to 2nd, 3rd to 4th, 3rd to 5th, 3rd to 6th, 3rd to 7th
4th to 2nd, 4th to 3rd, 4th to 5th, 4th to 6th, 4th to 7th
5th to 2nd, 5th to 3rd, 5th to 4th, 5th to 6th, 5th to 7th
6th to 2nd, 6th to 3rd, 6th to 4th, 6th to 5th, 6th to 7th
7th to 2nd, 7th to 3rd, 7th to 4th, 7th to 5th, 7th to 6th

Exhausting?

Move slowly, take time to absorb it, dont try to understand it all at once...

I hope this has been helpful...

Peace,

Scott

MusicMan · 02-24-2007, 03:27 AM

Very nice, thanks for posting this. Understanding intervals is very important to not only crafting a good song, but taking music to another level and using certain phrasings to spark a certain feeling in the listener.

Kameraad Pannekoek · 02-24-2007, 05:12 AM

Hey, we learned this stuff in 5th period Music Theory today. High Five!

Scott Jones · 02-24-2007, 05:15 AM

Sarcasm noted. You are indeed the better musician.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zephyr

Hey, we learned this stuff in 5th period Music Theory today. High Five!

MusicMan · 02-24-2007, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Jones

Sarcasm noted. You are indeed the better musician.

Nonono, he's being serious!

He's a senior in high school taking theory. He's not an ass like that, nor are 99% of our members. Sorry you took it the wrong way.

Scott Jones · 02-24-2007, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MusicMan

Nonono, he's being serious!

He's a senior in high school taking theory. He's not an ass like that, nor are 99% of our members. Sorry you took it the wrong way.

Ha!

Oops.

Good to know....seemed odd.

Kameraad Pannekoek · 02-24-2007, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Jones

Ha!

Oops.

Good to know....seemed odd.

Heh, sorry about that man. Yeah, I'm a noob to all this interval stuff. We just learned this today and it's nice having a reference page here. Thanks for that.

High Standards · 10-17-2007, 10:25 AM

Scott - thats awesome! I like it when people jump straight in.

02-24-2007, 03:27 AM	#2
MusicMan "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong." - Voltaire Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Inside your head Posts: 7,662 Thanks: 570 Thanked 482 Times in 423 Posts Rep Power: 500	Very nice, thanks for posting this. Understanding intervals is very important to not only crafting a good song, but taking music to another level and using certain phrasings to spark a certain feeling in the listener. __________________ Rules! A definite must-read The Music Showcase is the best place to share your music here, you can even embed Youtube videos. Send me a PM if you need any help with anything.

02-24-2007, 05:12 AM	#3
Kameraad Pannekoek Drunk on power. And beer. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Wazzu Posts: 3,179 Thanks: 61 Thanked 133 Times in 114 Posts Rep Power: 152	Hey, we learned this stuff in 5th period Music Theory today. High Five! __________________ If you ever need help with anything, anything at all, just send me a PM and I'll see what I can do for you. Dave's Gear: MIM Fretless Fender Jazz Bass Fender Rumble 100w Bass Amp Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster Vox Valvetronix AD30VT Guitar Amp Dunlop .71mm picks (Pink picks for the win!)

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02-24-2007, 12:50 AM	#1
Scott Jones Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: St Louis MO Posts: 27 Thanks: 3 Thanked 8 Times in 5 Posts Rep Power: 46	On intervals... Intervallic step formulae: (the steps within) 2nds: min (1 half step) maj (1 whole step) 3rds: min (1 step and a half; or 3 half steps) maj (2 whole steps or; 4 half steps) 4ths: perfect (2 1/2 steps; or 5 half steps) augmented (3 whole steps; or 6 half steps) 5ths: diminished (3 whole steps; or 6 half steps) perfect (3 1/2 steps; or 7 half steps) 6ths: min (4 steps; or 8 half steps) maj (4 1/2 steps; or 9 half steps) 7ths: min (5 steps; or 10 half steps) maj (5 1/2 steps; or 11 half steps) Let’s look closer at the major scale: All 12 intervals are contained in the Major scale: (C for my example) 2 minor 2nds (B-C; E-F) 5 major 2nds (C-D; D-E; F-G; G-A; A-B) 4 minor 3rds (D-F; E-G; A-C; B-D)ondensed (pun intended) 3 major 3rds (C-E; F-A; G-B) *6 perfect 4ths (C-F; D-G; E-A; G-C; A-D; B-E) **1 augmented 4th (F-B) **1 diminished 5th (B-F) *5 perfect 5ths (C-G; D-A; E-B; F-C; G-D; A-E) 3 minor 6ths (E-C; A-F; B-G) 4 major 6ths (C-A; D-B; F-D; G-E) 5 minor 7ths (D-C; E-D; G-F; A-G; B-A) 2 major 7ths (C-B; F-E) Note the inverted notes corresponding to the * designation (all intervals have an inverse--as F to B is an augmented 4th, B to F is a diminished 5th) Their is a numeric factor with the sum “7” corresponding to each intervallic set, as well... 3rd/6th family (3+4=7) 2nd/7th family (2+5=7) 4th/5th family (1+6=7) And the following progressive sum: aug 4th/dim 5th =1 min 2nd/maj 7th=2 maj 3rd/min 6th=3 min 3rd/maj 6th=4 maj 2nd/min 7th=5 perf 4th/perf 5th=6 Totalling: 7 Ok... The sound (mood, or color) of the intervals: 2nds are thought of as: dissonant, tight, sharp-edged maj 3rds are thought of as: happy, brite, passive, resolving min 3rds are thought of as: sad, dark, moody perfect 4ths are thought of as: foundational, strong, needing to resolve downward augmented 4ths are thought of as: dissonant, sinister, needing to resolve upward diminished 5ths are thought of as: dissonant, sinister, needing to resolve upward major 6ths are thought of as: emotive, moving, soaring minor 6ths are thought of as: provocative, stirring, lamenting major 7ths are thought of as: tense, lush, loving minor 7ths are thought of as: hard edged, strong willed, pivotal Now an exercise: Play all 2nds up and down each of the 5 sets of 2 adjacent strings (strings next to each other) Do the same with 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths Then the 6ths, this time skipping a string in between notes (4 sets of non-adjacent strings) Then 7ths on that same set of non adjacent strings Next... Move from one kind of interval to another: 2nd to 3rd, 2nd to 4th, 2nd to 5th, 2nd to 6th, 2nd to 7th 3rd to 2nd, 3rd to 4th, 3rd to 5th, 3rd to 6th, 3rd to 7th 4th to 2nd, 4th to 3rd, 4th to 5th, 4th to 6th, 4th to 7th 5th to 2nd, 5th to 3rd, 5th to 4th, 5th to 6th, 5th to 7th 6th to 2nd, 6th to 3rd, 6th to 4th, 6th to 5th, 6th to 7th 7th to 2nd, 7th to 3rd, 7th to 4th, 7th to 5th, 7th to 6th Exhausting? Move slowly, take time to absorb it, dont try to understand it all at once... I hope this has been helpful... Peace, Scott

10-17-2007, 10:25 AM	#8
High Standards Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 58 Thanks: 9 Thanked 10 Times in 6 Posts Rep Power: 51	Scott - thats awesome! I like it when people jump straight in.

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