Interval – the distance between two notes.
- Fretboard intervals – positioning of intervals on the guitar fretboard.
- In music theory the distance between two notes are called an interval.
- All chords are made up of intervals.
- Unison – two notes of the same pitch played together or after one another.
- Intervals are measured in semitones.
- Melodic interval – two notes played consecutively.
- Harmonic interval – two notes played together.
Interval qualities
Intervals have qualities.
- Perfect – unisons, fourths, fifths and octaves.
- Major – seconds, thirds, sixths and sevenths.
- Minor – seconds, thirds, sixths and sevenths.
- Augmented – all intervals.
- Diminished – all intervals.
Interval names and interval distances
Table of intervals of the chromatic scale with names and distances.
| Interval name | Interval | Semitones | Example in the key of C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unison | 1 | 0 | C – C (same pitch) |
| Minor second | b2 | 1 | C – Db |
| Major second | 2 | 2 | C – D |
| Minor third | b3 | 3 | C – Eb |
| Major third | 3 | 4 | C – E |
| Perfect fourth | 4 | 5 | C – F |
| Augmented fourth/ Diminished fifth | #4/b5 | 6 | C – F#, C – Gb |
| Perfect fifth | 5 | 7 | C – G |
| Minor sixth | b6 | 8 | C – Ab |
| Major sixth | 6 | 9 | C – A |
| Minor seventh | b7 | 10 | C – Bb |
| Major seventh | 7 | 11 | C – B |
| Perfect octave | 8 | 12 | C – C |
Intervals of the major scale
The table below shows the intervals of the major scale when counting from the keynote.
| Nr | Name | Intervall | Semitones | Example, C-major |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unison/key note | 1 | 0 | C |
| 2 | Major second | 2 | 2 | D |
| 3 | Major third | 3 | 4 | E |
| 4 | Perfect fourth | 4 | 5 | F |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 5 | 7 | G |
| 6 | Major sixth | 6 | 9 | A |
| 7 | Major seventh | 7 | 11 | B |
| 8 | Octave | 8 | 12 | C |