Even though B# and C are enharmonically equivalent and both intervals have the same width in terms of semitones, they are not the same. For example the F-B# interval would be called a doubly augmented fourth, which is different than the F-C interval which is perfect fifth. There are also "doubly diminished" and "doubly augmented" intervals but they are rare. As you can see, evet though both intervals have the same width in terms of chromatic semitones, they are named differently. On the other hand, the F-B interval is an "augmented fourth" since it involves four scale degrees but it's 6 semitones instead of 5. So, the B-F interval is a "diminished fifth" because it involves five scale degrees but only 6 semitones. If it's larger by one semitone, it's "augmented". So, the C-G interval is a perfect fifth, because it involves five scale degrees (hence fifth) and seven semitones (hence perfect according to the previous definition).įor these intervals (4, 5, and 8), if the interval is one semitone smaller than perfect, its quality is "diminished". For fourths, fifths and octaves (eighths), 5, 7, and 12 semitones respectively (this time not counting the first note) are called "perfect" fourths, fifths, and octaves. Interval qualities tell how many chromatic steps there are between the two notes. So the interval number of the interval between a C and the G above it is five, since you count five scale degrees: C D E F G. Interval numbers count the scale degrees, including both the first and the last note. Similarly, for a "major third", the interval number is "three" and the interval quality is "major". For example, for a "perfect fifth", the interval number is "five" and the interval quality is "perfect". The first is the interval number and the second is the interval quality.
Tim's answer talks more about cases where a fifth may actually be bigger or smaller, but none of those have to do with directly referencing the chromatic scale.Īn interval has two properties. Usually, a fifth = a perfect fifth = 7 semitones. We have "a fifth" and "a perfect fifth" are they the same or different, and so on. Usually they are talking about diatonic (e.g. It seems like sometimes in music theory the intervals we discuss are between scale degrees and other times are referring to the underlying chromatic scale. On my bass guitar, my strings are tuned each 5 semitones up so the intervals are equal on the chromatic scale.Īnd hence, the interval between your bass strings, going in the direction E-A-D-G, is not a 'fifth' (7 semitones), but a 'fourth' (5 semitones). Yes - and that interval ( from the first note of the scale to the fifth) is itself called the 'fifth'. In a major scale, there is an interval between the tonic and the dominant but that's 4 steps along the scale and these steps are not equidistant in size. Sorry this is complex, and I haven't covered it all by any means, but it's a start, I hope. That's because Cm = C, Eb, G,-Cmin, but add a 6th (A) and it now is Cm6. BUT - in say Cm6 chord, the added note in A, not Ab. The odd one for me (and other guitarists) is 'min6th'. Take C>A (as far as playing those two notes is concerned - now we go by sound). So, just about all the intervals can and will have one, two, or more names, technically. Apart from 4ths, 5ths and octaves, which all start as 'perfect' from the major (and minor!) scale, the other intervals are maj or min, which actually makes little sense - the major second is in both maj and min scale, but when it's made smaller by a semitone, it's then a minor second. As in aug 5 = C>G# (note, not Ab), dim 5 + C>Gb (note, not F#). With perfects, stretch the gap by a semitone, and it's augmented, squash it by the same, it's diminished.
Minor third comes a semitone smaller, and is thus C>Eb, or C#>E. The intervals take the major scale as a datum point, basically.
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