Specific Intervals
  • Specific intervals are measured both on the staff and in half steps on the keyboard.
  • As you learned in the previous lesson, C to D and C to Db are both generic seconds. Specifically, however, C to D is one half step larger than C to Db.
  • Let's learn a few specific intervals.
  • A major second is made up of two half steps.
  • C to D is a major second since it is a generic second on the staff and two half steps on the keyboard.
  • E to F# would be another example of a major second.
  • A major third is made up of four half steps.
  • C to E is a major third.
  • E to G# is also a major third.
  • A perfect fourth is made up of five half steps.
  • C to F is a perfect fourth.
  • F to Bb is also a perfect fourth.
  • A perfect fifth is made up of seven half steps.
  • C to G is a perfect fifth.
  • B to F# is also a perfect fifth.
  • A major sixth is made up of nine half steps.
  • C to A is a major sixth.
  • Eb to C is also a major sixth.
  • A major seventh is made up of eleven half steps.
  • C to B is a major seventh.
  • D to C# is also a major seventh.
  • Finally, a perfect eighth (or perfect octave) is made up of twelve half steps.
  • C to C is a perfect eighth.
  • The terms “major” and “perfect” refer to the interval's quality.
  • Only seconds, thirds, sixths, and sevenths can have a major quality. Firsts, fourths, fifths, and eighths use “perfect” instead.
  • Next, let's discuss minor intervals.
  • A minor interval has one less half step than a major interval.
  • For example: since C to E is a major third (4 half steps), C to Eb is a minor third (3 half steps).
  • E to G is also a minor third (since E to G# is a major third).
  • Since minor intervals transform from major intervals; only seconds, thirds, sixths, and sevenths can be “minor”.
  • An augmented interval has one more half step than a perfect interval.
  • Since C to F is a perfect fourth (5 half steps), C to F# would be an augmented fourth (6 half steps).
  • F to B is also an augmented fourth (since F to Bb is a perfect fourth).
  • Major intervals can be augmented by adding a half step.
  • For example, since C to A is a major sixth (9 half steps), C to A# is an augmented sixth (10 half steps).
  • Db to B is also an augmented 6th (Since Db to Bb is a major sixth).
  • A diminished interval has one less half step than a perfect interval.
  • Since C to G is a perfect fifth (7 half steps), C to Gb would be a diminished fifth (6 half steps).
  • B to F is also a diminished fifth (since B to F# is a perfect fifth).
  • Minor intervals can also be diminished by subtracting a half step.
  • Recall that C to B is a major seventh (11 half steps) and C to Bb is a minor seventh (10 half steps).
  • C to Bbb is a diminished seventh (9 half steps).
  • This chart shows the relationship among the different interval qualities.
  • This chart shows the number of half steps that each specific interval contains.
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