← Music Theory · Scales & keys · about 20 min
Intervals
The distance between two notes, and how each one sounds.
What's an interval?
An interval is the distance between two notes. We name it by counting letters, starting with the lower note as 1.
From C up to E is a third: C(1), D(2), E(3). From C up to G is a fifth.
Intervals from C
| Interval | Notes | Half steps |
|---|---|---|
| Second | C → D | 2 |
| Major third | C → E | 4 |
| Fourth | C → F | 5 |
| Fifth | C → G | 7 |
| Sixth | C → A | 9 |
| Seventh | C → B | 11 |
| Octave | C → C | 12 |
These are the intervals in a major scale. Major intervals above the root are 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th; fourths, fifths and octaves are called perfect.