MusicianCV · TRIntervals: number and quality
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Intervals and chords
An interval has both a number and a quality. Letter names help establish the number; accidentals and semitone distance help establish the quality.
Count the written note names inclusively, then identify the quality. Intervals may be melodic when heard successively or harmonic when heard together.
Example
C–E spans three letter names and four semitones: a major third.
Intervals: number and qualityC4 → E4 / 4 st
Try it
What interval is C–E♭?
Answer
A minor third.Related topics
Understanding triads · Basic seventh-chord qualitiesReferences
Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom
Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom
Subject-expert review pending.