23: Intervals
Intervals by the Number
An interval is the distance between two pitches. An interval is expressed
as a number from 1 to 13. It is possible to have a number greater than 13,
but it’s so rare that we’ll forget about it.
There are two types of basic intervals, harmonic and melodic.
A harmonic interval is when two notes are sounded simultaneously.
A melodic interval is when two notes are sounded one after the other.When measuring the interval between two notes (both harmonic and
melodic), the interval is always measured from the lower note to the
higher.A Simple Way to Find an Interval
To find the number of an interval, simply count every line and space
from the bottom note to the top note. Be sure to count the line/space of
the bottom note as 1. This is the most common mistake when figuring
out an interval. If you don’t count the bottom note as 1, you’ll end up
with the wrong interval.Example 23.1 The melodic interval of a fifth and a sixth. Notice in the second example that the count
starts with the lower note even though it comes after the higher one.
Harmonic Interval Melodic Interval12345(^321)
(^654)