Music Fundamentals A Balanced Approach

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2. Menuet (J.S. Bach)

Changing Perfect Intervals: Augmented, Diminished

Aperfectinterval may be either increased in size by a half step to form an augmentedinterval (written “Aug”
or “A”), or decreased by a half step to form a diminishedinterval (written “dim” or “d”). For example:

DIMINISHED PERFECT AUGMENTED

Exercise 17—Class Exercise

Play the intervals below, listening for the changes in quality.All augmented and diminished intervals are
considered to be dissonances. However they may not all sounddissonant; listen particularly to the augmented
fifth and the diminished fourth. Discuss why they sound consonant.

INTERVALS

F Bbb F

Bb

F B

4 half steps 5 half steps 6 half steps

d4 P4 A4