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MUSC1600 Music Techniques 1

2014 Week 2

Topics
Intervals and their inversions
Triads and their inversions

Readings
Spencer, chapters 4, 5
Gauldin, chapters 1, 4
Laitz, Appendix

INTERVALS
An interval is the distance between two notes. If the two notes are sounded simultaneously, then we have a harmonic
interval. If the two notes are played one after the other, then we have a melodic interval.

To identify an interval, take the lowest note as “1” and count up the number of steps to the other note. For example, from D
to G is a 4th (i.e., D = 1, E = 2, F = 3, and G = 4). What about D to B?

Intervals start on the unison and conclude (for the moment) at the octave.

If we were to consider the intervals D to F and D to F#, they would both be a third. To express interval sizes with more
precision, intervals are described as being major, minor or perfect.

The perfect intervals are the unison, 4th, 5th and octave, i.e., in music we refer to the perfect 4th or perfect 5th.
Unisons and octaves are usually not preceded by the word “perfect” (it is implied).

The remaining intervals have either the word “minor” or “major” preceding them, leading to a major 2nd or a minor 2nd, a
minor 3rd, major 6th, major 3rd, minor 7th, and so on.

What is the difference between a major and a minor interval? Consider C-E and C-Eb. Which is larger? C-E comprises 4
semitones or two whole steps while C-Eb comprises 3 semitones. The larger of these intervals is called a major 3rd, while
the smaller is called a minor 3rd.

An easy way to remember is that the major intervals are those that are found above the tonic in the major scale.
Minor intervals are a semitone smaller than major intervals.

Identify the following intervals (remember to always calculate up from the lowest pitch):

The perfect, major and minor intervals are called diatonic intervals because they naturally occur in major and minor scales.

Note that we do not have intervals such as a minor perfect 4th or a perfect major 2nd.

Note also that we are calculating intervals with individual note names. For instance, A-F is a 6th but A-E# is not a 6th (it
would be a special type of 5th. See below).

Compound Intervals are intervals that are larger than an octave. For example, C-D a 9th above. Very often, we describe an
interval as being a “compound 2nd” instead of being a “9th” or a “compound 3rd” instead of being a “10th”, but we usually say
a “double octave” not a “compound octave” for a 15th.

Identify these intervals:

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Augmented and Diminished Intervals
Augmented: when a diatonic interval is increased by a semitone.
Diminished: when a diatonic interval is decreased by a semitone.

Remember that the order goes like this:

diminished interval–minor interval–major interval–augmented interval
or
diminished interval–perfect interval–augmented interval.

Augmented interval Augmented interval

↕ ↕
Major interval Perfect interval
↕ ↕
Minor interval Diminished interval
↕
Diminished interval

The most common are the augmented second, augmented 4th, augmented 6th, or a diminished 4th, diminished 5th, and
diminished 7th. The others are mainly of theoretical interest, e.g., what is the difference between a diminished 3rd and a
major 2nd? Is there such thing as a diminished unison?

A convenient shorthand for the different types of intervals:

M = Major
m = minor
Aug (or A) = Augmented
Dim (or d) = Diminished

One other interval: the tritone. This is an interval spanning 3 whole steps, e.g., F–B. This happens to also be an augmented
4th. The term tritone is often used synonymously with augmented 4ths and diminished 5ths.

Construct these intervals:

Interval Inversion
An interval that is smaller than an octave can be paired with only one other interval so that both together will give an
octave. For example a perfect 4th and a perfect 5th will combine to form an octave. Eg, C–G and G–C. These two intervals
are said to be inversions of each other. The inversions are given as follows:

Unison–octave.
Minor 2nd – Major 7th.
Major 2nd – Minor 7th.
Minor 3rd – Major 6th.
Major 3rd – Minor 6th.
Perfect 4th – Perfect 5th.

Notice the following pattern: major intervals invert to minor, and vice-versa; augmented intervals invert to diminished, and
vice-versa; perfect intervals invert to perfect intervals.

What are the inversions of these intervals?

Major 2nd Perfect 5th Dim 7th Aug 6th Aug 4th Minor 2nd
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Consonant and Dissonant Intervals
Intervals are grouped as either consonant or dissonant according to the stylistic norms in music history, and to an extent also
by the psychological perception of intervals. For music of the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods, we
may use the following classification:

Perfect Consonances: Unison, (4th), 5th, Octave.

Imperfect Consonances: Major and Minor 3rds and 6ths.

Dissonances: Major and minor seconds and sevenths, augmented 4ths, diminished 5ths.

Note that the 4th has had a special history: if it sounds between the lowest two parts in a multi-part composition or between
both parts of a 2-part composition, then it is considered to be a dissonant interval.

Summary: how to identify an interval

To determine intervals, consider the LOWER note as a temporary tonal centre (tonic) of a major key and then determine the
interval as though it were a scale degree in that key.

For example, you are given the interval E-G#, with E being the lowest note. Imagine that E is the tonic of E major and now
ask yourself if G# is in the scale of E major. Yes it is, therefore E-G# is a major 3rd.

What if G# were the lowest note? In this case, imagining that G# is the tonic note of G# major is very cumbersome. Try the
following instead: transpose both notes down a semitone to give G-Eb and repeat the process described in the previous
paragraph. Is Eb found in the scale of G major? No. Therefore G-Eb is a minor 6thand likewise G#-E is a minor 6th

What about G#-Eb? This is a diminished 6th.

What about C-D#?
Or G-C#?

Remember also, that if you are asked to identify an interval presented melodically (i.e., not simultaneously but in
succession), then you take whichever note is the lowest and imagine it is the tonic of a major key, and then identify the
interval using the method described in the paragraphs above.

Another method, though less frequently used: if you are having trouble identifying an interval, it might be easier to work out
the inversion of the interval instead, and then convert your answer.

Major and Minor Triads

“A chord may be produced by playing any combination of three or more pitches simultaneously” (Gauldin). Tonal music
shows a preference for “tertian chords”, i.e., where chords are built up of consecutive thirds above the bottom note. The
bottom note is called the root.

The most common of these is the triad, containing three different notes. For example, in the key of C major we can build a
triad on the note C and get a triad C-E-G.

Likewise, in C minor we can build a triad C-Eb-G. Both of these triads have a perfect 5th C-G, and both have a 3rd above
C, either a major 3rd C-E or a minor 3rd C-Eb. These triads are called a major triad and a minor triad respectively.

For each of the following, work out whether they are major or minor triads:
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Inversions of triads
Just as we can invert intervals, we can invert triads. Triadic inversions occur when the root of the triad is placed in an
upper part, and the lowest sounding part is either the 3rd of the triad or the 5th of the triad. When the 3rd of the triad is the
lowest sounding note, we have a first inversion. When the 5th of the triad is the lowest sounding note, we get a second
inversion. When the root is the lowest sounding part of the triad, then we have a “root position triad.” [We will return to
this topic in a later lecture.]

Diminished and Augmented Triads

A diminished triad contains a minor 3rd and a diminished 5th above the root. This chord is considered weak and it is used
most often in first inversion.
An augmented chord contains a major third and an augmented 5th above the root. The inversions of this chord sound
identical to each other.

In summary, to “spell” each of the four triad types:

 A major triad has a major 3rd and a perfect 5th above the root (eg Eb-G-Bb).
 A minor triad has a minor 3rd and a perfect 5th above the root (eg D-F-A).
 A diminished triad has a minor 3rd and a diminished 5th above the root (eg B-D-F).
 An augmented triad has a major 3rd and an augmented 5th above the root (eg D-F#-A#).