Interval

From www.oscarvandillen.com

Contents 1 Definition 2 Basic intervals 3 Perception of the interval 4 See also

Definition

An interval in music is the sound of two tones sounding together, or one after the other.

More technically, an interval can also be described as a frequency ratio relationship between two stable vibrations.

Basic intervals

Due to notation, intervals are named by the distance between the two basic tones they consist of.

The basic intervals are:

• unison
• second
• third
• fourth
• fifth
• sixth
• seventh
• octave

Wider than the octave, music theory describes larger intervals. Though similar, some of these sound quite different from their related narrower intervals:

• ninth (octave + second)
• tenth (octave + third)
• eleventh (octave + fourth)
• twelfth (octave + fifth)
• thirteenth (octave + sixth)
• fourteenth (octave + seventh)
• double octave (octave + octave)

Perception of the interval

The unique sound of each interval can be immediately recognized by hearing, making it in fact a truly fundamental element of all music.

When listening to two simultaneous tones, their pitches and frequencies mix and react, creating even more tones sounding together: interference tones. This complex of tones becomes one comprehensive sound, and the individual pitches become acoustically more or less absorbed into the human perception of the single interval: the interval itself is in fact perceived as louder than the individual tones it consists of. It is human perception which "summarizes" the tones into the single interval, but it has good acoustic reasons to do so. Thus the interval is equally the basic prerequisite for all melody as it is for harmony.

See also

• Triad
• Seventh chord
• Special:Browse/Interval - browse this page to find whiteboards treating intervals.