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AMEB 3.4 - Intervals

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16 views

AMEB 3.4 - Intervals

Uploaded by

Maxwell
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GRADE 3 THEORY COURSE

LESSON 4
Intervals

Some revision of intervals from Grade 2 Theory.

When working out a given interval:

• Always work from the major scale based on the bottom note of the interval. Never work from the
minor scale.
• A minor interval is a semitone less than the major.

Thus, for example, if we are asked what this interval is:

& w
w
We imagine the major scale of A and go as far as the sixth degree, F#. A to F# is a major sixth. If we take
off a semitone, we’re left with A to F, which is therefore a minor sixth.

Let’s have a look at some examples from the new scales that we have learnt.

& #w
w
We start with the major scale of E and go as far as the third degree, which is G#. Thus, E to G# is a major
third.

& bbw
w
Work from the scale of Eb major. The fourth degree is Ab, so Eb to Ab is a perfect fourth.

Which are the perfect intervals within major and minor scales?

There are four perfect intervals.

The unison, the fourth, the fifth and the octave.

These intervals are all examples of perfect unisons:

& ww ww bww
page 1
These intervals are all examples of perfect fourths:

& w
w w
w bbw
w

These intervals are all examples of perfect fifths:

& w w
w bw
w
w
These intervals are all examples of perfect octaves:

bw w
& w
w
bw w

These intervals are ‘perfect’ because they don’t exist in major or minor forms. All the other intervals
within the octave - seconds, thirds, sixths and sevenths exist in major and minor forms.

Let’s have a look at how we answer interval questions that give us the lower note but not the upper note.

Q: What is the major seventh above Ab?

A: Refer to the scale of Ab major. Seven notes above Ab is G, so the major seventh above Ab is G.

bb œ œ œ œ œ
&b b œ œ œ
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Q: What is the minor third above G?

A: Refer to the scale of G major. The third note of the scale is B.

# œ œ œ œ
& œ œ œ œ
1 2 3

If we take off a semitone we get Bb. So, the minor third above G is Bb.

& bw
w

Q: What is the major seventh above this note?

b w
&b b

page 2
A: Refer to the major scale of C. The seventh note of the scale is B. Noting that the key signature specifies
Bb, we must cancel that with a natural sign:

b nw
&b b w

page 3

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