Understanding Intervals in Music: Intervals are the musical colors that we paint with.
Introduction to Intervals
Intervals are the foundation of music, serving as the "relationship" between two notes. While they’re often described as the distance between pitches, intervals are more than a measurement—they evoke feelings and create textures in music. One way to think about it is that they are the primary colors available to musicians in their musical palette, they can be mixed together in infinite ways but these are the essential materials of music. Like a painter we can create limitless pictures on our musical canvas using these colors. When we mix these colors together they may take the form of melodies, chords, scales, arpeggios, etc.
A key way that we can think about intervals is that each has its own emotional quality. This quality can be categorized as having consonance (a sense of stability and resolution) or dissonance (a sense of tension and the need for resolution).
Consonance and Dissonance
In music theory, intervals are often described based on their level of consonance or dissonance:
Consonant intervals: These include the unison, octave, and perfect fifth, which are considered perfectly consonant and create a stable, resolved sound. Major and minor thirds and sixths are partially consonant intervals. They add warmth and richness to music, offering a balance between stability and a slight tension, depending on the context.
Dissonant intervals: These include the seconds, sevenths, and augmented or diminished intervals. They generate a sense of tension or instability, often calling for resolution to more stable intervals (like the ones mentioned above).
Just to give you a quick example - take the “Theme From Jaws” dum, dum… dum, dum… dum, dum). This is a classic example of a minor 2nd in our popular culture (half step up from the root). It is almost universally considered an interval that has the quality of tension and fits so perfectly to accentuate the tension that is felt in the context of a story where there is a menacing shark on the loose!
Or how about “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from the Wizard of Oz – the first two notes of this song leap a perfect octave (Ab to Ab). This wide interval creates a powerful sense of distance, perfectly complementing the lyrics’ longing for a faraway, magical place beyond the sky. Now imagine those same lyrics paired with a smaller interval, like the minor 2nd from Jaws—it just wouldn’t have the same emotional impact, would it? The octave, one of the most consonant intervals in our musical palette, brings a sense of openness and stability. In this example, it’s clear how intervals not only shape the music but can also deepen the connection between melody, lyrics, and meaning.
| Interval | Category | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Perfect Unison | Perfect Consonance | Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (first note repeated) |
| Minor 2nd | Dissonance | Jaws theme, Für Elise |
| Major 2nd | Dissonance | Happy Birthday, Frère Jacques, Do-Re-Mi |
| Minor 3rd | Partial Consonance | Hey Jude, Smoke on the Water, Greensleeves |
| Major 3rd | Partial Consonance | When the Saints Go Marching In, Summertime |
| Perfect 4th | Perfect Consonance | Here Comes the Bride, Amazing Grace, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing |
| Tritone | Dissonance | Maria” from West Side Story (chorus), Simpsons theme (opening 3 notes) |
| Perfect 5th | Perfect Consonance | Star Wars theme, Can’t Help Falling in Love (Wise men say...) |
| Minor 6th | Partial Consonance | The Entertainer (The large interval in the melody) |
| Major 6th | Partial Consonance | My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, NBC Chimes |
| Minor 7th | Dissonance | Chameleon by Herbie Hancock |
| Major 7th | Dissonance | Take on Me (high melody in Chorus), Dont Know Why by Norah Jones (I waited til...), Imagination from Willy Wonka (Come with me...) |
| Perfect Octave | Perfect Consonance | Somewhere Over the Rainbow (opening line), Singin’ in the Rain (opening line) |
🎵 Expressing ourselves through colors 🎨
Just like painters have an intimate knowledge of the primary colors and how to mix them together, we should think of our study of intervals as essential to our ability to convey emotions through our instrument. At the very least, it will make you a greater appreciator of music as you start to guess and identify the sounds you are hearing on your favorite tracks and records. 🎧✨ Stick around—our next article will dive into how to name and identify intervals using the major scale, giving you practical tools to further your musical journey! 🚀🎸
