Intervals are Musical literacy for beginners

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The word "interval" is used in several meanings. In music, intervals are consonances consisting of two sounds. The distance between them can be different. There are simple and compound intervals, augmented and diminished (characteristic, tritones), consonant and dissonant, as well as melodic and harmonic. This will be discussed further.

Meaning of the word

Many researchers note that intervals are certain intervals, distances between something or breaks. So, for example, it can be a certain distance between military units or ranks of troops. Also, this word characterizes a period of time.

In music, intervals are the ratios of the height of two sounds. They can be taken in turn. Such intervals are called melodic. If the sounds are taken simultaneously, then their names are harmonic.

Musical intervals

As mentioned above, intervals are consonances that consist of two sounds(two steps of the fret). The distance between them can be different. From one step to fifteen. The top sound of an interval is called the top, and the bottom one is called the base. There are melodic and harmonic, consonant and dissonant, simple and compound, increased and decreased (tritones, characteristic).

The interval consists of two values: the first - tone, the second - steps. The tone value determines how many tones are in a particular interval. So, for example, in the prime there are zero tones, in a major second - one tone, in a minor third - one and a half tones, and so on. The step value makes it clear how many steps this or that interval covers. So, for example, in a quart there are four steps, regardless of whether it is pure, increased or decreased. That is, the tone value already affects here. If the fourth is pure, then it should have four steps and 2.5 tones. If the fourth is reduced, then there are four steps, but there will already be two tones. Accordingly, in an enlarged quart the same number of steps, but three tones. We repeatedly talk about tone and semitone. Let's dwell on these concepts in more detail.

Tone and semitone

Tone - the distance between two adjacent sounds, consists of two semitones. Let's consider them exclusively by white keys. These are sounds: do - re, la - si, re - mi, s alt - la, fa - s alt. Many teachers, explaining this topic to children, indicate that if there is a black key between two white keys, then this is a tone, and if there is no black key, then this is a semitone.

In music, a semitone isthe shortest distance between two adjacent sounds. These are the remaining sounds: si - do and mi - fa.

Tones and semitones are built not only by white keys, but also in interaction with black keys. So, for example, si - c-sharp and mi - f-sharp - this is already a tone. But: D - E flat, C - D flat, A - B flat, G sharp - A, F sharp - G (and so on) - these are semitones.

Simple spacing

No more than one octave. There are only eight of them. This is:

• Prima. Covers one step and contains zero tones.
• Second is an interval that consists of two steps. It happens big and small. A major second is one tone, a minor second is half a tone.
• Thirtia. Covers three steps. Just like a second, it can be small and large. The small one contains one and a half tones, and the large one contains two.
• Quart. There are two and a half tones and four steps in this interval. It happens only clean.
• Quinta. Covers five steps and contains three and a half tones. Just like a quart, it can be clean. However, if there are three tones and four steps in a fourth, then this is an enlarged fourth. If there are the same number of tones and five steps in a fifth, then this is a reduced fifth. Such intervals are also called newts.
• Sexta consists of six steps. A major sixth contains four and a half tones. Small - four tones.
• Septima covers seven steps. The minor seventh consists of five tones. Large - out of five and a half.
• The octave consists of eight steps. It is only pure. Contains six tones.

Compound intervals

Musical literacy for beginners contains information not only about simple intervals, but also about compound ones. These are intervals that are more than one octave.

• Nona - consists of nine steps. Simply put, this is a second through an octave.
• Decima - contains ten steps. Accordingly, this is the third after the octave.
• Undecima - consists of eleven steps. To build it, you need to rise from this sound by a fourth through an octave.
• Duodecima - covers twelve steps. This is a fifth after an octave.
• Terzdecima - contains thirteen steps. Accordingly, this is a sixth through one octave.
• Quartdecima - consists of fourteen steps. To build it, you need to rise from a certain sound to a seventh through an octave.
• Quintdecima - covers fifteen steps. This is a double octave.

After quintdecimals intervals have no names.

Invert intervals

Each musical literacy for beginners contains information not only about intervals, but also about their conversions. And this, in fact, is the transfer of the base (lower sound) one octave up or the top (top sound) an octave down. In this case, the lower and upper sounds are reversed.

A pure prima turns into a pure octave. A minor second turns into a major seventh. A major second becomes a minor seventh.

The minor third turns into a major sixth. The major third turns into a minor sixth. Purea quart turns into a perfect fifth (and vice versa).

That is, clean ones turn into clean ones, small ones turn into large ones (and vice versa), enlarged ones turn into reduced ones (and vice versa).

Consonance and dissonance

In terms of their sound, all harmonic intervals are of two types: consonant and dissonant.

Consonance is a consonant and auspicious sound. It is associated with a calm state, it is characterized by the absence of aspirations. Consonant intervals are divided into:

• Very perfect consonance - pure octave and pure prima.
• Perfect consonance - fifth and fourth.
• Imperfect consonance - minor third and sixth, major third and sixth.

Dissonance is the antagonism of consonance. To the ear, this is a sharper sound, inconsistent. The sound of dissonances in music is widely used to convey various human feelings: anxiety, tension, excitement. Dissonances, like these excited feelings, require mandatory resolution. That is, they all strive for consonance. Among the dissonant intervals, it is worth noting: minor and major second and seventh, tritones, characteristic intervals.

Monotonicity intervals

Music has an amazing ability to own our psychological state. Everything about it is abstract. The human mind in the entire stream of sounds recognizes emotions and feelings, the underlying idea. The musical fabric is woven from tonal distances between sounds and chords. Many have heard of concepts such as gamma, circle of fifths, modulation, and so on. However, not allknow what monotonicity intervals are.

Marina Korsakova-Krein (a neuropsychologist) conducted a series of experiments to identify the reaction of listeners to this or that music.

The essence of the first experiment was to study the human reaction to different distances in all possible keys and modes. For another experiment, a major scale was chosen and short and monotonous sequences were written. Monotony was necessary in order for listeners to concentrate on the intuitive feeling of distances in tonal space. For the second experiment, the simplest chord chains were used, as well as episodes of classical and romantic music.

Thus, this topic is carefully considered in the solfeggio lessons. Intervals have several meanings. These are: a time period, any distance, and also a break. In music, an interval is the distance between two sounds, which can be completely different. There are simple and compound intervals, augmented and diminished (characteristic, tritones), consonant and dissonant, as well as melodic and harmonic. Simple intervals are within one octave. Compound intervals go beyond the octave. Consonant intervals have a pleasant sound. Dissonants sound harsh and require resolution.