[Tekker]

Intervals:

An Interval is the distance from one note to the next. I will use C as the starting point and relate the distance of all the other notes to C.

First we will start with the intervals in the C major scale shown above. For simplicity sake, I will use show the distance in half steps (instead of whole steps), but keep in mind that two half steps equals one whole step.

The distance from C to D is a Major 2nd and it is equal to the distance of 2 half steps.
The distance from C to E is a Major 3rd and it is equal to the distance of 4 half steps.
The distance from C to F is a Perfect 4th and it is equal to the distance of 5 half steps.
The reason for the different name of “perfect” has to do with the pitch of the interval and the equal tempered scale, and it is beyond to scope of this lesson, so for now just remember that the name is different!
The distance from C to G is a Perfect 5th and it is equal to the distance of 7 half steps.
The distance from C to A is a Major 6th and it is equal to the distance of 9 half steps.
The distance form C to B is a Major 7th and it is equal to the distance of 11 half steps.
The distance from C to the next C (one octave up) is called a Perfect Octave and it is equal to the distance of 12 half steps.

Anytime you flat a Major interval (move it down one half step) it becomes a Minor interval. For example, C to Db, is a Minor 2nd. This is the same with the 3rd, 6th, and 7th, intervals.

When you flat a Perfect interval it becomes a Diminished interval. For example, C to Gb is a Diminished 5th. However, you can’t really flat the Perfect 4th or the Perfect Octave, because the 4th would become a 3rd (since there’s no in-between note) and the octave would become a 7th (there is also no note in-between). So the Perfect 5th is probably the only one you will see this applied to. But ya never know sometimes! lol

When you sharp a Perfect interval (move it up one half step) it becomes an Augmented interval. The 4th and the 5th are usually the only ones this will apply to, since you probably won’t ever see an augmented octave. It would more likely be seen as a minor 2nd.