1.5Intervals: distance between notes
An interval tells you how far apart two notes are.
Let's start from C.
| From C to... | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|
| C | unison | 0 |
| D♭ | minor 2nd | 1 |
| D | major 2nd | 2 |
| E♭ | minor 3rd | 3 |
| E | major 3rd | 4 |
| F | perfect 4th | 5 |
| F♯/G♭ | tritone | 6 |
| G | perfect 5th | 7 |
| A♭ | minor 6th | 8 |
| A | major 6th | 9 |
| B♭ | minor 7th | 10 |
| B | major 7th | 11 |
| C | octave | 12 |
You do not need to memorize this entire table immediately.
For chords, four distances are especially important:
3 semitones = minor 3rd
4 semitones = major 3rd
7 semitones = perfect 5th
10 semitones = minor 7th
Those four numbers explain most basic chords.