Chords & Intervals

Intervals

The distance between two notes is called an interval. The smallest interval in Western Music, the interval between two adjacent notes, is called a semitone or half-step. Two semitones make a tone or whole-step.

An interval can also be expressed in terms of two properties:

  • a quality (perfect, major, minor, augmented, diminished); and
  • a number (unison, second, third, etc.).

Perfect intervals are so-called because they are considered perfectly consonant (i.e. they sound pleasant to the ear).

Music Intervals

Chords (Triads)

A chord is a combination of two (though usually three) or more notes played simultaneously. Chords are used as the harmonic substructure on top of which scales are played to create melodies.

Generally, in Western Music a chord is built and analysed in intervals of thirds. As we saw in the interval section above, there are two kinds of 3rd intervals:

  • Major 3rd; and
  • minor 3rd

Chords with three notes stacked up in thirds (degrees: 1, 3 and 5) are called Triads. Chords are referred to by their root note (AKA tonality) and their quality. Stacking Major and minor thirds in different ways creates different chord qualities. Below are all the possible qualities that triads can take, all with the root note/tonality of C.

QualityDegree #'sIntervalsNotes from CNotationSheet Music
Major Triad1 3 51 to 3 = Maj 3rd
3 to 5 = Min 3rd
C E GC or CΔMajor Triad
Minor Triad1 ♭3 51 to ♭3 = Min 3rd
♭3 to 5 = Maj 3rd
C E♭ GCm or C-Minor Triad
Diminished Triad1 ♭3 ♭51 to ♭3 = Min 3rd
♭3 to ♭5 = Min 3rd
C E♭ G♭Cdim or CoDiminished Triad
Augmented Triad1 3 ♯51 to 3 = Maj 3rd
3 to ♯5 = Maj 3rd
C E G#Caug or C+Augmented Triad

By moving the bottom note of a chord to the top, you create an inversion of the chord.

Chords Inversions

A sequence of chords is called a Chord Progression.

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