Happy New Year! Let's start the New Year with Intervals.

An interval is the distance between two notes. When evaluating the distance between consecutive notes working with whole and half steps is workable but, when the distance between the notes is larger (such as C to A for example) thinking whole and half steps become too cumbersome.

As previously discussed, the Major Scale has 7 different notes. If you need to get from the first degree to the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, or 7th counting whole and half steps is too time consuming.

Using intervals works as follows with the C major scale.

From C to D is the interval of a Major 2nd(M2)
C to E is a Major 3rd(M3)
C to F is a Perfect 4th(P4)
C to G is a Perfect 5th(P5)
C to A is a Major 6th(M6)
C to B is a Major 7th(M7)
C to C is a Perfect 8th(P8)

Major and Perfect intervals are diatonic (contained within the key).

Why are some Major and some Perfect? More on that next time. For now, memorize and play these intervals with all 12 Major Scales!

Best,
Jay