Summary of intervals (Piano)
Name of
Interval
2nd
3rd
4th
Characteristics
Line to next space OR space to next line
(Notes are NEXT to each other – e.g., C to D is an interval of a 2nd)
Line to next line OR space to next space
(Notes will have 1 note between them – e.g., C to E is an interval of a 3rd)
Line, skip a line, to next space OR Space, skip a space, to next line
(Notes will have 2 white notes between them – e.g., C to F is an interval of
a 4th.)
Number of WHITE
keys between notes
0
1
2
MELODIC interval: notes played separately … as in a MELODY
HARMONIC interval: notes played together at the same time (creating harmony).
The following sheet shows examples of each interval on both staves as melodic and harmonic.
The last system shows the intervals “growing” from 2nd to 3rd to 4th as melodic intervals on the treble staff and
as harmonic intervals on the bass staff.
(For early piano students we don’t differentiate between major and minor intervals. That will come later.)
COPYRIGHT 2012 Renee Saxon Music Ltd. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
COPYRIGHT 2012 Renee Saxon Music Ltd. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED