Intervals On Guitar - Crash Course for Beginners

Intervals: The Building Blocks of Music

This section introduces intervals as the building blocks of music and explains how they are used to measure and communicate the distance and relationship between pitches.

What are Intervals?

• Intervals are the building blocks of music.

• They measure and communicate the distance and relationship between pitches.

• Notes tell us the absolute position of a pitch on our instrument, while intervals are relative to a reference or starting pitch.

• Each interval represents a specific distance between two pitches, represented by numbers.

Horizontal vs Vertical Expression

• Intervals can be expressed horizontally (playing notes one after another), which is the basis of melody, or vertically (playing notes together), which is the basis of harmony.

• Same interval, same musical distance, different application.

Interval Recognition

• Musicians refer to the skill of being able to identify these relationships no matter which reference note they start on as relative pitch recognition.

• Interval recognition is a powerful skill because it means you don't have to know every note being played. Instead, you see or hear a movement or relationship between notes and can then recreate that relationship in any place on the neck visually.

Naming Intervals

This section explains how intervals are named using numbers and provides examples for each interval type.

Numbering System for Intervals

• While notes tell us the absolute position of a pitch on our instrument, intervals are represented by numbers.

• Each number represents a specific distance between two pitches.

• Going back to our scale pattern we can label its first degree as one (the root), moving to the second degree we can label this - also called a major second interval.

Examples for Each Interval Type

• Moving to the second degree we can label this - also called a major second interval.

• Third degree is labeled as 3, also called a major third interval.

• Fourth degree is labeled as 4, also known as a perfect fourth.

• Fifth degree is labeled as 5 or a perfect fifth.

• Sixth degree is labeled as 6 or a major sixth.

• Seventh degree is labeled as 7 or major seventh.

Using Intervals to Create Familiar Shapes and Patterns

This section explains how intervals are used to create familiar shapes and patterns on the neck of an instrument.

Creating Familiar Shapes and Patterns

• Visually, the ability to move relationships of notes to different places creates familiar shapes and patterns for chords and scales.

• These shapes have the same interval structure whether we start them on different notes.

• With enough practice, you'll hear the shape on one note as the same as the shape on another note even though they are collectively higher in pitch.

Benefits of Interval Recognition

• Intervals give us familiar moveable relationships across the neck no matter which key we may be playing in.

• Many musicians identify intervals based purely on sight and sound but find it useful to label these intervals using numbers.

Understanding Degrees of Scale

This section explains how degrees of scale are used to identify specific intervals within a scale pattern.

Identifying Specific Intervals Within a Scale Pattern

• By training your eyes and ears to identify specific relationships between pitches (intervals), you can target that same interval in any position or key.

• We can take just one interval from that pattern between its 1st and 3rd tone (more accurately called the 1st and 3rd degrees of the scale).

• By identifying this relationship, we can recreate it in a new position.

Examples of Identifying Specific Intervals

• We can target the interval between the first and third degree of a scale pattern in any position or key.

• Moving that same interval to different positions creates familiar shapes and patterns for chords and scales.

Labeling Intervals Using Numbers

This section explains how labeling intervals using numbers helps communicate what's going on with other musicians.

Labeling Intervals Using Numbers

• Musicians find it useful to label intervals using numbers because it helps communicate what's going on with other musicians.

• Going back to our scale pattern, we can label its first degree as one (the root), moving to the second degree we can label this - also called a major second interval.

• These numbers are used in most diagrams in music lessons.

Understanding Scales

This section explains the basics of scales and how they are named.

Naming Scales

• A scale has seven degrees in total, each representing a specific position or distance in relation to the root.

• The interval structure determines the name of the scale. For example, a scale with a root note on A and an interval structure of 2-2-1-2-2-2-1 is called an A major scale.

Interval Numbers vs Degree Numbers

• Confusing degree numbers with interval numbers is common for beginners.

• Removing degrees from a scale does not change its interval structure. For example, removing the 4th and 7th degrees from a major scale still leaves it with an interval structure of 2-2-1-2.

Changing Intervals

Flat Second

• Lowering the second degree by one fret creates a flat second or minor second interval.

• This small change gives the scale a different sound and unique name.

Flat Third

• Lowering the third degree by one fret creates a flat third or minor third interval.

• This change turns our major scale into a minor scale and gives it a specific quality when played with other intervals.

Augmented Fourth

• Raising the fourth degree by one fret creates an augmented fourth or sharp fourth interval.

• This change creates another new sound for our major scale.

Diminished Fifth

• Moving the fifth degree can create either a diminished fifth or flat fifth (if there's already a four in the scale).

• These enharmonic intervals have different names but occupy the same position on our guitar neck.

Understanding Intervals

This section explains how intervals are used to create different scale qualities and how they help us play over compatible chords and progressions.

Major and Minor Sevenths

• A major seventh is one fret down from the root, while a minor seventh is always two frets down from the root.

• The combination of natural, flat, or sharp intervals gives scales their unique qualities.

• When playing over a minor chord, we need to include a minor third interval in our scale. If the chord has a minor seventh, we need to match that as well.

Scale Structure

• The interval structure of a scale remains the same no matter where the root of that scale is positioned on the neck.

• We can work out how a scale would be formed on the neck simply by its numbering formula.

• For example, 1 flat 2 3 4 5 flat 6 flat 7 gives us Phrygian dominant.

Chords and Naming Conventions

• Chords use similar interval formulas to create their unique qualities.

• The numbering system used for chords can cause confusion when it comes to naming them.

Conclusion

This section concludes the lesson on understanding intervals.

Final Thoughts

• Visit the lesson page for more information on getting to grips with intervals.