Chromatic Intervals Worksheet

[JGAdmin]

Chart of all the intervals and then a couple of worksheets for you to test out on your intervals.

View the full lesson at Chromatic Intervals Worksheet | JustinGuitar

[Jesterhead]

Gotta say I feel like pulling my hair out with the second set of 20 questions. I’m scoring inconsistently, but won’t let myself move on until I come down with a 100%.

-One specific one giving me a big headache is: Why is the Minor 3rd above G# not B?
-I mentally keep track of sharps/flats of keys using something of the Cato diagram and/or Circle of Fifths. But I feel like this is a very clunky way of counting out what notes I’m on…is there a better way? Or is it just the hard road to memorizing all the keys and notes with time?

[Jozsef]

Hi there,

According to the solutions, the minor 3rd above G# is indeed B, so you got that correct.

[Jesterhead]

You’re right. In my frustration, I was actually answering Bb on my own worksheet and accidentally typed B here (the right answer! lol). Thanks for your response, I need to slow down and clear my head some more.

[Rolandson]

100% correct on the first try. It was a good idea to do the music theory slow and not go through the whole course fast. I think one year has gone since I began this course.

[Rumil]

Hello there, long time since my last post!

I have a question about the table with the names of every possible way to name an interval. I’m missing the 2nd diminished interval .

In the table from the lesson https://www.justinguitar.com/guitar-lessons/chromatic-intervals-mt-506 doesn’t say anything about 2nd interval being an exception of the rule.

AUGMENTED		AUGMENTED
↑		↑
PERFECT	< in the Major Scale >	MAJOR
U, 4, 5, 8		2, 3, 6, 7
↓		↓
DIMINISHED		MINOR
		↓
		DIMINISHED

There’s something I’m not getting here? Thank you!

[Jozsef]

@Rumil

Hello there, long time since my last post!

I have a question about the table with the names of every possible way to name an interval. I’m missing the 2nd diminished interval .

IMO, a diminished 2nd would imply that it is a minor second (1 semitone between notes) flattened by 1 semitone, resulting in perfect unison.

[Rumil]

But something similar happens with the 6th diminished. It is a perfect 5th.

[Richard_close2u]

@Rumil

I’m missing the 2nd diminished interval .

Hi Edgar.
Intervals can be a little bit tricky to learn and understand initially. I wrote a full topic recently prompted by a discussion and set of questions elsewhere in the Community. That topic is here: Intervals, scale degrees and more

In one post I wrote the following:

It is worth mentioning that the naming system relies on assigning each of the intervals an ordinal number (second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh) relative to the first or starting note. The numbering stems from the fact of having seven alphabetical letters in use for musical notes. A – B – C – D – E – F - G. Any interval describing the distance between A and C must be some type of third since making A the first letter automatically fixes C as the third letter.

Each interval is also assigned a quality.
The unison, fourth, fifth and octave are perfect (we can think of them as sounding ‘perfect’ with the first note - they are consonant with it).
The second, third, sixth and seventh are major.
Perfect intervals and major intervals in total make up all seven intervals contained within a major scale.

• Unison (= root)

• Major second

• Major third

• Perfect fourth

• Perfect fifth

• Major sixth

• Major seventh

• Octave (= root)

Any interval whose distance from the start note is one semitone more than these perfect and major intervals is described as augmented.

Minor is the assigned quality for intervals whose distance is one semitone less than major intervals. For major and minor intervals, a simplistic view would be to think of them as ‘big’ versions / ‘small’ versions of the same lettered note.

Diminished is the named quality given to intervals one semitone smaller than both perfect and minor intervals.

I have made bold three sentences to help answer your question. They are:

The unison, fourth, fifth and octave are perfect.

The second, third, sixth and seventh are major.

Diminished is the named quality given to intervals one semitone smaller than both perfect and minor intervals.

The only intervals that can become diminished are PERFECT and MINOR.

Perfect intervals are found within the major scale - they are the Root, fourth and fifth. Think of the I, IV and V chords of a typical blues or rock ‘n’ roll song. Those I, IV and V chords are built on the perfect intervals.

Minor intervals are created by reducing the size of any major interval. This means there exist minor 2nd, minor 3rd, minor 6th and minor 7th intervals (not minor 1st or minor 4th or minor 5th or minor 8th because they are perfect).

Let us look at the major 2nd reducing to minor 2nd - based on your question.

From Root to major 2nd is a distance of two semitones. If that major interval is reduced in size, to become just one semitone, it will then be a minor 2nd. Reducing it in size one further semitone takes it back to zero, back to the Root, to a point where it does not actually exist as an interval.

Root → minor 2nd → major 2nd

diminished 2nd ← minor 2nd ← major 2nd

This hopefully explains why there is no diminished 2nd interval.
For all other perfect and minor intervals, reducing them by one semitone (to make them become diminished) does not lead back to zero (the Root) but to a note that is still at a distance away from zero.
Cheers
Richard

[Rumil]

I thought I had replied to you . Sorry Richard. At least I thanked you on our class. This helped a lot. And the fact that an interval of 1 isn’t an interval to begin with because there is no distance of separation.

[netwiz]

In the previous lesson Justin points out that an augmented 2nd in D is E sharp, not F, in order to preserve the alphabet count. On that basis I’m unclear why a minor 3rd in G sharp is B, rather than C flat. Doesn’t that break the alphabet count? A to B implies (in Justin’s words) that it’s ‘some sort of second’. What am I missing?

[Richard_close2u]

@netwiz

I’m unclear why a minor 3rd in G sharp is B, rather than C flat. Doesn’t that break the alphabet count?

Nick, alphabetically, the 3rd letter in any scale whose root note is some type of G must be some type of B.
G → A → B

See if this helps.

Cheers
| Richard | JustinGuitar Approved Teacher, Official Guide & Moderator

[Flatworm0235]

Just wondering if someone could clarify whether my thinking is correct here. So for the 1st starting at D we would have:

What’s confusing me is what the naming of the m2, d5, and m6 should be - is it fine they are flattened despite the D Major scale (D E F# G A B C#) not containing flats?

[Richard_close2u]

@Flatworm0235

Remember, you are not writing the D major scale.
You correctly recognise that it contains only naturals and sharps, no flats.

When looking at the full collection of intervals relative tk D, you are not seeing D as the root note of a major scale.

Go by the letters and their ordinal value as a scale degree in that major scale as a useful tool.

D major scale:
D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#

Any note using letter D must be a ‘1’ of some kind.

Any note using letter E must be a ‘2’ of some kind.

Any note using letter F must be a ‘3’ of some kind.

Any note using letter G must be a ‘4’ of some kind.

Any note using letter A must be a ‘5’ of some kind.

Any note using letter B must be a ‘6’ of some kind.

Any note using letter C must be a ‘7’ of some kind.

The scale degrees as intervals are:

1, M2, M3, P4, P5, M6, M7

That is seven of the twelve leaving five intervals to fill.

Between 1 and M2 is m2 [ Eb in relation to D ].

Between M2 and M3 is m3 [ F in relation to D ].

Between P4 and P5 is A4 and D5[ G# and Ab in relation to D ].

Between P5 and M6 is m6 [ Bb in relation to D ].

Between M6 and M7 is m7 [ C in relation to D ].

See if this topic enhances your understanding.

Intervals, scale degrees and more

Prompted by a discussion in the theory topic on the Cycle of 5ths. The Cycle Of 5ths Understanding the basics of intervals relies on knowing that they are viewed from the perspective of semitones (= half steps = two notes one fret apart from each other on a guitar). Starting from any note and thinking of it as in first position, there are thirteen intervals, each in their own position, at their own distance, from the start and each with their own name – some have multiple names as a result of e…

[Flatworm0235]

Thanks @Richard_close2u for the detailed response - really helpful in putting it together!

Good to see I wasn’t too far off - just didn’t have the reasoning behind it. Thanks again!

[ervinjn]

Hey guys. I got a 100% on the quiz with no problem, so I’m basically getting it. I do have one question. I feel like it’s a dumb question, but here goes. It’s kind along the same lines as Rumil’s question about there being no diminished 2nd. Apparently, we never think of an interval as being a double-flatted 5th. Is that correct? And why? I feel like I should figure this out for myself, but I’m asking anyway. Thanks for this course!!

[Richard_close2u]

@ervinjn
Did you read my answer to Rumil’s question here …

Chromatic Intervals Worksheet

Hi Edgar. Intervals can be a little bit tricky to learn and understand initially. I wrote a full topic recently prompted by a discussion and set of questions elsewhere in the Community. That topic is here: Intervals, scale degrees and more In one post I wrote the following: I have made bold three sentences to help answer your question. They are: The unison, fourth, fifth and octave are perfect. The second, third, sixth and seventh are major. Diminished is the named quality given to inter…

You ask about starting with a (perfect) 5th and reducing the interval size by two semitones. Double flatting a 5th.

Single flatting any major interval results in a minor interval with the same numeric name.
Major 3rd → down one semitone → minor 3rd

Doing the same to a perfect interval results in a diminished, not a minor.

Perfect 5th → one semitone → diminished 5th

Once an interval reaches ‘diminished’ status it doesn’t drop further.

Major intervals can reach this bottom rung in two steps, passing from major to minor to diminished.
Perfect intervals reach it in one step.

Does that help?

[ervinjn]

I did read it. And that’s a great summary. I appreciate it! I guess I was just curious. and lazy. I can see where double accidentals can occur. For example, in the G# major scale, the 7th degree has to be some kind of F. It’s already F# in G, so it’s got to be F## in G#. So that kind of thing happens. But it doesn’t happen with the 4th and 5th scale degrees. I guess there’s a mathematical explanation for it, that I would discover if I were to not be lazy and work it out. And then I guess maybe it gets more complicated with minor scales and modes. I’m looking to forward learning about modes. I’m very curious.

Richard. I’m editing this a little, because I didn’t word it very well. I think I’ve committed the conventions to memory. I’m just unclear on the why. But, again, I haven’t tried to work it out either. I can see where a doubly-flattened major 2nd is a unison. It’s just not clear to me why we adopt a convention where, say, we can think of a note as being a doubly flattended 6th scale degree, but we never think of a note as being a doubly flattened 5th, or doubly flattened 4th. I get that that’s the convention. I’m just not clear on why it’s a convention. But anyway, I’m just throwing that question out there. Probably with a little effort, I could find the answer for myself.

Just ignore me. I’m thinking out loud. I promise this is my last edit. I think basically what’s lacking here is my experience in music. What’s not lacking is spare time.
Theory develops under the influence of two forces. 1. it develops in response to obseved phenomena. We notice certain patterns, we try to develop ways of thinking productively about those patterns, and we develop language to do that. 2. Theory develops under the influence of its internal logic.

Anyway, I think I got what I was supposed to get out this. Thank you guys for this unbelievable resource. I’m having a great time!