O.K. I know this is the Teachers section, but someone please tell me what the heck you guys are talking about.
"Identifying Intervals Aurally"
What are Intervals anyway. I have no idea what that means.
To identify an interval aurally means to identify an interval by ear. That is, you hear the interval and you tell just by listening to it which kind it is.
What are intervals? Oh boy, you opened a can or worms!
I will be very brief (promise!)
1. Intervals are the foundation of all music.
2. An interval is the distance between two notes. For instance the distance from C to D is smaller than the distance from C to E.
3. Intervals are classified according to their “size”. So the interval from C to D is called a second, since there are only two notes involved. The interval from C to E is called a third because there are three notes involved (C, D, E). And so on and so forth.
4. C to D is a second, and so is E to F. Yet the distance form C to D is clearly bigger than the distance from E to F. (there is no black key between E and F). Threfore from C to D we have a major second (2 semitones), and from E to F (1 semitone) a minor second. Likewise from C to E we have a major third (4 semitones) and from E to G a minor third (3 semitones). There is only one kind of forth, so it is called a “perfect fourth” (C to F – 5 semitones). Likewise there is only one kind of fifth: the perfect fifth (C to G – 6 semitones). Or so we would like it to be. However the six semitone interval (B to F) does exists and it is not a fifth and it is not a fourth, it is a tritone – and in medieval times was considered the most horrible sound: the Devil’s interval. As such it was forbidden by the Church. Nowadays the tritone is called either an augmented fourth or a diminished fifth depending on context. Then you have major sixths (C – A – 9 semitones) and minor sixths (E to C – 8semitones), major sevenths (C to B – 11 semitones) and minor sevenths (D to C - 10 semitones) and finally octaves (12 semitones). You can also have unisons (0 semitones) where the same note is played together (e.g. two pianos playing middle C). This is just a simplified overview and deals only with one octave, so that you get the idea.
5. Ultimately, all this talk of distances and keys has really no relationship to sound. In terms of sound, what we hear is the ratio between two frequencies. This has some far reaching and unexpected ramifications (like for instance the question of tuning and equal temperament).
6. Chords can be thought as simultaneous intervals (e.g. a major triad is a major third with a minor third on top, while a minor triad is a minor third with a major third on top). In fact if the two notes of an interval are played together, we call this a “harmonic” interval, and if the notes succeed one another it is called a “melodic” interval.
7. Intervals being the most basic building blocks of music will define its language at its most basic level: some intervals are dissonant and disagreeable, some are consonant and agreeable. Hence the use of intervals to create tension and resolution in music. Musical context may dramatically change the meaning of an interval though.
This is just the tip of an immense iceberg.
Best wishes,
Bernhard.
Topic: Identifying Intervals Aurally