Building Blocks - Part Two

Posted by Nate Comp at 8/26/2007 9:48 PM and is filed under Tips
Once you have spent some time working with Major Scale intervals, then it's time to move on to some more advanced ideas using "Altered Intervals". Essentially, an altered interval is any interval that is not found in the Major Scale. Each altered interval is created by raising or lowering a Major Scale interval by a half step. Let's begin with altered intervals that are created by lowering a Major Scale interval by a half step.

The first altered interval to learn is the Minor 2nd. This interval is often called a "Flatted 2nd" (abbreviated b2nd). To create a Minor 2nd interval, simply lower the Major 2nd interval by a half step. This is where the term "Flatted 2nd" (b2nd) comes from.
Here's an example from the C Major Scale:
Major 2nd = C to D
Minor 2nd (b2nd) = C to Db

The next altered interval to learn is the “Minor 3rd”. This this interval is often called a "Flatted 3rd" (b3rd). To create a Minor 3rd interval, simply lower the Major 3rd interval by a half step. This is where the term "Flatted 3rd" (b3rd) comes from.
Here's an example from the C Major Scale:
Major 3rd = C to E
Minor 3rd (b3rd) = C to Eb

The next altered interval to learn is the “Diminished 5th”. This interval is often called a "Flatted 5th" (b5th). To create a Diminished 5th interval, simply lower the Perfect 5th interval by a half step. This is where the term "Flatted 5th" (b5th) comes from.
Here's an example from the C Major Scale:
Perfect 5th = C to G
Diminished 5th (b5th) = C to Gb

The next altered interval to learn is the “Minor 6th”. This this interval is often called a "Flatted 6th" (b6th). To create a Minor 6th interval, simply lower the Major 6th interval by a half step. This is where the term "Flatted 6th" (b6th) comes from.
Here's an example from the C Major Scale:
Major 6th = C to A
Minor 6th (b6th) = C to Ab

The next altered interval to learn is the “Minor 7th”. This this interval is often called a "Flatted 7th" (b7th). To create a Minor 7th interval, simply lower the Major 7th interval by a half step. This is where the term "Flatted 7th" (b7th) comes from.
Here's an example from the C Major Scale:
Major 7th = C to B
Minor 7th (b7th) = C to Bb:

Notice that the 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th intervals, which began as “Major” intervals, all became "Minor" when they were lowered a half step. Also notice that the interval of a 5th, which began as a "Perfect" interval, became a "Diminished" when it was lowered a half step. Now let's look at altered intervals that are created by raising a Major Scale interval by a half step.
 
The next altered interval to learn is the “Augmented 2nd”. This this interval is often called a "Sharped 2nd" (#2nd). To create an Augmented 2nd interval, simply raise the Major 2nd interval by a half step. This is where the term "Sharped 2nd" (#2nd) comes from.
Here's an example from the C Major Scale:
Major 2nd = C to D
Augmented 2nd (#2nd) = C to D#

The next altered interval to learn is the “Augmented 4th”. This this interval is often called a "Sharped 4th" (#4th). To create an Augmented 4th interval, simply raise the Perfect 4th interval by a half step. This is where the term "Sharped 4th" (#4th) comes from.
Here's an example from the C Major Scale:
Perfect 4th = C to F
Augmented 4th (#4th) = C to F#

The next altered interval to learn is the “Augmented 5th”. This this interval is often called a "Sharped 5th" (#5th). To create an Augmented 5th interval, simply raise the Perfect 5th interval by a half step. This is where the term "Sharped 5th" (#5th) comes from.
Here's an example from the C Major Scale:
Perfect 5th = C to G
Augmented 5th (#5th) = C to G#
 
Notice that each of these new altered intervals, which are created by raising Major Scale intervals by a half step, are identical to some of the altered intervals that were created by lowering Major Scale intervals by a half step.
 
Here's a review of every interval in the Key of C Major, including all of the altered intervals:
 
C to Db = Minor 2nd or "b2nd"

C to D = Major 2nd or just "2nd"
 
C to D# = Augmented 2nd or "# 2nd"
 
C to Eb = Minor 3rd or "b3rd"
 
*IMPORTANT - The Augmented 2nd and Minor 3rd intervals represent the same distance but with different names!
 
C to E = Major 3rd or just "3rd"
 
C to F = Perfect 4th or just "4th"

C to F# = Augmented 4th or "#4th"

C to Gb = Diminished 5th or "b5th"
 
*IMPORTANT - The Augmented 4th and Diminished 5th intervals represent the same distance but with different names!
 
C to G = Perfect 5th or just "5th"
 
C to G# = Augmented 5th or "#5th"
 
C to Ab = Minor 6th or "b6th"
 
*IMPORTANT - The Augmented 5th and Minor 6th intervals represent the same distance but with different names!
 
C to A = Major 6th or just "6th"
 
C to Bb = Minor 7th or "b7th"
 
C to B = Major 7th or just "7th"
 
C to C = Perfect 8th, more commonly known as an "Octave"
 
Now you must be able to work out the altered intervals in every other Major Scale! Begin by writing out the notes of a single Major Scale, number the normal Major Scale intervals, and then try to label all of the altered intervals that can be found in the scale.
 
In my next post, we'll look at a great way to put all of this stuff on the neck of the Fretlight.
 
Good Luck!
 
Nate

 
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