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Home                                May 7, 2004

 "Music Mini Course"
by Jan Durrant,

All About Intervals

Welcome to our newsletter, Music Notes. Music Notes will be published as needed, and will include news, announcements or articles of interest.

Learn to read music notes, chords and rhythm quickly and easily with Play Piano Now! Written by a fun veteran piano teacher, this complete audio instructed CD and Book is the sure path to piano learning and enjoyment for the adult beginner. Music Learning Resources for New Musicians of All Ages http://www.MakingMusicNow.com

MUSIC MINI COURSE
by Jan Durrant

If you are just joining us for the continuation of your FREE MUSIC MINI COURSE, please check out our newest additions to our website:

FREE SHEET MUSIC DOWNLOADS
FREE MIDI MUSIC DOWNLOADS
FREE COMPOSER BIOGRAPHIES
FREE VIDEO PIANO LESSONS

All available at:  http://www.MakingMusicNow.com!

Welcome back to Chapter 6 of your Free Music eCourse.  Today we will be discussing Intervals.  Intervals are VERY IMPORTANT in developing the skill to actually read music on ANY instrument.  Whether you play piano, violin, trumpet or autoharp, the same music reading skill applies.  Enjoy!

 ALL ABOUT INTERVALS

An Interval is defined as the distance between two notes (Refer to Chapter 2 of this course: Musical Terms).  The first interval to consider is the interval of a Second, notated as '2nd'.  The second is also referred
to as a 'step' in music reading because it is the distance you can travel on your keyboard or piano from one key to the very next key. 

It is important to learn to read music by INTERVAL rather than by FINGER NUMBER because the fingerings will not be available on all pieces of music that you encounter.  Also, learning to read music by interval enables you to be a much more well rounded pianist because you can start on any given note and read your way through any piece
of music.  If you concentrated too much on just C Position or Middle C Position, you would soon become less able  to read notes in other areas of the staff.

Now look at the series of letter names below.  This series of letters corresponds with your piano or keyboard.  Keys C, D and E are in that sequence right next to each other on your keyboard.  Moving from one note to the next either up or down in a sequential manner is moving by Seconds.  This exercise is written is centered around the concept of the Second, or step.  Place your right hand thumb (finger number 1) on a table top or on your keyboard in front of you.  Your thumb will be resting on C, your second finger will be resting on D and your third finger will be resting on E.  You will be playing interval or distances of a Second throughout this exercise.  Be sure to practice this exercise two different ways:

     1.  Say the Letter Names as you play.

     2.  Say 'Step up' or 'Step Down' as it is written on the music.  

EXERCISE USING AN INTERVAL OF A  'SECOND' :

C D E D / C D E D / E D C D / E D C D / C D E D /   

 
 INTERVAL OF A THIRD

The next interval we will learn is the interval or distance of a third or 3rd.  This is also referred to as a Skip because we are actually skipping over one note to reach the next note on the piano when we play an interval of a third.
 
Intervals of thirds can be read easily because they go from one line note to another line note.  They can also be from one space note to another space note.  In the following space note exercise ALL of the intervals of thirds are both either line notes or both space notes.

Practice the following exercise using thirds the following three ways:

 1.  Place your right hand in the C Position (RH thumb on Middle C). You will be using note names C, D, E and F with finger numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4.

 2.  Say the Letter Name of each note as you play

 3.  Play again and say ‘Skip Up' or ‘Skip Down' as the music indicates.

EXERCISE USING AN INTERVAL OF A 'THIRD':

C E C E / C E C E / D F D F / D F D F / C E C E

         
INTERVALS OF FOURTHS AND FIFTHS

Larger intervals of fourths (4ths) and fifths (5ths) are also found a lot in music.  We will explore these intervals and corresponding exercises later on.  Keep in mind that intervals of fourths and fifths can be identified by the larger distance between these two note intervals.  The interval of the fourth (4th) involves one line note and one space note with a larger distance between them than you found in the similar interval of the second (2nd).

The interval of the fifth (5th) involves either two line notes or two space notes.  Again, this interval of a fifth is similar to a third except there is a greater distance between the two notes than there was between the interval of a third.

If you have an interest in pursuing more learning about Intervals of 2nds, 3rds, 4ths and 5ths,  please go to the link below to find Play Piano Now piano course and CD with complete instructions and audio recordings.

http://www.MakingMusicNow.com

Look for the Final Chapter of the Free Music eCourse next!

Happy Music Making,
Jan Durrant
Publisher
Teacher@MakingMusicNow.com
http://www.MakingMusicNow.com

PS. Don't forget to check out our new FREE SHEET MUSIC, FREE MIDI DOWNLOADS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC, COMPOSERS, and FREE PIANO LESSONS sections at: http://www.MakingMusicNow.com! 

Artist Song Name Composer Composition Instrument