Reference
Interval cheat sheet
An interval is the distance between two notes, measured in semitones (half-steps). Learn these twelve and you can identify any sound by ear.
| Semitones | Name | Short | Sound | Song reference (first two notes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Unison | P1 | The same note | — |
| 1 | Minor 2nd | m2 | Tense, leaning, "Jaws" | Jaws theme |
| 2 | Major 2nd | M2 | Stepwise, hopeful | Happy Birthday |
| 3 | Minor 3rd | m3 | Sad, minor-chord 3rd | Greensleeves |
| 4 | Major 3rd | M3 | Happy, major-chord 3rd | When the Saints Go Marching In |
| 5 | Perfect 4th | P4 | Strong, "Here Comes the Bride" | Here Comes the Bride |
| 6 | Tritone | TT / ♯4 / ♭5 | Unstable, "The Simpsons" | The Simpsons theme |
| 7 | Perfect 5th | P5 | Open, powerful, "Star Wars" | Star Wars main theme |
| 8 | Minor 6th | m6 | Dark, longing | The Entertainer (descending) |
| 9 | Major 6th | M6 | Sweet, "NBC chimes" | NBC chimes / My Bonnie |
| 10 | Minor 7th | m7 | Bluesy, dominant-chord 7th | Somewhere (West Side Story) |
| 11 | Major 7th | M7 | Dreamy, jazzy | Take On Me chorus |
| 12 | Octave | P8 | Same note, higher | Somewhere Over the Rainbow |
Interval shapes on one string
On a single string each fret is one semitone, so an interval is just a count. The shapes get more useful when they span two strings — see the diagrams below.
A major scale — every interval relative to A
Inversion shortcut
Flip an interval (move the lower note up an octave) and you get its inversion. The rule:
- Numbers add to 9 (e.g. 3rd ↔ 6th, 4th ↔ 5th, 2nd ↔ 7th).
- Quality flips: major ↔ minor, augmented ↔ diminished, perfect stays perfect.
So a major 3rd inverts to a minor 6th. A perfect 5th inverts to a perfect 4th. Useful for voice-leading.
Practice tip: sing the first two notes of each song reference, then play the named interval on your guitar. After a week you'll identify intervals by ear instantly.