Music Theory Reference
Music Interval Chart
All 13 intervals from unison to octave. Semitone counts, consonance ratings, famous examples, and how to use each one in music production.
13
Total Intervals
12
Semitones per Octave
5
Perfect Intervals
1
Tritone (most dissonant)
What Is a Music Interval?
A music interval is the distance in pitch between two notes, measured in semitones (also called half steps). Every chord, scale, and melody is built from intervals.
The interval between two notes determines their sound quality: consonant (stable, pleasing) or dissonant (tense, unstable). Understanding intervals lets you predict how notes sound together, write melodies with emotional impact, and understand why chords feel the way they do.
Harmonic Interval
Two notes played at the same time. Forms the basis of chords and harmony.
Melodic Interval
Two notes played one after the other. Forms the basis of melody and scale movement.
Consonance Guide
Perfect
Most stable, no tension
Consonant
Stable and pleasing
Mildly Dissonant
Some tension, wants to resolve
Dissonant
Strong tension, unstable
All 13 Music Intervals
From unison (0 semitones) to octave (12 semitones), with production context for each.
🎯
Perfect Unison P1 0 semitones Perfect
"Identical, full"
Example: Same note played twice
Production use: Doubling tracks, unison layering, choir stacks
😬
Minor Second m2 1 semitones Dissonant
"Tense, harsh, unstable"
Example: C to Db, E to F, B to C
Production use: Chromatic passing notes, horror film stings, lead-ins
➡️
Major Second M2 2 semitones Mildly Dissonant
"Stepwise, neutral, moving"
Example: C to D, G to A, A to B
Production use: Melodic steps, sus2 chords, passing notes in runs
😢
Minor Third m3 3 semitones Consonant
"Sad, dark, soulful"
Example: A to C, E to G, D to F
Production use: Minor chords, blues notes, lo-fi and R&B melodies
😊
Major Third M3 4 semitones Consonant
"Happy, bright, stable"
Example: C to E, G to B, F to A
Production use: Major chords, pop hooks, uplifting melodies
💪
Perfect Fourth P4 5 semitones Consonant
"Strong, open, stable"
Example: C to F, G to C, D to G
Production use: Sus4 chords, bass intervals, perfect for horn stabs
😈
Tritone (Aug 4th / Dim 5th) TT 6 semitones Dissonant
"Unstable, tense, evil"
Example: C to F#, B to F, E to Bb
Production use: Tension in horror, jazz tritone subs, the "devil interval"
🔋
Perfect Fifth P5 7 semitones Consonant
"Powerful, pure, open"
Example: C to G, A to E, D to A
Production use: Power chords, bass/melody pairing, Camelot adjacent keys
🥺
Minor Sixth m6 8 semitones Consonant
"Bittersweet, yearning"
Example: C to Ab, E to C, A to F
Production use: Minor 6 chords, chromatic descents, film score drama
😌
Major Sixth M6 9 semitones Consonant
"Warm, sweet, pleasing"
Example: C to A, G to E, F to D
Production use: Major 6 chords, Dorian mode flavor, lo-fi chord voicings
🎷
Minor Seventh m7 10 semitones Mildly Dissonant
"Jazzy, bluesy, incomplete"
Example: C to Bb, D to C, G to F
Production use: Dominant 7 chords, blues scale, Mixolydian melody
✨
Major Seventh M7 11 semitones Mildly Dissonant
"Dreamy, sophisticated, tense"
Example: C to B, F to E, G to F#
Production use: Maj7 chords, lo-fi and neo-soul voicings, Lydian mode
🔄
Perfect Octave P8 12 semitones Perfect
"Complete, resolved, identical pitch class"
Example: C4 to C5, A3 to A4
Production use: Octave doublings, bass octave layers, vocal harmonies
Quick Reference: All Intervals from C
| Semitones | Note (from C) | Interval Name |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | C | Unison |
| 1 | Db | Minor 2nd |
| 2 | D | Major 2nd |
| 3 | Eb | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | E | Major 3rd |
| 5 | F | Perfect 4th |
| 6 | F#/Gb | Tritone |
| 7 | G | Perfect 5th |
| 8 | Ab | Minor 6th |
| 9 | A | Major 6th |
| 10 | Bb | Minor 7th |
| 11 | B | Major 7th |
| 12 | C | Octave |
How Intervals Build Chords
Every chord is defined by stacked intervals from the root. Knowing intervals lets you build any chord type.
Major Chord
Root + Major 3rd (4st) + Perfect 5th (7st)
C Major = C + E + G
Happy, bright, stable
Minor Chord
Root + Minor 3rd (3st) + Perfect 5th (7st)
A Minor = A + C + E
Sad, dark, emotional
Dominant 7th
Root + M3 (4st) + P5 (7st) + m7 (10st)
G7 = G + B + D + F
Bluesy, tense, jazzy
Major 7th
Root + M3 (4st) + P5 (7st) + M7 (11st)
Cmaj7 = C + E + G + B
Dreamy, sophisticated
Diminished
Root + m3 (3st) + Tritone (6st)
Bdim = B + D + F
Tense, unstable, dark
Augmented
Root + M3 (4st) + Aug 5th (8st)
Caug = C + E + G#
Dreamy, ambiguous, floating
Intervals in Common Scales
| Scale | Intervals (semitones) | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Major (Ionian) | 0-2-4-5-7-9-11 | Bright, happy, resolved |
| Natural Minor (Aeolian) | 0-2-3-5-7-8-10 | Sad, dark, emotional |
| Minor Pentatonic | 0-3-5-7-10 | Blues, rock, versatile |
| Major Pentatonic | 0-2-4-7-9 | Country, pop, uplifting |
| Blues Scale | 0-3-5-6-7-10 | Gritty, soulful, expressive |
| Dorian | 0-2-3-5-7-9-10 | Funky, jazzy, hip-hop |
| Phrygian | 0-1-3-5-7-8-10 | Dark, flamenco, metal |
| Lydian | 0-2-4-6-7-9-11 | Dreamy, film score, ethereal |
| Mixolydian | 0-2-4-5-7-9-10 | Rock, blues, country |
Using Intervals in Production
🎵
Detect Key First
Use BeatKey to detect the key of your sample or reference track, then use the interval chart to find compatible notes. Every note in the scale is a specific interval from the root.
Try it at BeatKey →🎹
Build Chord Progressions
A I-V-vi-IV progression uses intervals of: Root (P1), Perfect 5th (P5), Major 6th (M6), Perfect 4th (P4) from the tonic. Knowing intervals lets you transpose any progression to any key.
🎡
Camelot and the Perfect 5th
In the Camelot Wheel, moving +1 or -1 step equals a Perfect 5th (7 semitones) or Perfect 4th (5 semitones). Adjacent Camelot keys are a 5th apart, which is why they mix well.
Try it at BeatKey →♻️
Tritone Substitution (Jazz)
The tritone (6 semitones) divides the octave exactly in half. In jazz, any dominant chord can be replaced by the dominant chord a tritone away. G7 can be substituted by Db7.
🔊
808 Intervals and Bass Lines
When building a bass line, movement by Perfect 4th (5st) or Perfect 5th (7st) sounds the most stable. Minor 3rd (3st) and Minor 7th (10st) give a bluesy, hip-hop feel.
Try it at BeatKey →🎤
Melody Writing
Stepwise motion (Major 2nd = 2st) sounds smooth and vocal. Leaps of a Major 3rd (4st) or Perfect 5th (7st) sound strong and memorable. Avoid tritone leaps in melodies unless intentional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a music interval?
A: A music interval is the distance in pitch between two notes, measured in semitones. There are 13 intervals from unison (0 semitones, same pitch) to octave (12 semitones, same note one octave up). Every chord and scale is built from combinations of these intervals.
Q: How many semitones is a perfect fifth?
A: A perfect fifth is 7 semitones. From C, a perfect fifth lands on G. It is the second most consonant interval after the octave, and forms the basis of power chords and the Circle of Fifths (where each adjacent key is a 5th apart).
Q: What makes the tritone so dissonant?
A: The tritone (6 semitones) divides the octave exactly in half, creating maximum frequency tension. The two notes create a wave interference pattern that sounds inherently unstable. Medieval music theorists called it "diabolus in musica" (the devil in music) because of its harsh sound. In modern jazz and hip-hop, it is used intentionally for tritone substitutions and tension-building.
Q: What is the difference between a major and minor third?
A: A major third is 4 semitones (for example, C to E) and sounds bright and happy. A minor third is 3 semitones (for example, A to C) and sounds darker and more emotional. This single semitone difference is what makes a major chord sound happy and a minor chord sound sad.
Put Intervals into Practice
Detect key, find chords, build bass lines, and set BPM-synced effects. All free, all in your browser.