Musical Intervals – Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing the types, sizes, qualities and inversion rules of musical intervals as explained in the lecture notes.

Interval (Aralık)

The distance in pitch between two notes, measured in scale steps and semitones.

Simple Interval

An interval smaller than one octave (1-8).

Compound (Katlı) Interval

An interval larger than an octave (9-13), created by adding 7 to a simple interval.

Unison (T1 / E2)

Two different note names sounding the same pitch; distance of 0 semitones.

Major Second (M2)

Distance of 1 whole tone (2 semitones).

Minor Second (m2)

Distance of 1 semitone.

Diminished Second (E2)

Unison spelled as a second; 0 semitones.

Augmented Second (A2)

Distance of 3 semitones (1 ½ tones).

Double-Augmented Second (ÇA2)

Distance of 4, 5 or 6 semitones depending on degree of “very augmented.”

Major Third (M3)

Distance of 2 whole tones (4 semitones).

Minor Third (m3)

Distance of 1 ½ tones (3 semitones).

Diminished Third (E3)

Distance of 1 whole tone (2 semitones).

Very Diminished Third (ÇE3)

Distance of 1 semitone or unison, depending on degree.

Augmented Third (A3)

Distance of 2 ½ tones (5 semitones).

Very Augmented Third (ÇA3)

Distance of 6, 7 or 8 semitones depending on degree.

Perfect Fourth (T4)

Distance of 2 ½ tones (5 semitones).

Diminished Fourth (E4)

Distance of 2 tones (4 semitones).

Very Diminished Fourth (ÇE4)

Distance of 1 ½, 1 or ½ tone depending on degree.

Augmented Fourth (A4)

Distance of 3 tones (6 semitones).

Very Augmented Fourth (ÇA4)

Distance of 7–10 semitones depending on degree.

Perfect Fifth (T5)

Distance of 3 ½ tones (7 semitones).

Diminished Fifth (E5)

Distance of 3 tones (6 semitones).

Very Diminished Fifth (ÇE5)

Distance of 5, 4, 3 or 2 semitones depending on degree.

Augmented Fifth (A5)

Distance of 4 tones (8 semitones).

Very Augmented Fifth (ÇA5)

Distance of 9–11 semitones depending on degree.

Major Sixth (M6)

Distance of 4 ½ tones (9 semitones).

Minor Sixth (m6)

Distance of 4 tones (8 semitones).

Diminished Sixth (E6)

Distance of 3 ½ tones (7 semitones).

Very Diminished Sixth (ÇE6)

Distance of 6, 5 or 4 semitones depending on degree.

Augmented Sixth (A6)

Distance of 5 tones (10 semitones).

Very Augmented Sixth (ÇA6)

Distance of 11–13 semitones depending on degree.

Major Seventh (M7)

Distance of 5 ½ tones (11 semitones).

Minor Seventh (m7)

Distance of 5 tones (10 semitones).

Diminished Seventh (E7)

Distance of 4 ½ tones (9 semitones).

Very Diminished Seventh (ÇE7)

Distance of 8, 7 or 6 semitones depending on degree.

Augmented Seventh (A7)

Distance of 6 tones (12 semitones).

Very Augmented Seventh (ÇA7)

Distance of 13–15 semitones depending on degree.

Perfect Octave (T8)

Distance of 6 tones (12 semitones); also called a perfect 8th.

Diminished Octave (E8)

Distance of 11 semitones.

Very Diminished Octave (ÇE8)

Distance of 10, 9 or 8 semitones depending on degree.

Augmented Octave (A8)

Distance of 13 semitones.

Very Augmented Octave (ÇA8)

Distance of 14–16 semitones depending on degree.

Major Ninth (M9)

Compound interval equal to M2 + 1 octave; 14 semitones.

Minor Ninth (m9)

Compound interval equal to m2 + 1 octave; 13 semitones.

Diminished Ninth (E9)

Compound interval of 12 semitones.

Very Diminished Ninth (ÇE9)

Compound interval of 11, 10 or 9 semitones.

Augmented Ninth (A9)

Compound interval of 15 semitones.

Very Augmented Ninth (ÇA9)

Compound interval of 16–18 semitones.

Major Tenth (M10)

Compound interval equal to M3 + 1 octave; 16 semitones.

Minor Tenth (m10)

Compound interval equal to m3 + 1 octave; 15 semitones.

Diminished Tenth (E10)

Compound interval of 14 semitones.

Very Diminished Tenth (ÇE10)

Compound interval of 13, 12 or 11 semitones.

Augmented Tenth (A10)

Compound interval of 17 semitones.

Very Augmented Tenth (ÇA10)

Compound interval of 18–20 semitones.

Perfect (Tam, T) Quality

Interval quality applied to 4ths, 5ths and octaves; neither major nor minor.

Major (Majör, M) Quality

Larger form of seconds, thirds, sixths and sevenths.

Minor (minör, m) Quality

Smaller form of seconds, thirds, sixths and sevenths.

Augmented (Artmış, A) Quality

One semitone larger than perfect or major.

Diminished (Eksilmiş, E) Quality

One semitone smaller than perfect or minor.

Very Augmented (Çok Artmış, ÇA)

More than one semitone larger than augmented; can have several degrees.

Very Diminished (Çok Eksilmiş, ÇE)

More than one semitone smaller than diminished; can have several degrees.

Interval Inversion (Çevrim)

Moving the lower note up an octave or the upper note down an octave; the two sizes add to 9.

Inversion Rule – Size

Second ↔ Seventh, Third ↔ Sixth, Fourth ↔ Fifth, Unison ↔ Octave.

Inversion Rule – Quality

Perfect ↔ Perfect; Major ↔ Minor; Augmented ↔ Diminished.

Example Inversion

M3 inverted becomes m6 (3 + 6 = 9; major turns to minor).

Katlı Aralık (Compound Interval) Rule

Add 7 to the simple interval number when the top note is raised one octave (e.g., 3rd + 7 = 10th).

Semitone (Yarım Ses)

The smallest distance used in this system; two semitones equal one whole tone.

Whole Tone (Tam Ses)

Distance of 2 semitones.

Accidental

Symbol (♯, ♭, ♮, 𝄪, 𝄫) that raises or lowers pitch and affects interval size until the barline.