Ear Training 1

unit 4

2013 Musicians Institute

 Unit 4: Intervals
• In this Unit you will learn about:

• Diatonic Interval
P1 MA2 MA3 P4 P5 MA6 MA7 P8
Recognition

• Relative Pitch

• Melodic
Dictation

1-6-2-5-1
 Diatonic Notes
• A simple definition of a diatonic note is to say that a note is diatonic if it
belongs to a parent scale. For example:

The eight pitches (seven notes) of the C Major Scale are all diatonic to the C
Major Scale.

If a pitch is altered within the C Major Scale it would be considered a non-

diatonic note. For example:

b
Lowering the diatonic note E by one half step (by adding a flat) removes it
from the parent scale (C Major) and creates a non-diatonic note (E flat) in
relation to the key of C Major.
 Intervals
• An interval is the specific distance between two pitches. As a musician, being
able to recognize an interval is an essential skill that must be developed on a
daily basis. A great way to start this training is to develop your ability to
recognize the intervals between tonic and every scale degree of the Major
Scale.

• Listen to the intervals of the C Major Scale. Scale degree numbers will be
accompanied by specific interval labeling. Each interval will be played ascending
followed by descending.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 Relative Pitch
• Relative Pitch is a skill that can be developed through a strict regimen
of daily ear training. Developing relative pitch will not give you perfect
pitch but it will greatly improve your ability to play by ear, decipher
melodies and quickly recognize what key a song is in.

• A great way to begin this training is to build a database or repertoire of

popular melodies as a reference.

• Here is a short list of quick references for all Major Scale diatonic
intervals. This unit will focus solely on the Perfect Unison, Perfect
Fourth, Perfect Fifth and Perfect Octave.
P1 One Note Samba P1 One Note Samba
! MA2 5 Happy Birthday MA2 6 Mary Had a Little Lamb
MA3 5 Oh, When the Saints... MA3 6 Summertime
! P4 5 Here Comes the Bride P4 6 I’ve Been Working on the Railroad
P5 5 Star Wars (Main Theme) P5 6 The Flintstones
! MA6 5 NBC Theme MA6 6 Music of the Night
MA7 5 Popular (Nada Surf) MA7 6 I Love You
! P8 5 Somewhere Over the Rainbow P8 6 Bulls on Parade

• The following link provides an extensive list of intervallic references:

Interval Examples
 Perfect Unison (P1)
• When two different voices (or instruments) produce the same pitch at the
same time or when a pitch is repeated by the same voice, this interval is called
a Perfect Unison or P1. A great example of a melody utilizing this interval is
“One Note Samba”. Listen:

This is just a lit - tle sam - ba...

• A good example of two (or more) voices producing the same note at the same
time is the fade out chorus of “Hey Jude” by the Beatles. While there is a
melodically changing melody, all the voices are singing the exact same pitches.
Listen to this instrumental version with multiple instruments playing the
melody in unison. :

Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Hey - ey Jude
 Perfect Fourth (P4)
• A helpful way to recognize an ascending Perfect Fourth (P4) is to hum or sing
the first part of “Here Comes the Bride” (actual title is “Bridal Chorus” from
Wagner’s Lohengrin). For a descending Perfect Fourth, use the first interval of
“I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”.

• Listen to the Perfect Fourth ascending example, “Here Comes the Bride”:

Here comes the bride

P4

• Listen to the Perfect Fourth descending example, “I’ve Been Working on the
Railroad”:
I’ve been Work- ing on the rail road

P4
 Perfect Fifth (P5)
• A helpful way to recognize an ascending Perfect Fifth (P5) is to hum or sing the
first part of “The Star Wars Main Theme”. For a descending Perfect Fifth, use
the first interval of “The Flintstones Theme”.

• Listen to the Perfect Fifth ascending example, “Star Wars Main Theme”:

P5

• Listen to the Perfect Fifth descending example, “The Flintstones Theme”:

Flint - stones meet the Flint - stones

P5
 Perfect Octave (P8)
• A helpful way to recognize an ascending Perfect Octave (P8) is to hum or sing
the first part of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. For a descending Perfect
Octave, use the the guitar riff from “Bulls on Parade” by Rage Against the
Machine.

• Listen to the Perfect Octave ascending example, “Somewhere Over the

Rainbow”:
Some where O - ver the rain bow

P8

• Listen to the Perfect Octave descending example, “Bulls on Parade”:

P8
 Exercise 1
Simple Intervals
• In this exercise you will hear ascending (low to high) and descending (high to
low) melodic intervals (melodic meaning one note followed by another note).
You will only hear the following intervals: P4, P5, P8. Each interval will be played
three times. Write down your answers also indicating if the interval is
ascending or descending. (Example: P56) Answers will be revealed after each
example.
 Exercise 2
• In this exercise you will hear tonic followed by a five-note Major Scale melody.
Each melody will be played three times. Two of the pitches will be provided. You
need to name the missing scale degrees. Remember to “Feel”, “Count” and
“Recall”. Answers will be revealed after each example.

Click space bar or to advance

 Exercise 3
• The following melodies are based on various Major Scales. You will hear tonic
before each example. Sing along using the Number System.

#1 #5
C Major 1 3 2 4 5 Bb Major 1 2 5 4 1

b
b

#2 #6
E Major 1 5 3 2 1 A Major 1 4 3 2 5

# ## ##
# #

#3 #7
Ab Major 1 2 3 5 4 Eb Major 1 8 7 6 1

bb b
bb b b

#4 #8
D Major 1 6 5 3 1 C Major 1 6 2 5 8

#
#
 Assessment #4
This concludes Unit 4 of Ear Training 1.
Your next step is to pass Assessment #4
before moving on to Unit 5.