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to Members' HomeAnd Rochford very kindly produced this list of intervals and popular pieces of music that we should know so that we can have a practice at getting intervals right. I've added sound to it so that we can try and get them into our heads.
Andy Miller
Note
Remember that an interval is the the number of full notes between two notes including the note you are on. Therefore you nver hear of an interval called a 1st - it is the same note and an 8th is an octave.
Intervals Going Up
| Interval | Hear it | Songs |
| Minor 2 | The Entertainer, chromatic scales, Stormy Weather, White Christmas | |
| Major 2 | Frere Jacques, Major scale, Silent Night, Happy Birthday | |
| Minor 3 | Greensleeves, Jingle Bells, The Impossible Dream | |
| Major 3 | When the Saints Go Marching In, Kum BaYah, While shepherds watched their flocks by night | |
| Perfect 4 | Amazing Grace, Here Comes the Bride, O Christmas Tree, Auld Lang Syne | |
| Diminished 5 | Maria (West Side Story), The Simpsons | |
| Perfect 5 | Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Star Wars, My Favorite Things | |
| Minor 6 | The Entertainer, Chopin Waltz in C#-, She's a Woman (Beatles), What if God was One of Us?, ‘Where do I begin?’ (Love Story) | |
| Major 6 | My Bonnie lies over the ocean, Take the A Train, My Way, It Came upon a Midnight Clear | |
| Minor 7 | There’s a Place for Us (Somewhere), top of the Dominant 7th chord, Star Trek | |
| Major 7 | Superman Theme, O Terra Addio (Aida) | |
| Perfect 8 | Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Paper Moon |
Intervals Going Down
| Interval | Hear it | Songs |
| Minor 2 | Joy to the World, Fur Elise, All Through the Night | |
| Major 2 | Mary Had a Little Lamb, Three Blind Mice, the First Noel, Yesterday, Misty, Scooby Do | |
| Minor 3 | Star Spangled Banner, This Old Man, Hey Jude, Girl from Ipanema, Jesus Loves Me | |
| Major 3 | Good Night Ladies, Beethoven’s 5th, Summer Time and Livin’ is Easy | |
| Perfect 4 | Old McDonald, Mickey Mouse Club Theme, Base Ball Chant, Born Free, All of Me, Pachelbel Canon | |
| Perfect 5 | Flintstones, Bach Minuet in G, People Will Say We're in Love, Star Spangled Banner (1st to 3rd) | |
| Minor 6 | Love Story Theme, Sicilienne (Schumann) | |
| Major 6 | Nobody Know the Trouble I’ve Seen, Over There, Music of the Night, Narcissus | |
| Minor 7 | None but the Lonely Heart | |
| Major 7 | Down an octave and up 1 semitone | |
| Perfect 8 | There’s No Business like Show Business, Hot Cross Buns |
TOP OF PAGE
Practical Application
We all get times when we have to get a note from "nowhere" - an example (which I just happened to have on my PC) is from Stainer's Crucifixion. The end of God So Loved the World and the beginning of Cross of Jesus has no indication of our starting notes. You can click the image to hear it.
We have two options - to come in a bit late when the next person has sung the note - this could be disasterous if they are doing the same thing and is definitely not recommended! Or we can grab the bull by the horns and work ot what our next note is.
Sopranos
You have to get from a D up to an A (D, E, F, G, A - a perfect 5th) so
think Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and you've got your first note of the
next bit.
Altos
You have to get from a D down to C# (D, C# - a minor 2nd)
so think Joy to the World and you've got your first note of the next
bit.
Tenors
You have to get from an F# up to an A (F#, G, A - a minor 3rd)
so think Greensleeves and you've got your first note of the next
bit.
Basses
You have to get from af D down to an A (D, C, B, A- a perfect 4th)
so think Born Free and you've got your first note of the next
bit.
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