📏 Interval Calculator
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Major Third
Semitones
4
Short Name
M3
Quality
Major
Inversion
Minor Sixth (m6)
📖 About this Interval
Defines major chords. Creates a happy, bright, consonant sound.
Famous Examples:
- When the Saints Go Marching In
- Kumbaya
- Oh When the Saints
Common Uses: Major chords, happy melodies, consonant harmony
🎹 Visual Representation
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
First Note Second Note
📚 Interval Reference
0stPerfect Unison
P1
1stMinor Second
m2
2stMajor Second
M2
3stMinor Third
m3
4stMajor Third
M3
5stPerfect Fourth
P4
6stTritone
A4/d5
7stPerfect Fifth
P5
8stMinor Sixth
m6
9stMajor Sixth
M6
10stMinor Seventh
m7
11stMajor Seventh
M7
📖 How to Use
- Select notes: Choose a lower note and a higher note
- View interval: See the interval name, semitones, and quality
- Listen: Play the interval harmonically (together) or melodically (in sequence)
- Learn: Read about the interval's characteristics and famous examples
- Quick reference: Click any interval in the reference list to see examples
🎼 Music Theory
Intervals are the distance between two musical pitches. They are the building blocks of melody and harmony in music.
Harmonic intervals occur when two notes are played simultaneously. Melodic intervals occur when notes are played in sequence.
Quality: Intervals can be Perfect (P), Major (M), Minor (m), Augmented (A), or Diminished (d). Perfect intervals include unisons, 4ths, 5ths, and octaves. Major and minor intervals include 2nds, 3rds, 6ths, and 7ths.
Inversion: When you flip an interval (make the lower note higher), you get its inversion. For example, a major 3rd inverts to a minor 6th.
💡 Tips:
- Perfect 5ths are the foundation of most Western harmony
- Major 3rds create happy, bright sounds
- Minor 3rds create sad, dark sounds
- Tritones (augmented 4th/diminished 5th) create tension and want to resolve
- Octaves sound like the "same" note but higher or lower