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YOUR MUSIC STARTS HERESmall Steps.
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Big Piano Energy.
A few notes. A new rhythm. That brilliant moment when it clicks. Your next little breakthrough is waiting.
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A LITTLE EVERY DAY GOES A LONG WAYRead it. Play it.
Read it. Play it.
Make it second nature.
One note at a time. Both clefs from the very beginning. Each note moves on after 6 seconds in First steps and 3 seconds in other levels; only recognised notes earn a point.
01 Read the note02 Play on your piano03 Find your flow
MUSIC THEORY · A VISUAL GUIDEGet to know
Get to know
your intervals.
An interval is the distance between two notes. These examples all rise from middle C. Count the letter names for the number, then count semitones for the quality.
One octave, twelve semitones
Each move to the very next key, black or white, is one semitone. E–F and B–C are semitones too.
Choose “Hear” below to hear an interval and highlight its two keys.
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| Semitones | Interval | Notes | Remember | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Perfect unison P1 | C → C | same note | |
| 1 | Minor second m2 | C → D♭ | semitone | |
| 2 | Major second M2 | C → D | whole tone | |
| 3 | Minor third m3 | C → E♭ | ||
| 4 | Major third M3 | C → E | ||
| 5 | Perfect fourth P4 | C → F | ||
| 6 | Augmented fourth / diminished fifth A4 / d5 | C → F♯ / G♭ | tritone | |
| 7 | Perfect fifth P5 | C → G | ||
| 8 | Minor sixth m6 | C → A♭ | ||
| 9 | Major sixth M6 | C → A | ||
| 10 | Minor seventh m7 | C → B♭ | ||
| 11 | Major seventh M7 | C → B | leading note in C major | |
| 12 | Perfect octave P8 | C → C′ | next C |
1. Count the letters
Include both notes: C–D–E is a third. C–D–E–F is a fourth. Sharps and flats do not change the letter count.
2. Name the quality
Unisons, fourths, fifths and octaves belong to the perfect family. Seconds, thirds, sixths and sevenths can be major or minor.
How the qualities change
Diminished→ +1 semitone →Minor→ +1 →Major→ +1 →Augmented
For seconds, thirds, sixths and sevenths: minor is one semitone smaller than major; diminished is one smaller again. Augmented is one larger than major.
Diminished→ +1 semitone →Perfect→ +1 →Augmented
For the perfect family: diminished is one semitone smaller than perfect; augmented is one larger. There is no major or minor fourth or fifth.
Augmented and diminished: the spelling matters
C–F♯ is an augmented fourth; C–G♭ is a diminished fifth. Both span six semitones and sound the same on an equally tuned piano, but their letter names give them different interval numbers.
| Number | Diminished | Minor | Major / perfect | Augmented |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unison | — | — | C · 0 | C♯ · 1 |
| Second | D𝄫 · 0 | D♭ · 1 | D · 2 | D♯ · 3 |
| Third | E𝄫 · 2 | E♭ · 3 | E · 4 | E♯ · 5 |
| Fourth | F♭ · 4 | — | F · 5 | F♯ · 6 |
| Fifth | G♭ · 6 | — | G · 7 | G♯ · 8 |
| Sixth | A𝄫 · 7 | A♭ · 8 | A · 9 | A♯ · 10 |
| Seventh | B𝄫 · 9 | B♭ · 10 | B · 11 | B♯ · 12 |
| Octave | C♭′ · 11 | — | C′ · 12 | C♯′ · 13 |
♭ = flat · ♯ = sharp · 𝄫 = double flat · ′ = next octave. A dash means not applicable in this ascending chart. Diminished unisons are omitted. Some spellings are unusual, but show the naming rule.
Where does the leading note fit?
The leading note is a scale degree, rather than an interval name. In C major it is B: a major seventh above the tonic C, and a semitone below the next C. That small step gives B its pull towards C.
C tonic→ major seventh →B leading note→ semitone →C′ tonic
In A harmonic minor, G♯ is the leading note. In A natural minor, G is a whole tone below A and is called the subtonic.
Start with the sound, check the letters, then count the semitones.
MUSIC THEORY
Time Signatures
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MUSIC THEORY
Key Signatures
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