Interval Identification Chart
An interval is the distance between two notes. Link each interval to the opening of a song you know and you'll recognise what you hear much faster. ↑ plays melodic (one after the other), ⇅ harmonic (together). All start from C.
| Semitones | Interval | Song 1 | Song 2 | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minor 2nd | Jaws | Für Elise (E–D♯) | |
| 2 | Major 2nd | Happy Birthday | Frère Jacques | |
| 3 | Minor 3rd | Smoke on the Water (G–B♭) | Greensleeves | |
| 4 | Major 3rd | When the Saints Go Marching In | Kumbaya | |
| 5 | Perfect 4th | Here Comes the Bride | Amazing Grace | |
| 6 | Tritone | The Simpsons | Maria (West Side Story) | |
| 7 | Perfect 5th | Star Wars (ana tema) | Twinkle Twinkle Little Star | |
| 8 | Minor 6th | The Entertainer (E–C) | Manhã de Carnaval (Black Orpheus) | |
| 9 | Major 6th | My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean | NBC chimes | |
| 10 | Minor 7th | Star Trek (orijinal tema) | Somewhere (West Side Story) | |
| 11 | Major 7th | Don't Know Why (Norah Jones) | — | |
| 12 | Octave | Somewhere Over the Rainbow | — |
Five minutes a day: have a friend (or an app) play random intervals and match each to its song. Start with just 4ths, 5ths and octaves; add the 3rds later.
Find examples from music you grew up with, too: what interval opens your favourite folk song?
Transcribing Walkthrough
Transcribing (working a recording out by ear) is the most effective way to grow as a musician. Work systematically:
- Go short: start with a 4–8 second phrase. A simple riff or vocal melody is ideal.
- Slow it down: use a tool that keeps the pitch (YouTube at 0.5×, Transcribe!, Amazing Slow Downer, Audacity "Change Tempo"). 50–75% speed is ideal.
- Chart the rhythm first: ignore pitches, tap your foot and sing the pattern ("da-da-daa"), then write it in slash/rhythm notation.
- Find the first and last notes: play a note along with the recording, moving fret by fret until the "wobble" disappears (the method from the tuning lesson).
- Follow the contour: is the next note higher or lower? A small step or a leap? This is where the interval chart pays off.
- Guess the key: once you have a few notes, ask which scale fits (often minor or major pentatonic). The rest will usually come from it.
- Choose the position: the same pitch exists in 3–5 places on the neck. Look for the most playable one the original guitarist might have used (open strings and bends are clues).
- Write the TAB and compare: play your version along with the recording. Mark what doesn't match and repeat.
Can't find a note? Sing it first. Finding a pitch you can hold with your voice is far faster than hunting on the guitar.