6 String Freedom

Part 3: Hear and measure relationships · Lesson 021 / 117

An interval needs a reference

Today’s one thing

Describe the distance from one named pitch to another.

An interval is the relationship in pitch between two notes. Start with a reference note and compare another note with it. Today we will measure only semitone distance.

On the B string, play C at fret 1 and E at fret 5. The movement is four frets, so E is four semitones above C. Play C again before E to keep the reference audible. Then reverse the order: the downward distance is still four semitones, but the direction has changed.

Playing two notes one after the other lets you hear a melodic interval. Playing them together lets you hear a harmonic interval. Those words describe how the two sounds are presented, not a different distance.

Keep the reference clear. A note does not have one permanent interval name independent of its partner. E has one relationship to C and a different relationship to D. Later, this will help explain how one melody note can have different jobs as chords change.

Hear it

Interval Reference

Audio file

Four-beat count-in · 60 BPM · Warm sampled electric guitar. Listen once before playing along.

A concrete example

B string: C at fret 1 to E at fret 5 = four semitones up. D at fret 3 to E at fret 5 = two semitones up.

Fretboard view

High E (string 1) is the top line, matching guitar tablature. Select a note to hear it.

Reference noteCompared noteChanged / destination note
One string, two distances
C to D is two frets; C to E is four.
Guitar fretboard diagram: One string, two distances. High E string on top, frets 1 to 5. Notes C, D, E.
Use C as the reference. Move from B-string fret 1 to frets 3 and 5, then listen.
Play notes from a larger button list

One small map at a time. Hear the notes, then play the example without looking.

Try it, slowly

  1. Play C–E, returning to C between comparisons.
  2. Play D–E and compare its smaller movement.
  3. Say both distances without counting the departure fret as one.

Check one idea

Is E always “four semitones” by itself?

Show the explanation

No. Four semitones describes E above C in this example. Above D it is two semitones. State the reference.

A good place to stop

You can give the reference, direction and semitone distance for a simple pair.

Return to the example after a short break. A clear explanation matters more than speed.