Intervals with the same number can have different qualities. The quality changes by raising or lowering one of the notes by a half-step.
The following patterns apply to every key.
Seconds
Arrange the music alphabet in fourths:
B – E – A – D – G – C – F
The first two pairs (B-C and E-F) are naturally minor 2ⁿᵈs because they are only one half-step apart. The remaining pairs are naturally major 2ⁿᵈs.
Minor Seconds Major Seconds Major Seconds Major Seconds Minor Seconds Minor Seconds
B-C B-C♯ B♭-C A-B A-B♭ A♯-B
E-F E-F♯ E♭-F D-E D-E♭ D♯-E
G-A G-A♭ G♯-A
C-D C-D♭ C♯-D
F-G F-G♭ F♯-G
Rule
Minor 2ⁿᵈ → Major 2ⁿᵈ
• Raise the 2ⁿᵈ note one half-step.
Examples:
• B–C → B–C♯
• E–F → E–F♯
Major 2ⁿᵈ → Minor 2ⁿᵈ
• Lower the 2ⁿᵈ note one half-step.
Examples:
• A-B → A-B♭
• D-E → D-E♭
Thirds
The same rule applies to thirds.
Minor Thirds Major Thirds Major Thirds Major Thirds Minor Thirds Minor Thirds
B-D B-D♯ B♭-D G-B G-B♭ G♯-B
E-G E-G♯ E♭-G C-E C-E♭ C♯-E
A-C A-C♯ A♭-C F-A F-A♭ F♯-A
D-F D-F♯ D♭-F
Rule
Minor 3ʳᵈ → Major 3ʳᵈ
• Raise the 3ʳᵈ note one half-step.
Example:
• A-C → A-C♯
Major 3ʳᵈ → Minor 3ʳᵈ
• Lower the 3ʳᵈ note one half-step.
Example:
• C-E → C-E♭
Sixths
The same pattern also applies to sixths.
Minor Sixths Major Sixths Major Sixths Major Sixths Minor Sixths Minor Sixths
B-G B-G♯ B♭-G D-B D-B♭ D♯-B
E-C E-C♯ E♭-C G-E G-E♭ G♯-E
A-F A-F♯ A♭-F C-A C-A♭ C♯-A
F-D F-D♭ F♯-D
Rule
Minor 6ᵗʰ → Major 6ᵗʰ
• Raise the 6th note one half-step.
Example:
• A–F → A–F♯
Major 6ᵗʰ → Minor 6ᵗʰ
• Lower the 6ᵗʰ note one half-step.
Example:
• C–A → C–A♭
Sevenths
Again, the same rule applies.
Minor Sevenths Major Sevenths Major Sevenths Major Sevenths Minor Sevenths Minor Sevenths
B-A B-A♯ B♭-A C-B C-B♭ C♯-B
E-D E-D♯ E♭-D F-E F-E♭ F♯-E
A-G A-G♯ A♭-G
D-C D-C♯ D♭-C
G-F G-F♯ G♭-F
Rule
Minor 7ᵗʰ → Major 7ᵗʰ
• Raise the 7ᵗʰ note one half-step.
Example:
• A–G → A–G♯
Major 7ᵗʰ → Minor 7ᵗʰ
• Lower the 7ᵗʰ note one half-step.
Example:
• C–B → C–B♭
Fourths
Unlike seconds, thirds, sixths, and sevenths, fourths are perfect intervals.
Perfect Fourths Dim. Fourths Aug. Fourths Perfect Fourths Aug. Fourths
B-E B-E♭ B-E♯ F-B♭ F-B
E-A E-A♭ E-A♯ F♯-B
A-D A-D♭ A-D♯
D-G D-G♭ D-G♯
G-C G-C♭ G-C♯
C-F C-F♭ C-F♯
Rule
Perfect 4ᵗʰ → Diminished 4ᵗʰ
• Lower the 4ᵗʰ note one half-step.
Example:
• C–F → C–F♭
Perfect 4ᵗʰ → Augmented 4ᵗʰ
• Raise the 4ᵗʰ note one half-step.
Example:
• C–F → C–F♯
Fifths
The same applies to fifths:
Perfect Fifths Dim. Fifths Aug. Fifths Dim. Fifth Perfect Fifth
E-B E-B♭ E-B♯ B-F B-F#
A-E A-E♭ A-E♯
D-A D-A♭ D-A♯
G-D G-D♭ G-D♯
C-G C-G♭ C-G♯
F-C F-C♭ F-C♯
Rule
Perfect 5ᵗʰ → Diminished 5ᵗʰ
• Lower the 5ᵗʰ note one half-step.
Perfect 5ᵗʰ → Augmented 5ᵗʰ
• Sharp the 2ⁿᵈ note
Example:
• C–G → C–G♭
Perfect 5ᵗʰ → Augmented 5ᵗʰ
• Raise the 5ᵗʰ note one half-step.
Example:
• C–G → C–G♯
Narrowed by one half-step ←Original Interval→ Widened by one half-step
Minor Major Augmented
Diminished Minor Major
Diminished Perfect Augmented
Summary
Rather than memorizing every interval, remember the pattern:
Major ↔ Minor
- Raise the 2ⁿᵈ note = Minor → Major
- Lower the 2ⁿᵈ note = Major → Minor
Perfect ↔ Diminished / Augmented
- Lower the 2ⁿᵈ note = Perfect → Diminished
- Raise the 2ⁿᵈ note = Perfect → Augmented