Note Intervals Calculator
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Reviewed by Calculator Editorial Team
Calculate the distance between any two musical notes in semitones and fractions. This tool helps musicians, music theorists, and composers understand the relationships between notes in a musical scale.
What is a Note Interval?
A note interval is the distance between two musical notes. In Western music, intervals are measured in semitones, which are the smallest steps between notes. A semitone is the difference between two adjacent notes in a chromatic scale (e.g., C to C#).
Intervals can be classified as perfect, major, minor, augmented, or diminished, depending on their size and quality. For example, a perfect fifth is 7 semitones, while a major third is 4 semitones.
How to Calculate Note Intervals
To calculate the interval between two notes:
- Identify the pitch class (letter name) of each note (e.g., C, D, E).
- Count the number of semitones between them.
- Determine the interval quality (perfect, major, minor, etc.) based on the number of semitones.
Formula
Interval (semitones) = (Number of semitones from C for the higher note) - (Number of semitones from C for the lower note)
For example, the interval between C and G is 7 semitones, which is a perfect fifth.
Common Note Intervals
Here are some common intervals and their semitone values:
| Interval Name | Semitones | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Minor 2nd | 1 | C to C# |
| Major 2nd | 2 | C to D |
| Minor 3rd | 3 | C to E♭ |
| Major 3rd | 4 | C to E |
| Perfect 4th | 5 | C to F |
| Perfect 5th | 7 | C to G |
| Octave | 12 | C to C |
How to Use This Calculator
To use the note intervals calculator:
- Select the first note from the dropdown menu.
- Select the second note from the dropdown menu.
- Click "Calculate" to see the interval in semitones and its name.
- View the result and chart showing the interval.
This calculator assumes equal temperament tuning, where each semitone is exactly 100 cents. For other tuning systems, results may vary.
FAQ
- What is the difference between a major and minor interval?
- A major interval is larger than its minor counterpart by one semitone. For example, a major third is 4 semitones, while a minor third is 3 semitones.
- How do I calculate the interval between two notes in different octaves?
- Subtract the semitone value of the lower note from the semitone value of the higher note. If the result is greater than 12, subtract 12 to find the equivalent interval in the lower octave.
- Can this calculator handle microtonal intervals?
- This calculator is designed for equal temperament tuning and does not support microtonal intervals.
- What is the largest interval in Western music?
- The largest interval in Western music is the octave, which spans 12 semitones.