Online Music Interval Calculator

Calculate the distance between two musical notes in semitones and cents. This calculator helps musicians, composers, and music theory students understand the intervals between notes in a musical scale.

What is a Music Interval?

A music interval is the distance between two musical notes. It's measured in semitones (half-steps) and cents (hundredths of a semitone). Understanding intervals is fundamental to music theory and composition.

In Western music, there are 12 semitones in an octave. A semitone is the smallest interval that changes the pitch of a note. A cent is 1/100th of a semitone, providing a more precise measurement of interval size.

Types of Intervals

Intervals can be classified as:

Perfect intervals: Unison (0 semitones), Fourth (5 semitones), Fifth (7 semitones), Octave (12 semitones)
Major intervals: Major Second (2 semitones), Major Third (4 semitones), Major Sixth (9 semitones), Major Seventh (11 semitones)
Minor intervals: Minor Second (1 semitone), Minor Third (3 semitones), Minor Sixth (8 semitones), Minor Seventh (10 semitones)

How to Use the Calculator

Using the online music interval calculator is simple:

Select the first note from the dropdown menu
Select the second note from the dropdown menu
Click the "Calculate" button
View the results showing the interval in semitones and cents

Formula used: The interval between two notes is calculated by finding the difference in their positions on the chromatic scale. For example, the interval between C and D is 2 semitones.

Common Musical Intervals

Here's a table showing common musical intervals and their measurements:

Interval Name	Semitones	Cents
Unison	0	0
Minor Second	1	100
Major Second	2	200
Minor Third	3	300
Major Third	4	400
Perfect Fourth	5	500
Tritone	6	600
Perfect Fifth	7	700
Minor Sixth	8	800
Major Sixth	9	900
Minor Seventh	10	1000
Major Seventh	11	1100
Octave	12	1200

How the Calculator Works

The online music interval calculator uses the following steps to determine the interval between two notes:

Identify the position of each note on the chromatic scale (C = 0, C# = 1, D = 2, etc.)
Calculate the absolute difference between the two positions
Convert the semitone difference to cents by multiplying by 100
Display the results in both semitones and cents

Example calculation: If you select C (position 0) and E (position 4), the interval is 4 semitones (400 cents).

FAQ

What is the difference between semitones and cents?

A semitone is the smallest interval that changes the pitch of a note. A cent is 1/100th of a semitone, providing a more precise measurement of interval size. For example, a major second is 2 semitones (200 cents).

How do I use the calculator for notes in different octaves?

The calculator automatically calculates the interval between any two notes regardless of their octave. For example, the interval between C4 and C5 is the same as between C and C (an octave).

What is the largest interval the calculator can measure?

The calculator can measure intervals up to 12 semitones (an octave). Larger intervals can be calculated by subtracting 12 semitones from the total.