![]() Intervals are like pixels on a computer screen – the more accurately you can measure intervals, the more accurate your picture of music will be: If you haven’t yet mastered your interval arithmetic – then intervals are holding you back. We need to measure everything out to the semitone. They simply count out the numbers from the root – they might play a 7th up from the root – but they won’t be thinking ‘minor 7th’ or ‘major 7th’ – they just count up 7 notes, which isn’t accurate enough. Other times, if we’re at the piano – I’ll watch their playing – and I can see that they’re not measuring the intervals with complete accuracy. You need to be SO good at this – that you can answer any interval question in less than half a second – and without needing assurance that you have the right answer – you need to KNOW that you have the right answer, just as you KNOW that 2+2=4. OR – they’ll say the correct answer, but with a rising tone (as though asking a question) – “D?” Often they’ll get the right answer, but it takes a few seconds (which is too long). I’ll go through a few quick questions – “what’s a minor 6th above F#?”. Usually the response is “pretty good” – but when I dive deeper, it turns out that most musicians are no where near confident enough, or quick enough, at measuring intervals. When I first meet with a new music student, my first question is always – “how are you with intervals?” (even before saying “how do you do” or anything else – I like to get straight to the point). How well do you REALLY know your intervals? So the faster you can count intervals – the faster your playing will be.Īnd the faster you can count intervals – the less energy you’ll spend learning new concepts – you’ll ‘get it’ just like that. This step cannot be skipped – you have to become ACCURATE – and FAST – at measuring them.Įvery chord voicing is a stack of intervals. To become a great musician, you have to be disciplined about intervals. But if you want to understand music theory, compose your own music, play jazz, and become a truly great musician – then mastering intervals is essential – and the sooner you do this, the more it will pay off every time you play. If you’re only interested in reading music, then that’s one thing. What is a scale? It’s a series of intervals. What is a chord voicing? It’s a stack of intervals. Intervals are everything in music – as a creative player, you’re measuring out intervals all day long. ![]() The ‘Holy Grail’ Of All Music Exercises:Īccompanying download for this lesson: Interval Trainer MP3 tracks.Īs a musician, the one thing you’ll be doing on a daily basis, more than anything else – is measuring intervals.
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