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interval
interval. The ‘distance’ between 2 notes is called an ‘interval’, i.e. the difference in pitch between any 2 notes. The ‘size’ of any interval is expressed numerically, e.g. C to G is a 5th, because if we proceed up the scale of C the 5th note in it is G. The somewhat hollow-sounding 4th, 5th, and octave of the scale are all called perfect. They possess what we may perhaps call a ‘purity’ distinguishing them from other intervals. The other intervals, in the ascending major scale, are all called major (‘major 2nd’, ‘major 3rd’, ‘major 6th’, ‘major 7th’).
If any major interval be chromatically reduced by a semitone it becomes minor; if any perfect or minor interval be so reduced it becomes diminished; if any perfect or major interval be increased by a semitone it becomes augmented. Enharmonic intervals are those which differ from each other in name but not in any other way (so far as modern kbd. instruments are concerned). As an example take C to G♯ (an augmented 5th) and C to A♭ (a minor 6th). Compound intervals are those greater than an octave, e.g. C to the D an octave and a note higher, which may be spoken of either as a major 9th or as a compound major 2nd. Inversion of intervals is the reversing of the relative position of the 2 notes defining them. It will be found that a 5th when inverted becomes a 4th, a 3rd becomes a 6th, and so on. It will also be found that perfect intervals remain perfect (C up to G a perfect 5th; G up to C a perfect 4th, etc.), while major ones become minor, minor become major, augmented become diminished, and diminished become augmented. Every interval is either concordant or discordant. The concordant comprise all perfect intervals and all major and minor 3rds and 6ths; the discordant comprise all augmented and diminished intervals and all 2nds and 7ths. It therefore follows that all concordant intervals when inverted remain concordant and all discordant intervals remain discordant. Musical examples of intervals are shown above. |
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MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "interval." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "interval." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-interval.html MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "interval." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-interval.html |
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interval
interval in music, the difference in pitch between two tones. Intervals may be measured acoustically in terms of their vibration numbers. They are more generally named according to the number of steps they contain in the diatonic scale of the piano; e.g., from C to D is a second, C and D being the first two notes of the scale of C. The fourth, fifth, and octave are termed perfect intervals as they have a characteristic sonority quite unlike any other interval. An interval between two natural notes, neither note being a sharp or a flat, is a major interval; if it is reduced by a semitone, it becomes minor. If a perfect or a minor interval is made half a step smaller it is called diminished, and when half a step larger, augmented. An interval may also be expressed by means of the ratio of the frequencies of its two tones. For example, the octave may be expressed by the ratio 2:1 because its upper tone has a frequency twice that of its lower tone. |
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"interval." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "interval." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-interval.html "interval." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-interval.html |
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interval
in·ter·val / ˈintərvəl/ • n. 1. an intervening time or space: after his departure, there was an interval of many years without any meetings the intervals between meals were very short. 2. a pause; a break in activity: an interval of mourning. ∎ Brit. an intermission separating parts of a theatrical or musical performance. ∎ Brit. a break between the parts of an athletic contest: leading 3-0 at the interval. 3. a space between two things; a gap. ∎ the difference in pitch between two musical sounds. PHRASES: at intervals 1. with time between, not continuously: the light flashed at intervals. 2. with spaces between: the path is marked with rocks at intervals. DERIVATIVES: in·ter·val·lic / ˌintərˈvalik/ adj. |
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Cite this article
"interval." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "interval." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-interval.html "interval." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-interval.html |
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interval
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T. F. HOAD. "interval." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "interval." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-interval.html T. F. HOAD. "interval." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-interval.html |
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interval
interval The time elapsing between two geologic events. See also POLARITY INTERVAL.
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AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "interval." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "interval." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-interval.html AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "interval." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-interval.html |
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interval
interval •Ethel • lethal • brothel • betrothal
•Cavell, cavil, gavel, gravel, ravel, travel
•Havel, larval, marvel, Marvell, rondavel
•bedevil, bevel, devil, dishevel, kevel, level, revel, split-level
•daredevil • she-devil • eye level
•naval, navel
•coeval, evil, Khedival, medieval, primeval, retrieval, shrieval, upheaval
•civil, drivel, shrivel, snivel, swivel
•carnival • Percival • perspectival
•festival • aestival (US estival)
•adjectival, arrival, deprival, genitival, imperatival, infinitival, outrival, relatival, revival, rival, substantival, survival
•archival
•grovel, hovel, novel
•oval
•approval, removal
•Lovell, shovel
•interval • serval • narwhal
•coequal, equal, prequel, sequel
•bilingual, lingual, monolingual, multilingual
•rorqual • Hywel
•Daniel, spaniel
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"interval." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "interval." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-interval.html "interval." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-interval.html |
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