Music Intervals Chart
An interval is the distance between two notes, measured in semitones. Choose a root note below to see the note each interval reaches, then press play to hear it melodically and harmonically.
Choose a root note
How intervals work
Interval names combine a quality (perfect, major, minor) with a number (second, third, fourth…). The number counts letter names from the root; the quality tells you the exact size in semitones. For example, a major third is 4 semitones and a perfect fifth is 7 semitones.
Inverting an interval means moving the lower note up an octave. Qualities swap (major ↔ minor, perfect stays perfect) and the numbers of an interval and its inversion always add up to nine: a major third inverts to a minor sixth, a perfect fourth to a perfect fifth. The tritone (6 semitones) inverts to itself.
Frequently asked questions
What is an interval in music?
An interval is the distance in pitch between two notes, measured in semitones (half steps). Intervals are named by quality and number, such as minor third (3 semitones) or perfect fifth (7 semitones).
What is a tritone?
The tritone is the interval of 6 semitones — three whole tones — exactly half an octave. It can be spelled as an augmented fourth or a diminished fifth and is famous for its tense, unstable sound.
How do interval inversions work?
To invert an interval, move the lower note up an octave. The interval number and its inversion always add up to nine, and major intervals become minor (and vice versa), while perfect intervals stay perfect.
