Ear training: intervals
InputConfig is completely free on the Mac App Store.
Press Play, listen to the two notes, and pick the interval. Choose which intervals to practice below, and the score keeps count.
Intervals to practice
Keys: Space or Enter plays, R repeats.
Song starts that help
| Interval | Rising, a tune that starts with it |
|---|---|
| Major 2nd | Happy Birthday, the second and third notes |
| Major 3rd | When the Saints Go Marching In |
| Perfect 4th | Here Comes the Bride |
| Perfect 5th | Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, from the second note to the third |
| Major 6th | My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean |
| Octave | Somewhere over the Rainbow |
Use songs you can hear clearly in your head. Start with three intervals that sound far apart, and add one more only when you get them right most of the time.
Practice with your own instrument
Once you can name an interval, play it. The online piano works from your computer keyboard or a MIDI keyboard, and the piano chords page shows how intervals stack into chords.
How this fits with InputConfig
These pages are for practice in the browser. InputConfig adds the Mac side: a MIDI keyboard or pad can press shortcuts and turn pages, and a game controller can play MIDI notes and CC into GarageBand or Logic Pro.
Play a game controller as a MIDI instrument shows it step by step. InputConfig is free on the Mac App Store.
More music practice
Questions
How do I train my ear for intervals?
Start with two or three intervals that sound very different, such as a major third, a perfect fifth and an octave. Add more once you get them right most of the time.
What songs help me remember intervals?
Many players tie each interval to the start of a tune they know. The table on this page lists common examples. Pick ones you know well, because the trick only works with songs you can hear in your head.
What is the difference between melodic and harmonic intervals?
Melodic means the two notes play one after the other. Harmonic means they play together. Harmonic intervals are harder at first.
How long should I practice?
Short, regular sessions of a few minutes tend to work better than one long one. That is a common practice tip, not a rule.
Related
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