Musical Intervals

Pitch distances between two notes, classified by size and quality from unison to octave.

Core Principles & Analysis

• The octave, a 2:1 frequency ratio, is treated as pitch equivalence in nearly every musical culture.
• Intervals are named by counting staff positions plus a quality such as major, minor, or perfect.
• The tritone divides the octave exactly in half and was dubbed 'diabolus in musica' by medieval theorists.