Ear Training: Songs to Practice Intervals

By
William Aleman
,

10 min read

Songs to Memorize Intervals

Recognizing intervals is a fundamental skill for any musician, whether you're a producer, composer, or performer. Your ability to identify intervals can significantly accelerate your music production process and elevate your creative output.

Why interval recognition is important:

  • Efficient music production: Quickly translate your musical ideas into sound.
  • Enhanced improvisation: Spontaneously create melodic and harmonic lines.
  • Accelerated learning: Learn new songs by ear more efficiently.
  • Improved compositional skills: Write music with greater precision and intention.

The best and most fun way to learn interval recognition is to associate specific intervals with memorable songs. Here we’ll look at all intervals is western music, both ascending and descending, to help you identify intervals.

Songs to Memorize Ascending Intervals

Unison

Interval Ear Training Unison

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Unison

The unison is the same note repeated. We hear it in the first two notes of the Happy Birthday song and at the start of the Beatles' classic “Let It Be”.

Minor Second

The minor second, a half-step interval, is the smallest distance between two notes in Western music. Its distinctive sound is often associated with tension and dissonance due to the close proximity of the note notes.

There are a few very famous examples of this interval, both as ascending and descending which makes it easier to insantöy recognize. 

Ascending Minor 2nd

Interval Ear Training Ascending Minor second

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Ascending Minor 2nd

The major second, a two-semitone interval, is a cornerstone of Western music. It's a versatile interval, capable of conveying both tension and resolution, depending on its musical context. Whether it's the bright, uplifting quality in a major scale or the driving force in a blues progression, the major second plays a significant role in shaping the emotional impact of music.

Major Second

Ascending Major 2nd

Interval Ear Training Ascending Major Second

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Ascending Major 2nd

Minor Third

The minor third is an important element in establishing the overall mood and character of a piece of music. It's particularly crucial in identifying key centers and recognizing different musical modes. 

Ascending Minor 3rd

Interval Ear Training Ascending Minor Third

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Ascending Minor 3rd

Major Third

The major third is often characterized by its bright, consonant quality, adding clarity and stability to chords and melodies. Recognizing the major third is essential for understanding the harmonic structure of music. 

Ascending Major 3rd

Interval Ear Training Ascending Major Third

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Ascending Major 3rd

Duff McKagan’s legendary bass riff starts in a Major Third interval in the intro.

Perfect Fourth

There’s no shortage of well-known perfect fourth intervals to help you remember the sound of it to quickly identify it. 

Ascending Perfect 4th

Interval Ear Training Ascending Perfect Fourth

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Ascending Perfect 4th

Perfect Fifth

The perfect fifth is recognized for its strong, resonant quality. Some of the most famous examples of the perfect fifth can be heard in film scores.

Ascending Perfect 5th

Interval Ear Training Ascending Perfect Fifth

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Ascending Perfect 5th

Diminished Fifth/ Augmented Fourth/ Tritone

The minor seventh is often characterized by its dissonant, tension-inducing quality. While its use in modern pop and rock music is less common, it plays a significant role in genres like jazz, metal and film scores, where its ability to create tension and drama is highly valued. 

Ascending Diminished 5th

Interval Ear Training Ascending Tritone Diminished Fifth

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Ascending Tritone

Legend has it that in the middle ages the tritone was considered  "diabolus in musica" or "the devil in music" and was therefore banned for composers to use by the ruling church.

Minor Sixth

The minor sixth, a nine-semitone interval, is a versatile interval that can convey a wide range of emotions. It often possesses a melancholic or wistful quality, making it a popular choice for expressive melodies and harmonies.

Ascending Minor 6th

Interval Ear Training Ascending Minor Sixth

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Ascending Minor Sixth

Major Sixth

The major sixth, while a major interval, has a mournful quality to it. 

Ascending Major 6th

Interval Ear Training Ascending Major Sixth

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Ascending Major Sixth

Minor Seventh

Ascending Minor 7th

Interval Ear Training Ascending Minor Seventh

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Ascending Minor 7th

Major Seventh

Ascending Major 7th

Interval Ear Training Ascending Major Seventh

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Ascending Major 7th

Octaves

Ascending Octave

Interval Ear Training Ascending Octaves

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Ascending Octave

Songs to Memorize Descending Intervals 

Minor Second

Descending Minor 2nd

Descending Minor 2nd

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Descending Minor 2nd

Major Second

Descending Major 2nd

Interval Ear Training Descending Major Second

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Descending Major 2nd

Minor Third

Descending Minor 3rd

Interval Ear Training Descending Minor Third

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Descending Minor 3rd

Opening notes: In D minor, F - D

The first two words of the song are in a descending minor interval

Major Third

Descending Major 3rd

 Interval Ear Training Descending Major Third

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Descending Major 3rd

One of the most well known openings in music history is a descending major third. 

Perfect Fourth

Descending Perfect 4th

Interval Ear Training Descending Perfect Fourth

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Descending Perfect 4th


Perfect Fifth

Descending Perfect 5th

Interval Ear Training Descending Perfect Fifth

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Descending Perfect Fifth

Diminished fifth/ Augmented fourth/ Tritone

Descending Diminished 5th

 Interval Ear Training Descending Tritone Diminished Fifth

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Descending Tritone

Minor Sixth

Descending Minor 6th

Interval Ear Training Descending Minor Sixth

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Descending Minor 6th

Major Sixth

Descending Major 6th

 Interval Ear Training Descending Major Sixth

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Descending Major 6th

Minor Seventh

Descending Minor 7th

Interval Ear Training Descending Minor Seventh

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Descending Minor 7th

Major Seventh

Descending Major 7th

Interval Ear Training Descending Major Seventh

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Descending Major 7th

Octave

Descending Octave

Interval Ear Training Descending Octaves

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Descending Octave

Once you've become comfortable with recognizing ascending and descending two-note intervals, it's time to identify two notes playing at the same time.

This involves listening to two notes played together and identifying the interval between them. This skill is crucial for understanding chord progressions, harmonic structure, and the overall sonic landscape of music.

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