Regarding Interval Qualities

[nagukush]

Hi Friends !

I hope everything is well !

Firstly I'd like to thank you all for being so kind and helpful. All your replies and advices have really charged me up to learn more and more ! Thanks again for it

Just wanted to ask something about intervals naming -

I have learnt that an Interval has a NAME - 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc (which is determined by no of scale degrees it spans) and QUALITY - Maj, min, Perfect (which is determined by the number of semi-tones it contains) - Kindly correct me if I'm wrong or If have understood things in a wrong way...

I have also learnt that When a Major Interval is increased by a ST it becomes Augmented, when its decreased by a ST it becomes Minor. Similarly a Minor becomes Major when increased by a ST and Diminshed when decreased by a ST.

Regarding naming intervals - I wanted to know whether all Minor Intervals can be called as "Flat" ? Because I've read m2nd written as flat 2nds in some places and the Dim5th as flat5 in certain places...

So how exactly does this "naming system" work ?

1. Can all Minor Intervals be called as "Flat" ?
2. Are all flat intervals - "Minor" ?

I'm sorry if I'm thinking too much - actually I'm currently learning all about Intervals and I really want to go deep into the subject. I've learnt most of the concepts (I hope) and I've also learnt theior shapes and locations on a Fretboard.

Kindly advice.

Take care Friends and Have a Great and safe Weekend !
Thanks and Lots of Regards
Kush

[JonR]

I have learnt that an Interval has a NAME - 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc (which is determined by no of scale degrees it spans) and QUALITY - Maj, min, Perfect (which is determined by the number of semi-tones it contains) - Kindly correct me if I'm wrong or If have understood things in a wrong way...

I have also learnt that When a Major Interval is increased by a ST it becomes Augmented, when its decreased by a ST it becomes Minor. Similarly a Minor becomes Major when increased by a ST and Diminshed when decreased by a ST.

All correct.
You left out perfect intervals, which are augmented when increased by a ST, diminished when reduced by a ST.

Regarding naming intervals - I wanted to know whether all Minor Intervals can be called as "Flat" ? Because I've read m2nd written as flat 2nds in some places and the Dim5th as flat5 in certain places...

So how exactly does this "naming system" work ?

1. Can all Minor Intervals be called as "Flat" ?
2. Are all flat intervals - "Minor" ?

This system is a kind of lazy shorthand based on comparison with the major scale - which consists entirely of perfect and major intervals. As long as you understand that reference point the system works, but it can get confusing because it has no relation to the actual use of sharp and flat signs in notation.

So the major scale intervals are referred to as "1-2-3-4-5-6-7" (short for major 2nd, major 3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, major 6th, major 7th).
In comparison, therefore, a minor scale is said to have a "b3" (and a b6 and b7).
That means the C in the A minor scale, or the A in F# minor, is a "b3", just as the Eb in the C minor scale is.
The locrian mode is said to have a "b5" (diminished 5th) - whether or not the note in question is actually flat. (The 5th of B locrian is F natural.)
Whereas the Bb in the Gb major scale is a "3" (major 3rd). So it's a flat note but not a "b3".

The system can be useful, but it does depend on making the context clear.

[nagukush]

Hello Sir,

Thanks for the explanation. I'll just study that and ask any questions that I have...

Meanwhile also wanted to ask one more thing - I recently read that "Intervals that are inversions of each other have a very close relationship in the TONAL SYSTEM"

I dont really understand this, I mean what is the "TONAL SYSTEM" and how are these Inversions closely related.

Kindly advice.
Thanks and Regards
Kush

[BillyJack]

I'm no wizard when it comes to language but here's my take on it!

Tonal system is just a formal term meaning, a series of tones in a language. In a musical context, it's a catagory term meaning a series of tones in a scale.

Replace the term TONAL SYSTEM with Major Scale and the sentence may make more sense.

"{Major} Intervals that are inversions of each other have a very close relationship in the MAJOR SCALE"

You could just as easily replace it with any other scale name. To my understanding, that's why they used the term TONAL SYSTEM.