Ear training intervals: hear all 12
Pick an interval, listen, and learn the song that helps you remember it. Then test yourself with the mixed quiz below.
A musical interval is the distance between two notes, counted in semitones (half steps): from the minor second (1 semitone) to the octave (12 semitones). Recognising intervals by ear is the core of relative pitch, and every interval below can be played up, down and together.
Play every interval from C
Mixed interval quiz
Six intervals from all over the octave. Pick the name of each one.
Score: / 6 (your score updates as you answer)
Interval chart: semitones, examples and songs
| Interval | Semitones | From C | Song (up) | Song (down) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minor second | 1 | C to D♭ | Jaws (Main Title) | Für Elise (Beethoven) |
| Major second | 2 | C to D | Happy Birthday to You Frère Jacques | Mary Had a Little Lamb Three Blind Mice |
| Minor third | 3 | C to E♭ | Greensleeves Smoke on the Water (Deep Purple) | Hey Jude (The Beatles) The Star-Spangled Banner |
| Major third | 4 | C to E | When the Saints Go Marching In Kumbaya | Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven) |
| Perfect fourth | 5 | C to F | Here Comes the Bride (Bridal Chorus, Wagner) Amazing Grace Auld Lang Syne | Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Mozart) |
| Tritone | 6 | C to F♯ | Maria (West Side Story) The Simpsons Theme | Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath) |
| Perfect fifth | 7 | C to G | Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star Star Wars (Main Title) | – |
| Minor sixth | 8 | C to A♭ | The Entertainer (Scott Joplin) | – |
| Major sixth | 9 | C to A | My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean NBC chimes | – |
| Minor seventh | 10 | C to B♭ | Somewhere (West Side Story) Star Trek (original series theme) | – |
| Major seventh | 11 | C to B | – | – |
| Octave | 12 | C to C | Over the Rainbow (The Wizard of Oz) Take Me Out to the Ball Game | – |
Frequently asked questions
How many intervals are there in music?
Within one octave there are 12 interval sizes, from 1 semitone (minor second) to 12 (octave), plus the unison (0). Some sizes have two names depending on spelling, such as the tritone (augmented fourth or diminished fifth).
What is the easiest way to learn intervals by ear?
Link each interval to the opening of a song you know (a reference song), then practise with short daily quizzes that play random intervals. Start with very different intervals (octave, fifth, third), then add the close pairs.
What is the difference between melodic and harmonic intervals?
Melodic: the two notes are played one after the other (up or down). Harmonic: they are played together. Both have the same size in semitones but feel different, so train both.
Do I need perfect pitch to recognise intervals?
No. Interval recognition is relative pitch: you judge the distance between notes, not their absolute names. It can be learned at any age.