Intervals · Music Theory
Major & minor 2nds and 3rds
Two intervals can share a name but not a size. Counting letters gives the name — 2nd, 3rd. Counting half steps gives the quality: major for the wider one, minor for the narrower one.
Plain prints every note in black, without the color coding.
Listen
Play each example here, or download it as an MP3 (audio) or a MIDI file.
2nds: wide and narrow
- Major 2nd: C up to D, then together0:10
- Minor 2nd: E up to F, then together0:10
- Back to back: major 2nd C–D, minor 2nd E–F0:10
3rds: bright and dark
- Major 3rd: C up to E, then together0:10
- Minor 3rd: E up to G, then together0:10
- Back to back: major 3rd C–E, minor 3rd E–G0:10
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Free to use in your own lessons and practice. Made by the teachers at Tissimo.