Intervals

Examples for identifying whole/half steps, melodic, and harmonic intervals.

Interval ID: All Simple Intervals (Melodic)

Interval ID: All Simple Intervals (Harmonic)

Interval ID: Compound Intervals (Harmonic)

Interval ID: Whole/Half Steps

Identify all of the whole and half steps between consective melodic intervals. Label each as W or H. If it is neither, leave the interval blank.

1) Maria Theresia von Paradis, No. 2, “Sophia an Siegwart,” mm. 9–15

From 12 Lieder (1786)

[Image | MuseScore | mp3]

2) Schönberg, Claude-Michel, “Do You Hear the People Sing?”
From Les Miserables (1980)

[PDF | Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:04–0:16]

3) Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, “When I am Dead, My Dearest,” mm. 5–18 (vocal part)
From 6 Sorrow Songs, Op. 57, No. 2 (1906)

[Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:09–0:33]

4) Carly Simon, “You Belong To Me,” mm. 4–11
From Boys in the Trees (1978)

[Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:17–0:35]

5) Joseph Bologne, Rondeau, mm. 104–111
From String Quartet Op. 1, No. 1 (1771), violin 1 melody

[Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 5:13–5:25]

6) Stephen Sondheim, “Everybody's Got the Right,” mm. 55–70
From Assassins (1990)

[Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 1:59–2:24]

7) Elijah Daniel Smith, No. 3, “Rain,” mm. 10–14

From Songs of War (2017)

[PDF | Image | MuseScore | mp3]

8) Elijah Daniel Smith, “I Have a Rendezvous With Death,” No. 5, mm. 14–17

From Songs of War (2017)

[PDF | Image | MuseScore | mp3]

9) Joan Tower, String Force for solo violin (2010), mm. 22–27.

Modified: written down an octave; harmonic voices removed. [PDF | Image | MuseScore | mp3]

Interval ID: All Simple Intervals (Melodic)

Identify all of the melodic intervals above the staff by size and quality (e.g. m3, P4). Includes P1–P8.

1) John Williams, “Somewhere in My Memory”

From the film Home Alone (1990) [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 1:06–1:33]

2) Sophie B. Hawkins, “As I Lay Me Down,” chorus

From Whaler (1995), written by Sophie B. Hawkins. [Image | YouTube: 0:25–0:48]

3) Kurt Weill, “Schickelgruber,” mm. 42–57

Lyrics by Howard Deitz (1942) [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 1:59–2:17]

4) Leonard Bernstein, “Somewhere”

From the musical West Side Story (1957) [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 1:45–2:07]

5) Fun, “Carry On,” chorus

From Some Nights (2012), written by Jeff Phasker, Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost, Jack Antonoff [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 1:45–2:07]

6) Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, “Something Wonderful,” refrain
From the musical The King and I (1951). [PDF | Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:53–1:22]

7) John Williams, Main Theme

From the film Schindler's List (1994)

[Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:15–1:07]

8) Chinese Folksong, “Gently Flowing Stream” (Shao Hua Tang Shui)

Yunnan Province, China [Image | MuseScore | mp3]

9) Pink, “Just Give Me A Reason,” chorus

From The Truth About Love (2012), music and lyrics by Jeffrey Bhasker, Alecia Moore, and Nate Ruess [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:51–1:13]

10) Benson Boone, “Slow it Down,” chorus
From Fireworks & Rollerblades (2024), written by Jason Evigan, Connor McDonough, Riley McDonough, Benson Boone & Jack LaFrantz

[PDF | Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:59–1:22]

11) Dolores White, That Black Reef (2003), mm. 9–15

[PDF | Image | MuseScore | mp3]

Interval ID: All Simple Intervals (Harmonic)

Identify all of the harmonic intervals that occur between the voices by size and quality (e.g. m2, P5). Includes P1–P8.

1) Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, “Viking Song,” mm. 39–42
Lyrics by David McKee Wright (1911) [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:45–0:53]

2) Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, “Shallow,” chorus
From the film A Star Is Born (2018), music and lyrics by Lady Gaga, Andrew Wyatt, Anthony Rossomando, and Mark Ronson
[Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 2:04–2:24]

3) Léo Delibes, “Duo des fleurs,” mm. 35–42
From the opera Lakmé (1883), lyrics by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:37–1:01]

4) Georg Philipp Telemann, “Canonic Sonata No. 1: Allegro,” mm. 1–9
From 18 Canons Mélodieux (1738) [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:03–0:11]

5) Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, “Oh, the Summer,” mm. 3–10

Lyrics by Isabel Ecclestone Mackay (1911) [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:02–0:11]

Interval ID: Compound Intervals (Harmonic)

Identify all of the harmonic intervals that occur between the voices by size and quality (e.g. m10, P12). Includes both compound and simple intervals.

1) Maria Theresia von Paradis, “Das Gärtnerliedchen aus dem Siegwart,” mm. 13–23
From Zwölf Lieder auf ihrer Reise in Musik gesetzt (1786), lyrics by Johannes Martin Miller [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:29–0:50]

2) Florence Price, “The Deserted Garden,” mm. 1–4 (1933)

Directions: Label the harmonic intervals between the violin melody and the lowest note in the bass. [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:10–0:27]

3) Patti Smith, “Broken Flag,” mm. 5–8
From Wave (1979), additional lyrics and music by Carl Smith and Lenny Kaye

Directions: Label the harmonic intervals between the vocal melody and the bass. [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:15–0:30]

4) Béla Bartók, “No. 28: Canon at the Octave”
From Mikrokosmos Vol. I (1939) [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:10–0:27]

5) Jeanine Tesori, “Ring of Keys,” mm. 18–26
From the musical Fun Home (2013), lyrics by Lisa Kron

Directions: Label the harmonic intervals between the vocal melody and the lowest note in the bass. [Image | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:36–0:51]

6) Frank Zappa, “Waltz for Guitar” (1958), mm. 1–7, arranged for 2 voices

Directions: Label the harmonic intervals between the two staves. [PDF | Image File | MuseScore | YouTube: 0:08–0:19]

7) Traditional Song: Hopei Province, China, “Poor Sze Bbei,” mm. 14–20

Directions: Label the harmonic intervals above the staff. [PDF | Image | MuseScore | mp3]

8) Rebbeca Clark, Two Pieces For Viola (or Violin) And Cello, mm. 1–8

Directions: Label the harmonic intervals above the staff. [PDF | Image | MuseScore | mp3]

More Examples

Yale Musical Examples Database: See the "Others" tab at the bottom.

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