Travis Schilling Bass Lessons © 2017

Intervals101

Intervals are the building blocks of music. Having a complete and comprehensive understanding of intervals will enable the student to grasp the melodic and harmonic principles of music with confidence as well open up the ability to musically navigate the fingerboard with the most economical approaches possible. The term interval is used to define the distance and relationship between two notes. Below we will study all of the intervals within the one-octave range of the fingerboard. The geometric patterns and fingerings of intervals on the bass remain constant in every key so to play the same interval in another key simply move your starting note and use the same pattern and fingering. IntervalCategories: Within the one octave range we will find five specific interval categories they are as follows. • Major • Minor • Perfect • Augmented • Diminished For a complete understanding of intervals, we must learn how intervals are generated. The two fundamental intervals that all other intervals can be based from are major and perfect intervals, by altering these two intervals using ascending or descending semi-tones (1 fret) we can produce the three remaining interval types. See the example below for a better understanding. • Lowering any Major interval by a semi-tone produces a Minor interval. • Lowering any Perfect interval by a semi-tone produces a Diminished interval. • Raising any perfect interval by a semi-tone produces an Augmented interval. IntervalInversions: Memorizing both the ascending and descending variations of an interval is important, as they are not the same. Example: From ‘G’ up to ‘E’ is a major sixth interval; from ‘G’ down to ‘E’ is a minor third interval. Inverted intervals always change quality (major to minor, minor to major, augmented to diminished, diminished to augmented), and the two intervals will always add up to nine. For instance, up a major seventh is the same as down a minor second (7+2=9). An inverted perfect interval (unison, fourths, fifths and octaves) will remain perfect, but will still add up to 9 (up a perfect 4th is the same as down a perfect 5th). A great way to get acquainted with intervals can be done by analyzing the relationships between notes of the chromatic scale. Below we have the chromatic scale written out first with all sharp variations of the notes then with all the flat variations of the notes.

Travis Schilling Bass Lessons © 2017

Chromatic Scale Sharp Variation

Chromatic Scale Flat Variation

The enharmonic spelling of notes will result in several intervals that are identical in pitch but different in name. The following graphic breaks down the intervals contained within the two one octave chromatic scales above as well as their proper names.

The following graphic breaks down all ascending intervals and their inversions.

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? w w# w w# w w# w# w w# w w# w

? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb

Intervals COMPOSER

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? w wb wn wb wn w wb wn wb wn wb wn

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Sharp Variations Interval Name Flat Variations Interval Name Semi-TonesC C# Augmented Unison C Db Minor 2nd 1C D Major 2nd 2C D# Augmented 2nd C Eb Minor 3rd 3C E Major 3rd 4C E# Augmented 3rd C F Perfect 4th 5C F# Augmented 4th C Gb Diminshed 5th 6C G Perfect 5th 7C G# Augmented 5th C Ab Minor 6th 8C A Major 6th 9C A# Augmented 6th C Bb Minor 7th 10C B Major 7th C Cb Diminshed Unison 11C C Octave 12

Ascendingintervals IntervalName Inversions IntervalNameC UpTo Db Minor2nd C DownTo Db Major7thC UpTo D Major2nd C DownTo D Minor7thC UpTo Eb Minor3rd C DownTo Eb Major6thC UpTo E Major3rd C DownTo E Minor6thC UpTo F Perfect4th C DownTo F Perfect5thC UpTo Gb Diminished5th C DownTo Gb Diminshed5thC UpTo G Perfect5th C DownTo G Perfect4thC UpTo Ab Minor6th C DownTo Ab Major3rdC UpTo A Major6th C DownTo A Minor3rdC UpTo Bb Minor7th C DownTo Bb Major2ndC UpTo B Major7th C DownTo B Minor2nd

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IntervalGeometricPatterns

Because of the geometric nature of the bass there are often multiple methods for applying any particular interval to the fingerboard. The following examples represent the most common ways that the intervals above are applied to the bass. Major 2nd:

Minor 2nd or Augmented Unison:

Major 3rd:

? w wb wn wb wn w wb wn wb wn wb wn

? w w# w w# w w# w# w w# w w# w

? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb

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? w wb wn wb wn w wb wn wb wn wb wn

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? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb

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? w wb wn wb wn w wb wn wb wn wb wn

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? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb

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Travis Schilling Bass Lessons © 2017

Minor 3rd or Augmented 2nd:

Perfect 4th:

Augmented 4th / Diminished 5th:

Perfect 5th:

? w wb wn wb wn w wb wn wb wn wb wn

? w w# w w# w w# w# w w# w w# w

? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb

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? w wb wn wb wn w wb wn wb wn wb wn

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? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb

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? w wb wn wb wn w wb wn wb wn wb wn

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? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w? w w# wb? w w? w w# wb

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? w wb wn wb wn w wb wn wb wn wb wn

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Travis Schilling Bass Lessons © 2017

Augmented 5th / Minor 6th:

Major 6th:

Major 7th/Diminished Unison or Octave:

Minor 7th / Augmented 6th:

Study the above interval patterns in all keys and be sure to memorize their proper spelling.

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2 Intervals

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2 Intervals

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Travis Schilling Bass Lessons © 2017