June 8th
Guitar Practice Log 12 - Notes on Intervals
I. Warmup
Tension + Relaxation + Lats Exercise
II. Music Theory
Read Complete Musician chapter on Intervals.
III. Technique
Tirando + Apoyando Drills
Rasgueado
IV. New Repertoire
Continue Work in Bourree
== Review
I. Warmup (9 mins)
II. Music Theory (45 mins)
Interval Notes:
Generic intervals are referred to by ordinals with the first letter of the scale being the "First" and the last letter of the scale being the "Seventh." Intervals up to an octave are "simple" and beyond an octave are "compound."
To know the quality of an interval you need to know the specific size - i.e. number of semitones. Intervals are grouped into two different categories:
1. Perfect Intervals
Unison, Fourth, Fifth, and Octaves.
2. Major/minor Intervals:
All the rest.
A major interval increased by a half step is known as an augmented interval.
A major interval decreased by a half step is known as a minor interval.
A major interval decreased by two half steps is known as a diminished interval.
Major, minor, and perfect intervals can be transformed into augmented and diminished intervals.
(A unison can only be augmented.)
Major and minor intervals can never be perfect, and perfect intervals can never become major or minor.
When one moves the lower pitch up an octave, or the higher pitch down an octave, one has inverted the interval.
Notes about inversion:
i) Inversion can go in either direction
ii) The inversion of generic intervals always sums to 9
iii) Perfect intervals keep their quality when inverted, but quality is swapped for augmented/diminished and major/minor intervals.
iv) The number of half steps between inverted intervals always sums to 12.
unison <-> octave (1 + 8 = 9)
second <-> seventh (2 + 7 = 9)
third <-> sixth (3+6 = 9)
fourth <-> fifth (4+5 = 9)
perfect <-> perfect
augmented <-> diminished
major <-> minor
There are enharmonic intervals just like there are enharmonic pitches, and the name chosen for an interval depends on musical context.
Consonant vs. Dissonant Intervals.
Consonant Intervals:
diatonic forms of the:
-unison
-third
-fifth (perfect only)
-sixth
-octave
Stable consonants:
Perfect: P1, P5, P8
Imperfect: M3, m3, M6, m6.
Dissonant Intervals:
-second
-fourths
-seventh
-all diminished and augmented intervals.
(Q: are all minor intervals dissonant? May a minor third and 6th is consonant)
III. Technique (20 mins)
- Tremolo still sounds super choppy
- Rasgueado Improved tremendously - I can strike and then relax pretty quickly now.
IV. New Repertoire (25 mins)