About Harmonic Interval Ear Training

Harmonic intervals occur when two notes sound simultaneously, creating a unique "color" or quality. This is fundamentally different from melodic intervals where notes are heard one after another. Harmonic interval recognition is crucial for chord analysis, voice leading, and understanding vertical harmony.

Who Is This For?

This exercise is more challenging than melodic interval recognition and is ideal for intermediate to advanced musicians. It's particularly valuable for pianists, composers, arrangers, and anyone who needs to analyze chord voicings by ear.

How to Practice

Focus on the "color" or quality of each interval rather than trying to separate the notes melodically. Perfect consonances (unison, octave, 5th) sound stable and "hollow." Imperfect consonances (3rds, 6ths) sound warm and full. Dissonances (2nds, 7ths, tritone) sound tense and unstable.

Harmonic Interval Characteristics

P1 (Unison): One sound, no interval color
m2/M2: Maximum dissonance, "crunchy," cluster sound
m3/M3: Warm, foundational chord quality (minor vs major)
P4: Hollow, medieval, can sound dissonant in some contexts
TT: Maximum instability, wants to resolve, "devilish"
P5: Very stable, "open," power chord sound
m6/M6: Sweet, inverted 3rds, common in melodies
m7/M7: Jazzy, rich, leading tone tension (M7)
P8 (Octave): Reinforcement, same note in different registers