Music Interval Calculator – Find Notes by Interval
Calculate musical intervals and find resulting notes
How to Use
- Select your starting note (C, D, E, F, G, A, B, or sharps/flats)
- Choose the interval (unison, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, octave)
- Select ascending or descending direction
- Click calculate to see the resulting note
What are Musical Intervals?
A musical interval is the distance between two notes. Intervals are fundamental to music theory and are measured in semitones (half steps). Understanding intervals helps musicians read music, play by ear, and compose melodies.
Intervals can be ascending (moving up) or descending (moving down) and are named based on the number of letter names they span and their quality (major, minor, perfect, augmented, or diminished).
Common Musical Intervals
| Interval Name | Semitones | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Unison | 0 | C to C |
| Minor 2nd | 1 | C to C# |
| Major 2nd | 2 | C to D |
| Minor 3rd | 3 | C to Eb |
| Major 3rd | 4 | C to E |
| Perfect 4th | 5 | C to F |
| Tritone | 6 | C to F# |
| Perfect 5th | 7 | C to G |
| Minor 6th | 8 | C to Ab |
| Major 6th | 9 | C to A |
| Minor 7th | 10 | C to Bb |
| Major 7th | 11 | C to B |
| Octave | 12 | C to C (higher) |
How to Use This Calculator
This calculator helps you quickly find the resulting note when moving by a specific interval from a starting note. Simply select your starting note, choose the interval you want to move, and select whether you're moving up (ascending) or down (descending).
This is particularly useful for transposing melodies, building chords, understanding scale relationships, and practicing interval recognition.
Practical Applications
- Transposing music to different keys
- Building chords and harmonies
- Learning and practicing interval ear training
- Understanding scale construction
- Composing melodies with specific interval patterns
- Analyzing existing musical pieces
- Teaching music theory concepts
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between ascending and descending intervals?
- Ascending intervals move upward from the starting note to a higher pitch, while descending intervals move downward to a lower pitch. For example, C to E is an ascending major 3rd, while C to Ab is a descending major 3rd.
- What is a semitone?
- A semitone (also called a half step) is the smallest interval in Western music. It's the distance between two adjacent keys on a piano, such as C to C# or E to F. Twelve semitones equal one octave.
- Why are some notes shown with both sharp and flat names?
- Some notes can be named using either sharps (#) or flats (b) - these are called enharmonic equivalents. For example, C# and Db are the same pitch but have different names depending on the musical context.
- What is a tritone?
- A tritone is an interval of exactly six semitones, spanning three whole tones. It's also called an augmented 4th or diminished 5th. Historically, it was considered dissonant and was called 'diabolus in musica' (the devil in music).