Interval ear training
Interval ear training is learning to recognize the distance between two notes just by hearing them: a major 3rd, a perfect 5th, a tritone. It’s the basis for playing melodies by ear and singing in tune. Here the site plays two notes and you name the interval. Start with just 3rds and 5ths and unlock all twelve, tritone included.
Your best score is saved on this device only.
On a computer: keys 1–3 answer, R replays the sound and Enter goes to the next one.
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What’s the interval?
How to practice intervals
- Choose the level and how the notes will sound: ascending is the easiest; together (harmonic interval) is the hardest.
- Tap Start and listen to the two notes. You can play them again as many times as you like.
- Answer by name. If you miss, the site plays the right interval and you can compare it with your answer.
- Use the song table below: singing the start of a familiar song in your head is the fastest way to recognize each interval.
Intervals and reference songs
| Interval | Semitones | Ascending | Descending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minor 2nd | 1 | “Jaws” theme (John Williams) | “Für Elise” (Beethoven), the first two notes |
| Major 2nd | 2 | “Happy Birthday”, from “Happy” to “birth” | “Yesterday” (The Beatles), “Yes-ter” |
| Minor 3rd | 3 | “Smoke on the Water” (Deep Purple), the riff | “Hey Jude” (The Beatles), “Hey Jude” |
| Major 3rd | 4 | “When the Saints Go Marching In”, “Oh when” | Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, “da-da-da-dum” |
| Perfect 4th | 5 | “Here Comes the Bride” (Wagner, Lohengrin) | “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” (Mozart) |
| Tritone | 6 | “Maria” (West Side Story), “Ma-ri” | — |
| Perfect 5th | 7 | “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”, “Twinkle, twin-” | — |
| Minor 6th | 8 | “The Entertainer” (Scott Joplin), from the 3rd to the 4th note | — |
| Major 6th | 9 | “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”, “My Bon-” | — |
| Minor 7th | 10 | “Somewhere” (West Side Story), “There’s a” | — |
| Major 7th | 11 | — | — |
| Octave | 12 | “Over the Rainbow” (The Wizard of Oz), “Some-where” | — |
Interval FAQ
What is an interval in music?
It’s the distance between two notes, counted by note names (C to E is a 3rd, C to G is a 5th) and measured in semitones, which give the quality: a major 3rd has 4 semitones, a minor 3rd has 3. When the notes sound one after the other it’s a melodic interval; together, a harmonic one.
Which interval should I learn first?
The major 3rd, the minor 3rd and the perfect 5th: they’re the notes of major and minor chords, the ones you hear most. Then the perfect 4th and the octave, then 2nds and 6ths, and finally the 7ths and the tritone.
What is the tritone?
It’s the interval of three whole steps (6 semitones), exactly in the middle of the octave: from C to F♯, for example. It can be called an augmented 4th or a diminished 5th. It sounds tense and unstable, and it’s the heart of the dominant seventh chord.
Why is it harder to recognize an interval with the notes together?
Because the ear gets both at once and has to separate them. Start with ascending notes, then descending, and only then together. A tip: in harmonic intervals, pay attention to the feeling (consonant and calm, like the 5th, or rough, like the minor 2nd).
How long does it take to recognize all intervals?
With 10 minutes a day, most people reliably recognize ascending 3rds, 4ths and 5ths within a few weeks. All twelve intervals in any direction usually take a few months. Short, frequent rounds pay off more than long sessions.