Click hereIntervals: Let's talk relationship (page 2 of 2)
Dr. Keys: Well, they're called sharps and flats, and for now, we can ignore them. That's because we'll be playing "in the key of C," which basically means we're sticking to the white keys. So what’s the name of this interval?
Cate: An eighth?
Dr. Keys: Good try, Cate—that was a trick question, actually. We call it an octave. “Oct,” of course, means “eight.” Notice anything interesting about two notes that are an octave apart?
Cate: They have the same name.
Dr. Keys: That's right. When you travel an octave you end up at the same note at a higher or lower level.
Cate: Got it. Any other tricky interval names?
Dr. Keys: Well, not really, but a second is also called a step. Each name has certain advantages, so you'll need to remember both.
And that's about it for this lesson. Next stop: chords!