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What Are Intervals? Intervals Come From Scales
An interval is the pitch distance between two notes. Intervals come from scales. Scales come from overtones. So intervals determine how chords sound, as well as how a tune (melody) sounds. Below is a flow diagram showing the pathway from tones to overtones to scales and intervals to tunes and chords.
Whether a tune is interesting or boring depends on its arrangement of intervals, not individual notes.
Not only that, but, as you’ll soon see, intervals determine how chords sound, and whether a chord progression imbues a piece of music with purpose and feeling ... or fails to.
Only when you get to intervals does the possibility of music even arise.
Here’s a little flow diagram that summarizes these relationships (Figure 17). The arrows mean “give rise to”:
FIGURE 17: Pathway to Tunes and Chords