3rd, 5ths, perfect 4ths?!?

Clayspun

New member
Can someone explain to me what these mean? I know a handful or two of scales and the notes on the board and like 3 modes of every scale I know but nothing about theory. Theory truly interests me and I've tried looking it up but seems like I find something that skips what the 3rds and 5ths actuLly mean. :doh:
 
minor 2nd
major 2nd
minor3rd
major3rd
perfect 4th
aug 4th
perfect 5th
minor 6th
major 6th
minor 7th
major 7th
Octave

There are your intervals^
The root, 3rds and 5ths are your basic chord, i.e. ACE
A is root
C is a minor 3rd above the root
E is the perfect 5th above the root

A lot of rock/metal only plays the root and fifth (which is technically NOT a chord, as you need 3 notes for the chord)

Perfect 4th is basically a 5th inverted; a 4th below ACE is the E
 
The Trooper by Iron Maiden is a good example of how to apply this info.

The opening riff has harmony guitars in 3rds, sometimes minor 3rd or major 3rd depending on the note you need to keep it in the scale:


e-----------------------------
B-----------------------------
G-----------------------------
D-----------------------------
A-7--7-7-5----5--5-5-3-------
E-----------7-----------5-----

Harmonized in thirds

e-----------------------------
B-----------------------------
G-----------------------------
D-----------------------------
A-10--10-10-9----9--9-9-7---
E--------------10----------8-
 
Bronco":2rcgbdxp said:
crankyrayhanky":2rcgbdxp said:
Yes, that is it!
Aren't 2nds refered to as "9ths" though? :confused:

It depends on the pitch

E>F is a minor 2nd, but put that F an octave up and it is a minor 9th, for example:

  • ROOT E
    minor 2nd F
    major 2nd
    minor3rd
    major3rd
    perfect 4th
    aug 4th
    perfect 5th
    minor 6th
    major 6th
    minor 7th
    major 7th
    OCTAVE E
    minor 9th F
    major 9th


Or in guitar speak:
  • open low E >1st fret F is a 2nd
    open lowE > 13th fret F is a 9th
 
Cool man, thanks for clearing that up for me. Really wish I paid attention more in music class in school. I was probably busy skipping music class to play guitar but I shoulda went here and there.
 
Honestly I don't think his question was answered. The reason a major third is what it is, is because it's the 3rd note up the major scale from the root. Minor 3rds,7th etc is that number of notes up the minor scale. Perfect 4th and 5th are perfect because they are both the same in both minor and major scales. Sorry fir the necro bump.
 
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I get what you're saying, but that may confuse the crap out of most newbies... unless of course OP has taken classes during the last 2 years since his post.
 
Here's some popular chord diagrams with the roots (1), fifths (5) and thirds (3) notated. The capital M means a major third. The small m means a minor third. Chords that contain only 1s and 5s are fifth chords also known as power chords. I made this to help me understand music theory.

e6djjTg.png
 
critter cam":2ahu0qgf said:
Here's some popular chord diagrams with the roots (1), fifths (5) and thirds (3) notated. The capital M means a major third. The small m means a minor third. Chords that contain only 1s and 5s are fifth chords also known as power chords. I made this to help me understand music theory.
Cool little pict-o-chart.

I still refer to this little black book, I can't remember the name of it - but I do believe it's called "The Little Black Book of Scales" - and it's come in so handy.... Gonna see if I can find it.

Yep - this one:
 

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I play a lot by ear when composing stuff, but in order to get things layered on top and get sense of difference and tension, I've loved having this book handy in order to see what I can slap on top of my root or key or whatever to give it something "melodic" but unpredictable. I can't stand predictable music.

YMMV.
 
I could use that book^ I gravitated towards all online stuff now like:
http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/
That site was incredible to me as a way to tie it all together by manipulating notes and exploring. I use the Reverse Scale tab the most to help identify my improv riffs and see where they belong and where they are mapped out.

I have a Guitar Grimoire of Scales around here somewhere...need to dig that up, I think I have an arpeggio edition too
 
crankyrayhanky":343e3fa2 said:
I could use that book^ I gravitated towards all online stuff now like:
http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/
That site was incredible to me as a way to tie it all together by manipulating notes and exploring. I use the Reverse Scale tab the most to help identify my improv riffs and see where they belong and where they are mapped out.

I have a Guitar Grimoire of Scales around here somewhere...need to dig that up, I think I have an arpeggio edition too
The nice thing about the book is it's visceral - and you don't get led too temptingly to start down any rabbit holes as (I find) one would with the screen flipped up.

It's basic - but gives you what you need and more. It's beat to shit - cuz I use it a lot sometimes just on paper when writing lines and melodies to be layered. Great book.
 
Fuego":2bienrr7 said:
Honestly I don't think his question was answered. The reason a major third is what it is, is because it's the 3rd note up the major scale from the root. Minor 3rds,7th etc is that number of notes up the minor scale. Perfect 4th and 5th are perfect because they are both the same in both minor and major scales. Sorry fir the necro bump.
Not quite that would make phrygian the go to minor and make the diminished 5th in locrian a minor 5th.

Perfect interval, unison, P4th, P5th
Minor, 2, b3, b6, b7
Major, 2, 3, 6, 7
Diminished, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Augmented, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Why? We can use enharmonic names and not worry. I mean G melodic minor is G, A,Bb,C,D,E,F#... spelled "correct" it'd be Abb, Bbb, Cbb, Dbb, Ebb, Fb, Gb...
What nonsense.
But there is a use if you know that a Dm7 arpeggio is d f a c making it a Db and thinking Db Fb Ab Cb keeps the naming logic in check.

Also intervals invert and add up to 9 (8 numbers per octave starting on 1).
So c to a is either M6 or m3
Or C to F# aug4 or Dim5 etc...

As for 13 vs 6 etc...
In scales we usually reference up to the octave in chords the 13.
 
degenaro":iyqi68b7 said:
Fuego":iyqi68b7 said:
Honestly I don't think his question was answered. The reason a major third is what it is, is because it's the 3rd note up the major scale from the root. Minor 3rds,7th etc is that number of notes up the minor scale. Perfect 4th and 5th are perfect because they are both the same in both minor and major scales. Sorry fir the necro bump.
Not quite that would make phrygian the go to minor and make the diminished 5th in locrian a minor 5th.

Perfect interval, unison, P4th, P5th
Minor, 2, b3, b6, b7
Major, 2, 3, 6, 7
Diminished, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Augmented, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Why? We can use enharmonic names and not worry. I mean G melodic minor is G, A,Bb,C,D,E,F#... spelled "correct" it'd be Abb, Bbb, Cbb, Dbb, Ebb, Fb, Gb...
What nonsense.
But there is a use if you know that a Dm7 arpeggio is d f a c making it a Db and thinking Db Fb Ab Cb keeps the naming logic in check.

Also intervals invert and add up to 9 (8 numbers per octave starting on 1).
So c to a is either M6 or m3
Or C to F# aug4 or Dim5 etc...

As for 13 vs 6 etc...
In scales we usually reference up to the octave in chords the 13.

Just adding to this, the "perfect" label is referring to how consonant an interval is, and so perfect intervals are considered to be the most consonant intervals. In fact, octaves and unisons are considered perfect intervals too. Something else interesting is that there's a very old debate as to whether or not the 4th is really a perfect interval.
 
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