Hey Friend,
I thought for the first round of exercises, we’d keep it simple by listening to each interval played over a C major chord.
Follow along on the PDF below and just listen to how the intervals sound. Each is played over four bars.
Notice that each interval sounds perfectly fine with the C major chord played underneath it, but also notice that as we move up the scale in each system (a system is each four bar section in the sheet music), there is a change in how the note feels.
You will feel the shift from note to note as some intervals put off a happier tone while others are sadder.
I don’t expect any major epiphanies initially - we’re using the root chord for the key and playing the major scale. But at least you will start developing your sense of how the various notes in a scale work when played over the root chord.
It will get a lot more interesting as we play the same scale over other chords, or we play a riff over different progressions.
Here are the exercise files. Follow the PDF as you listen to the MP3. Then play along with the MP3.
Can you think of songs where you might have heard some of these intervals before? If not, no big deal, but if so, that means your ears are starting to be sensitive to the subtle ways these intervals work in a song.
What kind of feel does that song have? Happy or hopeful? Sad, or melancholy?
Which interval from the scale do you recognize? Where does the interval show up in the song? Does it repeat throughout, or is it only in a specific section?
All these questions give you an idea of the ways notes in a melody can be used to influence the direction of a song.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more - have a great one!
Peace~
Dave
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