Interval & Chord

Introduction

As the foundation of the foundation of music (my own opinion), interval is a very important concept that applied in Scale, Chord and Chord progession. Thanks to the explanation of Mr Ben Powell, I get to have a clearer understand to this music theory, I'm here sharing this with you guys.

（我自己一个人自己认为），作为基础中的基础，音程度数是在音阶、和弦以及和弦进行中很重要的一个概念。之前遇到了在英国巴斯镇的一位高人指点让我一下子贯通了这个苦恼我很多年的概念，现在分享给大家。

Ben Powell, A very talented fingerstyle player and tutor based in Bath, UK, link to his website.

Interval 

What is interval? Basically speaking, it's the distance between music note and note, and each distance had been granted a name.

A most important idea to understand the concept of interval is to understand it with the NUMBERS above it, not the note itself

Today, we are all starting with the root note"C". As in C Major key, we all know the note are as following (see figure 1):

今天我们就来简单的解释一下音程度数，还有音程度数在建构和弦上的应用。

什么是音程度数叻？简单来讲，就是音符与音符之间的距离的名称。要了解音程度数的概念，我们得用数字来了解，而不是音符的唱名，所以接下你会看到很多数字，这也是为了方便，当你有了“数字”的概念以后，你就能把音程度数的概念应用到每一个曲调中，而不会被单一曲调限制。


把根音定在最常用的“C"音符开始。见figure 1，我们可以看到在C大调音阶中出现的音阶。

figure 1

• We both know that the distance to move from C to C# is called "a half step",
• the distance to move from C to D is called "a full step", which mean, there will be "12 x half step" from the root "C" to "an octave higher C". And this become the black and white of the keyboard. Don't believe me? count yourself, the answer is 12 anyway.

• So we set the first note as "1st", in this case, 1st will be C. The darker notes showed in the graph above are the notes played in C Major key: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, which is 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and go to C with a dot above which is 8th, a C note that is 1 octave higher than the root  1st C.
• so how do we understand this? This mean that, start from the root "C", the 2nd interval of C will be "D", 3rd of C will be "E" and so on.

• 我们都知道从C到C#这个距离称作“一个半音”；从C到D的距离称作“一个全音”。如此这般，从C到高一个八度的C之间，一共有十二个半音，如此组成了如钢琴上黑白相间的键盘。
• 我们把根音，即第一个音定成“1st”，此例中，1st就是“C"。比较深的字显示出C大调音阶的主音，也就是C, D, E, F, G, A, B 然后就去到上面有一个点的比第一个音高八度的C，如此就完成了一个八度音的循环。 
• 那这是拿来干什么的？此表显示，以C做根音，C的二度音是D、三度音是E、五度音是G，如此这般。

Now, check the next graph that show all the name of the intervals in C key. (see figure 2):

接下来，稍微复杂一点点点，我们来看看C调中所有的音程度数的名称（见figure2）：

figure 2

• Now you can see every note have their individual name.
• In practical, we will use it like: the perfect 5th of "C" will be "G" / the Major 6th of "C" will be "A" and so on.
• Remind: everytime you want to find the note by interval, you have to set your root note first, so that you know where to start with.

• 上图表示出了所有音程度数的名称。
• 中文的翻译有点不同，大家在看台湾、中国的教材可能会混乱，所以在此翻译：
• Root - 根音
• minor 2nd - 小二度
• Major 2nd - 大二度
• minor 3rd - 小三度
• Major 3rd - 大三度 （之前真的是被这大三小三搞得一头雾水啊啊啊啊）
• Perfect 4th - 四度
• Aug 4th / Flatten 5th - 增四度、减五度（视使用的情况而定，这个音有两个名称）
• Perfect 5th - 五度
• minor 6th - 小六度
• Major 6th - 大六度
• minor 7th - 小七度
• Major 7th - 大七度
• Octave - 八度
• 实际应用中，我们会说：C的五度音是G；C的大六度音是A，如此这般。
• 温馨提醒：每次你要开始用音程度数的概念来找音符的时候，记得要先清楚知道你的根音是放在哪里。

Construct a Chord by interval

And now, it's mathematic time...

Chord is form from a group of at least 2 notes. Every chord have their own fomular to form those kinda of "sound" and "feeling". The chart below shows the formula of some common chord we will use: (see figure 3)

接下来是数学时段...

和弦是由最少两个音所组成的一组音。所以简单来说，和弦就是一组方程式，而不同的方程式会导出不同的“声效”和“感觉 ”的和弦。下图表示出我们常用的和弦方程式：（见figure 3）

figure 3

Let's try to find a chord with this chart. We'll do a C Major first, set your root to C, and you can get the formula to construct a C Major chord is to get the 3rd and 5th from the root C, so you will get C-E-G, and that's a C Major chord.

It's easy ain't it?

let's try some challenging one, a C Major 9, will be 1-3-5-7-9, the note will be C-E-G-B.... wait a minute, how do I find a 9th in the interval chart that only runs until 7? don't worry, the 1st octave, which I marked as 1 at the above (see figure 1&2) will be the 8th, which mean: if the interval is higher than 7, just subtract 7, and you get the note to find but in a higher octave. So, the 9th will be (9-7=2) the higher octave 2nd, which is a "D note". so this chord will be: C-E-G-B-D

And so on, 11th will be a higher octave 4th; 13th will be a higher octave 6th.

我们来试试找出一个和弦，先试试C大调和弦，把根音定在C，方程式说C大调和弦是由C的大三度音和五度音来组成的，参照figure 2，我们得出C的大三度音和五度音为E和G，所以加入根音，C大调和弦就是C-E-G。

是不是粉简单涅？

来一些比较挑战的。C大调九和弦，方程式是1-3-5-7-9，所以他的音是C-E-G-B-.... 等等，九度音是什么碗糕？音程度是不是只到七度音而已吗？别紧张，如figure 1&2 所示，高一个八度的C为八度音，也就是说，如果那个度数是超过七度的，只要减掉七就可以知道他应该是要落在哪一个音了。所以，九度音就是（9-7=2）高一个八度的二度音，也就是D啦！所以C大调九和弦是由C-E-G-B-D组成。

Lastly last, here's a chart for interval in other roots, so combine figure 3 & figure 4 you can start constructing your own chord family now :)

最后献上其他根音的音程度数表，把figure3和figure4结合起来用你就可以开始编辑自己的和弦组啦！

figure 4

OK, now we end the theory part, for a guitarist, the next problem will be how to arrange a fingering on the fretboard. So we have different playing position.

 乐理的部分讲完了，接下来吉他手要烦的就是如何在只有六条弦的指板上编出这些和弦的指法啦！

Next: Interval and Chord Progression


The feeling of C Major Chord sound so different when it appear in C key and G key, because although the name and fingering are exactly the same, they are in different interval in these 2 different playing key.

Upcoming next, we are going to talk about the chord progression in a playing key with the idea of interval. so you will know C Major chord will be the 1st chord in C key and the 4th chord in G key.

And once you have an clear idea of this, you can change your playing key on the spot when your accompany singer want to change her singing key without always using a capo, and this idea will help you in hearing too!!

名称和指法都一样的C大调和弦，在C调和G调中出现给人的感觉却是完全不同的，这是为什么呢？因为虽然按法一样，但是他在这两个不同的曲调中所占的音程度数位置却是不一样的。

接下来，我们会用音程度数的概念来讨论和弦进行。所以你就会用“数字”来了解，C大调和弦在C调中是第一和弦，在G调中是第四和弦，所以他们给予人的感觉当然是完全不同啦。

当你有了清楚的概念之后，不管你伴奏的歌手如何转换曲调你都可以直接配合，不再只要死死的应用变调夹啦！！这对我们扒曲子也是最大的帮助喔！！

Hope you like this sharing, I also need funding so I can keep on contribute, English and Mandarin individual tutorial available in Sungai Buloh area, KL, please email to THIS ADDRESS or leave a comment for further inquiry about fees and time, THANKS!!! :)

希望这一个简单的分享能给你一些概念。再者，我也需要资金和鼓励好让我能够继续为大家贡献这些资料。我在吉隆坡双溪毛卢地区提供英文和中文 吉他课程。想更详细的了解音程度数的应用还有其他指弹课程，请电邮至以下地址或留下讯息询问，谢谢！！

Tips: 

• Get some knowledge of chord shape do help, but don't let the chord shape limited your creativity, try to explore on different fingering!!
• If there are too many notes that can't be play altogether on fretboard, try to subtract those un-neccesary notes, try to take away a note a time and form a different formation of chord and find the most suitable one!!

• 了解一些和弦指型会有一点帮助，但是不要被指型限制你的创意，试试看在指板上找出不同的指法吧！
• 如果有太多音无法同时在指板上按出来，可试试在不同的组合中拿掉各一个音，然后试试拿掉哪一些音不会影响该和弦应有的色彩，找出自己最喜欢的一套吧！