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Posted by 02 Juice: think about the interval as the distance between two notes. It doesn't matter whether you go up or down, when we're talking about basic theory. C to D is a whole step, or a major second (synonymous); that is, the distance between D and C is a major second. It's the same logic as 2+1=3 or 1+2=3. Change the numbers around and you get the same thing. To clarify Caleb's answer: "D up to C" is a minor seventh, or 10 half steps (if you're having to count those still). C up to D is a major second, or two half steps. To make things worse, or more clear, as it were, the basic interval of a second counts from one: C is one, D is two, and therefore we have a second. If we go up from C to E, C is one, D is two, and E is three. Therefore, C-E is a third. HOWEVER, when you're trying to figure out the quality of the interval (major/minor, aug/dim, perfect), you count half steps beginning at zero. Therefore, C is zero, C# is one, and D is two. Therefore, two half steps. (Once you've done this enough, though, you don't think at all like this. You know that C-D is a minor 7th just because you know all the intervals.) This should lead to a question of the history and meaning of zero, or at least an inquiry into number theory to figure out this weird zero thing.
on 12/12/2006, 4:01 pm, in reply to "Re: intervals"
64.171.237.66
Nice going Caleb! D-C in atonal theory is indeed 10, but I fear that "juice" has to make the logical leap all by himself that in atonal theory, intervals are considered from the bottom to the top. So...
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