Martis93

So after a long time of ''planning" I finally got to learning music theory and I'm doing it all by myself which is not always the best thing to do. I'm having a hard time counting and understanding diminished/augmented intervals. For example, what would an augmented 5th be if I started counting from an F#? Is there any easy way to learn to do this quick?

macashmack

Augmented 5th? In F# it would be D, the augmented 5th is a minor sixth.

The way to do this the best way, although it won't be quick, is to memorize all your major and minor scales like you memorize your alphabet or arithmetic times table.

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Nietsche

No, the augmented fifth would be C double sharp. With intervals you start by looking at their relationship on the stave before taking into account accidentals. The distance between F and D is always a sixth of some kind, and between F and C is always a fifth of some kind. The easy way to learn intervals is to learn how to read sheet music where all the interval relationships are presented visually.

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macashmack

word my fault.

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HotspurJr

It takes some practice. Think of it as being a two step-process:

The number associated with the interval (fifth, second, etc) ALWAYS describes the number of letters in note names you cover.

So any fifth from F# is going to be some sort of (one - f, two g, three A, four B, five ...) C note.

Always.

Then you have to figure out sharps and flats. In this case I just happen to know that F# to C# is a perfect fifth, so if I'm augmenting that I add one semitone to C##.

Double sharps are freakin' annoying. But you end up dealing with them sometimes.

When I was starting this I visualized some stuff on the fretboard. A perfect fifth is one string up, two frets over. That made it easier for me to quickly identify what notes I was talking about.

Martis93

I was thinking the same thing - making double sharps, but in my book this topic wasn't even mentioned so I did not know whether such things existed. Thanks, this makes it all clearer to me now.

And to the previous posters - I wasn't sure about this because in my theory book it is said that if you want to count the intervals right, you have to take that interval number and count it on the scale tones, so in no way could I get a D starting from F.

fearofthemark

Easy way to do it quick is to count letters.

F-G-A-B-C, that's five so your fifth will be some form of C.

If you learn your circle of fifths, you know that f-c (and thus F#-C#) is a perfect fifth, so add an extra sharp to that c# and you'll be set.

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Mister A.J.

But always call it a C##, because it's not D because it's wrong.

Basically, memorize the Circle of Fifths until you can memorize it forwards, backwards, and in twelve different languages. It'll help you immensely.

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