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Song References For Interval TrainingJustinguitar.com Ear Training |
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Using Song References is the key to unlock ear training. It makes it very simple and helps people learn faster, which in turn develops confidence which is inspiring and becomes self perpetuating.. Awesome. |
The melodic elements of these songs are what you should use to learn the intervals. Some are a bit obscure - sorry but I have tried to pick the most well know tracks I could find but some are pretty rare and don't have many songs with those intervals. The first song listed is the one that I use, but feel free to make up your own - you don't have to use these songs, but they make a good starting point if you can't think of a tune yourself.
It's VERY important that the songs you choose as references for each interval are songs you know very well. If there is a song you don't know so well, listen to it on repeat for a few hours and work it into your ears.
ASCENDING INTERVALS
| Name | Short | Song Reference |
| Unison | U | It's the same note! |
| Minor 2nd | b2 | Jaws Theme (dah -dum) |
| Major 2nd | 2 | Happy Birthday |
| Minor 3rd | b3 | Greens leaves |
| Major 3rd | 3 | Oh When The Saints Go Marching In |
| Perfect 4th | 4 | Here Comes The Bride (Wedding March) |
| Diminished 5th Triton Augmented 4th |
b5 | The Simps on's Theme Tune ("the simp-sons") |
| Perfect 5th | 5 | Twinkle Twinkle Little Star |
| Minor 6th | b6 | Black Orpheus (Jazz Standard) |
| Major 6th | 6 | My Way - And now... the end is near |
| Minor 7th | b7 | Star Trek Theme Tune |
| Major 7th | 7 | Take On Me (A-Ha) |
| Octave | 8ve | Some-where Over The Rainbow |
DESCENDING INTERVALS
| Name | Short | Song Reference |
| Unison | U | It's the same note! One Note Samba (Jazz standard) |
| Minor 2nd | b2 | Fur Elise (Beethoven) Major Scale (descending) Joy to the World (Christmas) Stella By Starlight (Jazz Standard) |
| Major 2nd | 2 | Yesterday (The Beatles) Mary Had A Little Lamb Freddie Freeloader (Miles Davis) Suicide Is Painless (M.A.S.H. Theme) |
| Minor 3rd | b3 | Hey Jude Misty (Jazz Standard) Frosty The Snowman (Xmas) This Old Man |
| Major 3rd | 3 | Summertime (Jazz Standard) Giant steps (John Coltrane / Jazz Standard) Shoo Fly, Don’t Bother Me (Childrens song) |
| Perfect 4th | 4 | Oh Come All Ye Faithful Born Free (Movie Theme) |
| Diminished 5th Tritone Augmented 4th |
b5 | John The Fisherman (Primus) First two notes of the riff YYZ - Rush (the intro riff) Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath) 2nd to 3rd note. |
| Perfect 5th | 5 | Perfect Cadence (final classical ending) Flintstone's Theme Song Superman Theme It Don't Mean A Thing (Duke Ellington / Jazz Standard) |
| Minor 6th | b6 | Love Story (Movie Theme) Hey Joe (Jimi Hendrix) bass riff at the end |
| Major 6th | 6 | Crazy (Country Standard) Body and Soul (Jazz Standard) Weaver Of Dreams (Jazz Standard) |
| Minor 7th | b7 | Watermelon Man (Jazz Standard) Take The A-Train (melody jump in Bar 3) |
| Major 7th | 7 | I Love You (Cole Porter / Jazz Standard) |
| Octave | 8ve | Willow Weep For Me (Jazz Standard) |
