By Desi Serna

Guitarists play and use intervals for melody, harmony, riffs, lead guitar solos, and bass lines. Understanding how intervals are played on the fretboard is an important part of learning about guitar theory, understanding music and popular songs. This free guitar lesson will explain what intervals are, how they’re numbered, which intervals are commonly used, and what songs make good examples of using intervals such as thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths and sevenths. This music theory instruction is based on the book Fretboard Theory Chapter 9 Intervals by Desi Serna.

Scale Steps, Intervals & Theory

The distance between notes can be expressed in terms of frets, steps, or intervals. Frets is an acceptable term to use when dealing with other guitarists. Steps is a general music theory term used and understood by all musicians. But thinking of the distance between notes as intervals is the most concise and universal way. This allows guitar players to think of the distance as an independent unit of measure rather than a series of frets or steps.

The Theory of Major Scale Intervals

The major scale is used to measure the distance between notes. For example, the distance between the first and second notes of the major scale is two frets, one whole-step or a “second” interval. The distance between the first and third notes of the major scale is four frets, two whole-steps or a “third” interval. There are seven notes in the major scale and thus seven intervals. An eighth term, octave, refers to a higher or lower occurrence of the same note.

Harmonizing the Major Scale in Thirds

Guitar players map out interval shapes on the fretboard, then use these note combinations to play musical parts. One way this is accomplished is by playing entirely through a major scale pattern and adding a third interval to each note. In other words, playing through the major scale two notes at a time with the second note always a third a head. In order to do this correctly notes must be confined to the major scale being used. As a result, some third intervals are major while others are minor. Playing in this manner is one way to harmonize the major scale (and is similar to how guitar players learn chord progressions and playing by numbers but that’s another topic).

The famous guitar intro to Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison is a great song example of playing a major scale melody harmonized in thirds. “Walk on the Wild Side” by Lou Reed is a song that uses this same technique on the bass guitar. Many other famous songs have prominent guitar intros, riffs or solos that use third intervals. Some good examples are listed below.

Third Interval Songs

“Blackbird” The Beatles

“Heaven” Los Lonely Boys

“Patience” Guns and Roses

“Your Body is a Wonderland” John Mayer

“Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?” Bryan Adams

“Scar Tissue” Red Hot Chili Peppers

“Rhiannon” Fleetwood Mac

“La Bamba” Los Lobos

“Peace Train” Cat Stevens

“Wanted Dead or Alive” Bon Jovi

“Two Step” Dave Matthews Band

“Tripping Billies” Dave Matthews Band

“Lover Lay Down” Dave Matthews Band

“Grey Street” Dave Matthews Band

“Brown Eyed Girl” Van Morrison

“Walk on the Wild Side” Lou Reed

Fifth Intervals & Guitar Power Chords

Playing in fifths is another way to harmonize the major scale using intervals. Fifth intervals are simply power chords and are usually written with a number 5. Full chords consist of a root, third and fifth interval, so power chords are theoretically not chords in the music world. They’re intervals. In fact, they are the most common type of interval played on the guitar. Any time power chords are used it may as well be called playing in fifths. The guitar riff in Iron Man by Black Sabbath is just one example of many that use power chords, or fifth intervals (songs can begin at any major scale degree or mode by the way). Intervals can also be inverted by putting the root above the interval. Inverted fifth intervals can be heard in the intro to Smoke On the Water by Deep Purple. (Some players mistake these shapes for fourths.)

Intervals: 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths and 7ths

Other intervals can be worked out on the guitar also. This is done by playing through a major scale two notes at a time with the second note a certain distance ahead. Only notes found in the scale should be used. Once guitarists get interval shapes mapped out on the fretboard, they should try moving them into different octaves and positions on the guitar neck or transposing them to new keys.

Studying Guitar Theory & Intervals

Understanding how intervals are played and used in popular songs is critical to developing a solid knowledge of guitar music theory. The harmony that intervals create are not just used in guitar riffs and solos but parts played on other instruments as well including voices. Singing in harmony is no different than playing in thirds or fifths, etc. In fact, many singers will work out a vocal harmony part on an instrument first in order to teach themselves how to sing the intervals correctly. Smart players use guitar theory and intervals to help them in all aspects of their musicianship.

Play Until Your Fingers Bleed!

Mr. Desi Serna (Google Me!)

Author of Fretboard Theory

http://www.Guitar-Music-Theory.com

Pentatonic/CAGED/Progressions/Modes

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