Year 11 - Music
Identifying intervals
Listening: dictation
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
No unit description is available for this selection yet.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to accurately identify a range of intervals by ear and notate them.
Key Notes
- Identifying intervals is key to melodic dictation.
- We can use reference melodies to help us identify specific intervals by comparing the interval to the specific melody.
- We also need to consider whether an interval is ascending or descending.
- Once we have worked out the interval, we can notate it by drawing it on the stave next to the given starting note.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Interval: An interval is the distance in pitch between two notes (e.g. a 5th).
- Semitone: A semitone is the smallest interval in most Western music (e.g. C to C#).
- Tone: A tone (also called a major second) is an interval of two semitones (e.g. C to D).
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Singing is only useful for singers.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Identifying intervals is key to melodic dictation. We can use reference melodies to help us identify specific intervals by comparing the interval to the specific melody.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'Interval'
An interval is the distance in pitch between two notes (e.g. a 5th).
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Singing is only useful for singers. Correction: When identifying intervals, singing is incredibly useful, even for those who aren't confident singers. Hearing the intervals back through singing or humming allows us to compare them to the reference melodies. Without this, it is much harder.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 11 Music guide library.