Interval ear training
- Two notes play, the first one is lit on the piano.
- Name the distance between them, or play the second note yourself.
- Ten rounds per game; combos score more. "Hear it again" replays the pair.
How to hear intervals
An interval is the distance between two notes, and each distance has its own colour. The fastest way to learn them is to tie each one to a tune you already know, so that hearing the interval brings the tune back. A perfect fifth is the jump between the second and third notes of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star; the opening of Here Comes the Bride is a perfect fourth; the octave opens Somewhere Over the Rainbow. A major second is the start of a scale: do, re.
Sing the second note before you answer. If you can sing it, you can play it - which is why the game accepts an answer on the keys too: find the second note from the lit one and you have measured the interval with your ear and your hands.
The four levels
- Four landmarks: major 2nd, major 3rd, perfect 5th and octave, all going up.
- Seconds to fifths: adds the minor 2nd, minor 3rd and perfect 4th.
- Every interval: all twelve, up to the major 7th and the octave.
- Going down too: half the pairs fall instead of rising, which sounds surprisingly different.
Practise in short bursts
Ear training tires quickly: two games a day do more than ten in a row. Note which intervals you confuse - usually the minor and major thirds, or the fourth and the fifth - and listen to that pair side by side on the piano before the next game. The intervals lesson shows each one on the keyboard and the staff.
Frequently asked
What is interval ear training?
It is learning to recognise the distance between two notes by sound alone. It is the base of relative pitch: the skill that lets musicians play a tune by ear, transcribe a melody or tune a chord.
Which intervals should I learn first?
The octave, the perfect fifth and the major third: they are the most distinct and they build the major chord. Then add the major second and the perfect fourth, and leave the tritone and the sevenths for later.
Can I answer by playing the note?
Yes. The first note is lit on the piano; play the second one and the game checks the distance. Playing it is often easier than naming it, and it trains the link between your ear and your hands.
How long does it take to learn intervals by ear?
Most people tell the four landmark intervals apart within a week or two of short daily practice. Telling every interval apart going up and down usually takes a few months.
Keep reading
Four short games on the piano: read notes, hear intervals, name chords, remember melodies. No account, best scores saved in this browser.
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Piano games
Four quick games to practise reading, ear and memory on a real piano in your browser.
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Guide
Note reading game
A note appears on the staff, you play it. Sixty seconds, combos, four levels up to sharps and flats.
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Guide
Chord quiz
A chord lights up or just sounds: pick its name among four, from triads to seventh chords.
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Guide
Melody memory
The piano plays a tune that grows by one note each round. Play it back as long as you can.
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