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INTERVAL
Practice Routines
Guide for practicing intervals through
ear-training and technique
INTERVAL PRACTICE ROUTINES
2

Colofon
Copyright © 2023 by Rob van Hal (QjamTracks)
All rights reserved.

Cover & book design by Rob van Hal

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including
information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by
a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

Rob van Hal

QjamTracks Guitar Tutorials and Backing Tracks

You can find the video of this lesson here:

[Link]

E-books
[Link]

The QjamTracks YouTube channel:

[Link]/qjamtracks

Instagram:
[Link]/qjamtracks

facebook:
[Link]/qjamtracks

Edition: 1 (April 2023)

©2022
 INTERVAL PRACTICE ROUTINES
3

Contents

Interval Practice Routines

1. Preface 4
2. Strategy 4
2.1. Ear-training 4
2.2. Technique 4
3. Intervals of the major scale 5
4. Intervals of the minor scale 6
5. Singing the major and minor scale 8
6. Singing intervals using scales 9
6.1. Major scale intervals 9
6.2. Minor scale intervals 9
7. Singing and recognizing intervals using references 10
8. Singing intervals ascending and descending 12

©2022
INTERVAL PRACTICE ROUTINES
4

1. Preface
This practice guide serves as an addition to the QJamTracks video “Intervals For Guitar” and the e-book “Intervals
for Guitar”. This means that this document is not a lesson about intervals. For that you have to watch the video and
study the e-book. This booklet is meant only to study the technical aspect of playing intervals and interval ear-
training.

Practicing intervals can have two disciplines. On one hand you can practice to recognize intervals by ear through
listening and singing the intervals. This is called “solfege” or simply: “ear-training”.
On the other hand you can practice the technical aspect by learning the shapes of the intervals by heart.
Often the two ways go hand in hand.

For pure ear-training you can try one the many ear-training videos that are present on YouTube. Some are
dedicated to intervals. But before you do that I suggest you first learn the shapes, then sing the intervals with the
aid of the guitar and the exercises you find in this book.

As with all aspects of learning: structure, repetition and gradually increase difficulty is the fastest way to learn most
things. This takes time and above all: discipline.

2. Strategy
2.1. Ear-training
There are 3 ways to train your ears related to intervals:

1. Reproduce intervals by singing

Play an interval on your guitar and try to reproduce the interval with your voice.

2. Produce an interval
Play one single note and sing the interval without hearing it first. We can use a trick to learn this better by
associating the interval with a song or melody you already know. After you have sung the intervals ascending, you
have to learn them in a descending way too. This is more difficult.

3. Recognize the interval

Recognize and name the interval that is played by someone else.

All of the 3 methods can be practiced in a progressive way where you gradually increase difficulty.

The ultimate training would consist of hearing a melody and recognize and name all intervals which the melody is
constructed of. This enables you to write down melodies by ear. In the end this will help you to recognize chords
too.

2.2. Technique
Learning to play the interval shapes by heart can be done by practicing the intervals individually and then start to
play the intervals in a particular scale one by one. It’s just like learning scales and chords and in time you’ll see that
learning to play the intervals is much easier than to recognize or sing the intervals.

We’ll start with playing the intervals.

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 INTERVAL PRACTICE ROUTINES
5

3. Intervals of the major scale

It’s important that you call out the name of the intervals while playing them.

Exercise 1: Root on 6th string

second Maj third Fourth Fifth Maj sixth Maj seventh Octave
C-D C-E C-F C-G C-A C-B C-C
V 2 VII 6

VIII R 4 VIII R R
VIII R VIII R

VII 3 7

R R 5 8

Root on the 6th string

 1 2

   3
  
4

     
          
4 1 2 1

 7 9 10 10 9 7
5 7 8 10 10 8 7 5
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

Root on the 5th string

Exercise 2: Root on 5th string
     
5 6 7 8

               
second Maj
Root on the 6th third
string Fourth Fifth Maj sixth Maj seventh Octave

C-D C-E C-F C-G C-A C-B C-C

  03      II 
1 22 4 5 3 5 4 2 4

   
0 2

 
2 3 5 5 3 2 0

       
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
II 3 6

4 1 2R 1 III R 4 III R R III R III R

 Root on the 4th string 

R

7 9 10 10 9 7 10

7

 7  8 10 88 78
  8  8  8  8 8 8 8 8 8 8 58 8
9 10 5
11 12 8
5
8

Root on the 5th string

 7 10 12

 
13

13 12


10

 
5 6 7 8

 10  
9 10 12 12 10 9 7

    
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

      
Root on the 6th string
 Root on the 3rd string
23  43  5  5  43  23 
 03 23  33  53  53
1 2 3 4

13

14
 3 
15
3    
16 33 23 3
0
3
 4 1 2 1

 Root on the 4th6string

on 485th10string5 7 75 9 8510 10 9 7

 35 58 3:55 Root  8
5 8 7 5
Exercise
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8  558 
8 6 5 3
9 10 11 5 12 5 8


7 5 8 5 5 510 57 5
8 8 8 8

second Maj third

Root on the 5th string
Fourth Fifth Maj sixth Maj seventh Octave
C-D C-E C-F C-G C-A C-B C-C
 5 6 10

 
12

13 7

13
 X 10
12 10 8

   
VII 2

 
7 9 10 12 12 10 9 7


10

10 10

10

10
X R

10
4

10
X R

10
 
10
R 6

10
X
10
R

10

10
X

10
R

IX 3


R R 5 7
Root on the 3rd string
  3
2
3
4
53 53 3
4
3
2
 
 
  
0 2 3 5 5 3 2 0 8

      
13 3 3 3 3 14 15 3 16 3 3 3 3

Root on the 4th string

85 55 7 8    
 35 55 65  
8 7 5

    5 5    5 
9 10 11 8 12 6 5 3
5 5 5 5 5 5 5

 7
10
9
10
10
10
12
10
10
10
12
10
13
10
13
10
12
10
10
10
12
10
10
10
9
10
7
10 10

Root on the 3rd string

       ©2022  
13
  14
  
15
  
16
  
 Root on the 5th string
INTERVAL PRACTICE ROUTINES
     
5 6 7 8

               
6


Exercise
0 4:23 Root33 on 353rd string3
2 4 5 5 4 2
5 3 2 0
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

second
Root on the 4thMaj
stringthird Fourth Fifth Maj sixth Maj seventh Octave
C-D C-E
   C-F
  C-G   C-A
 
C-B

C-C
 
         
9 10 11 12
III 2 V R V R

R V R 3 V R V R 6 V R


4
10 12 13 13 5 12 10 8

7 9 10 12 12 10 9 7
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 7 10 10

Root on the 3rd string

       
   
         
13 14 15 16


5 7 8 8 7 5
3 5 6 8 8 6 5 3
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

4. Intervals of the minor scale

In contrast to the major scale, the major 3rd, major 6th and major 7th are now a minor 3rd, a minor 6th and a minor 7th
interval. Call out the name of the intervals while playing.

Exercise 1: Root on 6th string

second Min third Fourth Fifth Min sixth Min seventh Octave
C-D C - E C-F C-G C - A C - B C-C
V 2

VI b3 VIII R 4 VIII R
VI b6 VIII R b7 VIII R

R R 5 R 8

Root on the 6th string


       
1/1
 
1 2 3 4

       
    
 6 8 10 8 6
5 6 8 10 10 8 6 5
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

Root on the 5th string

 
   2: Root on 5 string    
5 6 7 8
Exercise  
th

            
second
C-D
0 1
Min third
C - E
3 5
Fourth
C-F
1 3 5 C-G 3
Fifth
1
Min sixth
C - A
5 3 1
Min seventh Octave
C - B
0
C-C
0 2 3 3 I 3b3 3 3 3 3 3 3 I 3 b6 3 3 3 3

R III III III III


R 4 R R R b7 R

 
Root on the 4th string
        
    
R

     
9 10 11 12
5 8

 7
10
8
10
10
10
12
10
9
10
11
10
13
10
11
10 10
9©2022
12
10
10
10
8
10
7
10 10
  6 8 10 8 6
INTERVAL PRACTICE ROUTINES
5
8
6
8
8
8
10
8 8 8 8 8 8
10
8
8
8
6
8
5
8 8
7

Root on the 5th string

        
5 6 7 8

       
       
Root on the 6th string
   
    03     
1 2 3 4

   
1 3 5 3 1


1
3  3
3
5
3
 3
 3
 3
 3
 3

5
3

3
3
1
3 3
0
3


Exercise 3:on
Root Root onstring
the 4th 4th string 8 10 8
  58  68  88  108  68 68 108 88 68
   8 8 8  8 8
9 10 11 12 5

second Min third Fourth Fifth Min sixth Min seventh Octave
C-D C - E string
Root on the 5th C-F C-G C - A C - B C-C

  107
VII

5 2


6


9

11

13

11 7


9


b6 8

   
8 10 12 12 10 8 7

         
10 10 b3 10 X 10 R 4 10 10X 10
R 10X 10R 10 X10 R 10 X10 R

IX b7


R R 5
Root
onon
thethe 6th string
3  3  3
 3 3  3  3 
Root 3rd string
3  3
1 3 5 3 1

53 3
8


0 1 3 5 3 1 0


1 2 3 4

       
3 3 3

     
13 14 15 16

  
  35 45 65
Root on the 4th string
85 45 6 6 8 6    6 55
4

    58  68  88  5 8 510 5 8   
9 10 11 8 6 4 12 3
56 5 5 5 5
10 10 8
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

 Root on the 5th string 9 11 13 11 9

 10 10 10 10
7 8 10 12 12 10 8 7

          
5 6 10 10 10 10 7 10 10 10 10 8 10 10

         
  0 4: Root
Root on the 3rd string
5 1 3 5 3 1 5
Exercise
 3
13 on33 3rd string
 3 3 3 3 3 33 13 03 3

13 14 15 16

 3 3

second Min third Fourth Fifth Min sixth Min seventh Octave
 C - D 35 5 C - G 5
4 6 8 6 4
5
Root on the 4th string
   
4 C - E6 8 C-F C - A8 6 4 C - B 3 C-C

    
    
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
VII 2
   X  X 
9 10 11 b6 12

b3 X R 4 R R X R X R

IX b7


R R 5
9 11 13 11 9
7 8 10 12 12 10 8 7
8
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

Root on the 3rd string

      
    
          
13 14 15 16


4 6 8 6 4
3 4 6 8 8 6 4 3
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

1/1

1/1

©2022
INTERVAL PRACTICE ROUTINES
8

5. Singing the major and minor scale

Exercise 1 - the major scale
Play the scale and try to sing the scale along. Then sing the scale without playing it. Do this while starting each time
on different notes.

C Major scale
 1

  
    

[Link].

c d e f g a b c

 7 9 10
7 8 10
8 10

Exercise 2 - the minor scale

Play the minor scale and try to sing along. After this try to sing the scale without playing it. Try to sing the scale
starting on different notes.

C Minor scale

     
1

   
[Link].

C D Eb F G Ab Bb C

 8 10
8 10 11
8 10 11

Exercise 3
Do the same with the scale ascending and descending.

C Major scale (ascending and descending)

      
1 2

         
[Link].

c d e f g a b c b a g f e d c

 7 9 10 9 7
7 8 10 10 8 7
8 10 10 8

C Minor scale (ascending and descending)

       
1 2

        
[Link].

C D Eb F G Ab Bb C Bb Ab G F Eb D C

 8 10 8
8 10 11 11 10 8
8 10 11 11 10 8

1/1

©2022
 INTERVAL PRACTICE ROUTINES
9

6. Singing intervals using scales

In the next two exercises sing the intervals using the scale. Sing the scale up to the interval, then sing the interval
ascending and descending.

Singing the interval descending is much harder than singing it ascending...

6.1. Major
Standard tuning scale intervals
 = 120
major second major third

       
1 2 3 4 5

         
[Link].


5 5 7 7 7
8 8 8 10 8 8

fourth fifth

      
6 7 8 9 10 11 12

            

 

7 8 8 8 7 8 10 10 10
8 10 8 8 8 10 8 8

major sixth major seventh

            
13 14 15 16 17 18 19

           
 7 7 7 7 9 9
7 8 10 7 8 10
8 10 8 8 8 10 8

octave

         
20 21 22 23 24

   
   
 9 7 9 10 10 10
7 8 10
8 8 10 8 8

6.2. Minor
Standard tuning scale intervals
 = 120
major second minor third

       
1 2 3 4 5

         
[Link].


5 5 6 6 6
8 8 8 10 8 8

fourth fifth

      
6 7 8 9 10 11 12

            

 

6 8 8 8 6 8 10 10 10
8 10 8 8 8 10 8 8

minor sixth minor seventh 1/1

            
13 14 15 16 17 ©2022 18 19

      
        
INTERVAL PRACTICE ROUTINES

10 6 8 8 8 6 8 10 10 10
8 10 8 8 8 10 8 8

minor sixth minor seventh

            
13 14 15 16 17 18 19


          
 6 6 6 6 8 8
6 8 10 6 8 10
8 10 8 8 8 10 8

octave

 
20

21


22

    23
 
24
 
     
 9 6 8 10 10 10
6 8 10
8 8 10 8 8

7. Singing and recognizing intervals using references

A very effective way to sing intervals from scratch is using well known songs as a reference for the interval. In this
chapter you’ll find such a reference for every interval. Feel free to come up with your own references.

TheStandard
minor second (C-Db) - JAWS
tuning
 = 120

 1

2

3

4

              
[Link].


3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4

The major second (C-D) - HAPPY BIRTHDAY

   
1 2

     1/1
Hap- py birth- day to you

 3 2
3 3 5 3

The minor third (C-Eb) - 7 NATION ARMY

    
1 3 2

     

3 3 6 3
6 4 3

The major third (C-E) - O WHEN THE SAINTS

         
1 2 3 4

  
         
 3 5 3 5 3 5
3 7 3 7 3 7 7 3 7 5

©2022
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The perfect fourth (C-F) - AMAZING GRACE

 1


3 2


3 4

      
 
 3 7 5 3 7 5 3
3 5 3

The augmented 4th or diminished 5th (C-F# or C-Gb) - THE SIMPSONS THEME

  
1 2

 
The Simp- sons...

 4 5
3

The perfect fifth (C-G) - TWINKLE LITTLE STAR / STAR WARS

        
Twinkle, twinkle little star Star Wars main theme
1 2


3

3 4
 
   
Twin- kle twin- kle lit- tle star

 5 5 7 7 5 5 3
5
5
3 3 3 7 5

The minor sixth (C-Ab) - LOVE STORY

         
1 2 3

       
Where do I be- gin to tell a sto- ry of how great...

 1 1 1 1 1
(3) 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 1

The major sixth (C-A) - JINGLE BELLS

     
1 2

        
Dash- ing through the snow in a one horse o- pen sleigh

 2 0
3
2 0
3 0
3 3 3 3 3

The minor seventh (C-Bb) - CAN’T STOP (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS)

  
1
      
2
    
         
 3 5 3 5 3 5
1/1
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

©2022
INTERVAL PRACTICE ROUTINES
12

The major seventh (C-B) - TAKE ON ME (A-HA)

     
1 2

Take on me

 4 5
3

The octave (C-C) - SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW

       
1 2


3
Some where o- ver the rain- bow

 5 4
5
2 4 5
3

Exercise
Use different starting notes for every interval, using the notes of the whole tone scale. The whole tone scale makes
sure that your ears don’t get stuck in a particular key.

Whole tone scale: C - D - E - F# - G# - A#

8. Singing intervals ascending and descending

This will be the most difficult exercise in this e-booklet. We will use clusters of the same interval. This means that
we’ll play the same interval above and below a central note (preferably a note of the whole tone scale).
For instance play the note C together with a major third above and a major third below the note C. Then try to sing
the major third ascending and descending.

Repeat the clusters on different starting notes in the whole tone scale (C - D - E - F# - G# - A#)

The minor second

Standard tuning
 = 120


     
PLAY: SING:

    
1 2 3
[Link].

 0
3
7
3
0
3
7

The major second

PLAY: SING:

       
1 2 3

 0
2
5
2
0
2
5 1/1

©2022
 INTERVAL PRACTICE ROUTINES
13

The minor third

  
PLAY: SING:

       
1 2 3

 4
5
7
5
4
5
7

Standard tuning
The major third
 = 120

  
     
PLAY: SING:

  
1 2 3

 5
5
6
5
5
5
6

The perfect
Standard tuning fourth
 = 120
PLAY: SING:

  
1 2

  
3

 

 7
7 7
7
7
7 7

The augmented fourth / diminished fifth

PLAY: SING:
   
     
1 2 3


 8
7 7
8
7
6 6

The perfect fifth

Standard tuning
 = 120

 
PLAY: SING:

        
1 2 3


 10
8 8
10
8
6 6

The minor
Standard tuningsixth
 = 120

PLAY: SING:

  
 1 2
 
3
 



7 7
7 7 7
8 8

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INTERVAL PRACTICE ROUTINES
14

The major
Standard sixth
tuning
 = 120

 PLAY: SING:

  1 2
 
3
 
  


7 7
7 7 7
8 8

The minor seventh

Standard tuning
 = 120

  

PLAY: SING:

   
1 2 3


 

4 4
3 3 3
3 3

The major seventh

 PLAY: SING:


       
1 2 3



7 7
5 5 5
4 4

The octave

PLAY: SING:

  1 2
 
3
 
  

10 10
7 7 7
5 5

1/1

©2022