How to Sing and Play Intervals (Theory and Ear Training on Piano)
To practise intervals in three dimensions, play a root note on the piano, sing the target interval first, then play it to check your answer, working from stable resolutions to anticipations and finally tensions.
Key points
- Play the root, sing the interval, then play it on the piano to check your answer.
- Start with resolutions: unison, octave, perfect fifth, major third and minor third.
- Then learn anticipations (fourth, major second, flat seventh, sixths), pairing each with the note it resolves to.
- Leave tensions (minor second, tritone, major seventh) until later and play them first before singing.
- Change the root, for example to Eb, to train your theory as well as your ear.
This lesson by Jason Zac of Nathaniel School of Music shows a three-dimensional way to practise intervals. You train your ear, your music theory and your playing at the same time, and your singing improves too. It suits pianists, singers and any instrumentalist who wants to truly hear intervals rather than just know them on paper.
The core method: sing it before you play it
Pianists often know an interval without being able to hear it. Singers may hear it without knowing which note they are singing. The fix is simple:
- Play the root note on the piano.
- Sing the interval you are aiming for, without playing it.
- Play the target note on the piano to check whether you were right.
Before you start, it helps to sing the root along with the piano to lock it into your ear. In Indian music this home note is called Sa. If an interval sits outside your range, sing it an octave lower or go downwards from the root instead.
Step 1: The resolutions (stable intervals)
All examples use C as the root. Begin with the intervals that sound settled:
- Unison: the same note, C to C.
- Octave: the same note higher or lower, C to the next C. Try it upwards and also an octave below the root.
- Perfect fifth: the fifth note of the scale, C to G. Practise both the upper and the lower fifth.
- Major third: C to E, an uplifting, happy sound.
- Minor third: C to Eb, a semitone below the major third, with a more serious, melancholic feel. Holding C in the bass while you sing Eb makes the mood very clear.
Jason calls the two thirds the emotion-giving intervals, so compare them side by side until you can feel the difference.
Step 2: The anticipations (bridge intervals)
These intervals are less stable and want to move back to a resolution:
- Perfect fourth: C to F. Go a step further and sing where it wants to resolve, down to the major third, E.
- Major second: C to D. Unstable but not unpleasant, like a journey in progress.
- Flat (minor) seventh: find the major seventh, B, and lower it a semitone to Bb. It tends to fall to the sixth.
- Major sixth: C to A. This can act as a resolution or an anticipation.
- Minor sixth: C to Ab, which likes to come down to the perfect fifth, G, the most stable sound.
Pairing an anticipation with the resolution it leads to is a great way to learn it, because you link it to something you already know.
Step 3: The tensions
Only move on once the resolutions and anticipations feel comfortable, ideally from several roots. Tensions can sound weird, creepy or chaotic, and that is part of their beauty:
- Minor second: a semitone below the major second, C to Db.
- Tritone: a semitone below the perfect fifth, C to F# (or Gb).
- Major seventh: C to B.
These are hard to sing. Play them on the piano first to get used to the sound, then try the sing-then-play routine.
Adding the theory dimension: change the root
C is a pianist's best friend, so it does not stretch your theory much. Move to another root such as Eb. Now you must work out each note: the perfect fifth of Eb is Bb. For the minor sixth, find the major sixth (C) and lower it a semitone to Cb, which sounds the same as B. You still chase the emotion of the interval, but you also sharpen your knowledge of keys you rarely practise.
How to practise
Keep it regular and diligent. Know which interval you are aiming for and which group it belongs to, sing it with your voice and ears, then check it on the piano. You will not always be right at first; that is exactly what the checking step reveals.
Questions about this lesson
What does three-dimensional interval practice mean?
It means training your theory, your ear and your execution together. You know which interval you want, sing it with your voice first, and then play it on the piano to confirm it.
Which intervals should I learn first?
Begin with the stable resolutions: unison, octave, perfect fifth, major third and minor third. Then move to anticipations like the fourth, major second, flat seventh and sixths, and leave tensions for last.
How do I find the minor sixth of Eb?
Find the major sixth, which is C, then lower it by a semitone. The correct name is Cb, which sounds the same as B on the piano.
What if an interval is too high or low for my voice?
Sing it an octave lower or work downwards from the root instead. For very hard intervals such as the tritone, play them on the piano first to get used to the sound before singing.
Practise it
- SpanAn interval practice studio with separate Ear, Eyes, Hands and Voice drills.
- Two NotesA guided field guide to intervals: consonance, inversions, scales, modes and the Circle of Fifths.
- All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.
Related lessons
- A Healthy Reality Check for Figuring Out Chords by Ear (Harmonic Ear Training)To figure out chords by ear, first find the key and scale, list the chords that belong to it, sing the bass note of each chord within the real song, judge its quality by its emotion, and use theory and familiar two-chord cadences to narrow your trial and error.
- Ear Training: The Sounds of Intervals (How to Identify Them Fast)To identify an interval by ear, ask whether it sounds resolved (perfect fifth, major third, minor third), dissonant (minor second, diminished fifth, major seventh) or like it wants to move somewhere (major second, perfect fourth, minor seventh), with the sixths sounding mysterious and versatile.
- 10 Types of Cadences Explained: Theory, Ear Training and PianoA cadence is a short chord progression of two to four chords, such as V–I (authentic), IV–I (plagal), V–vi (deceptive) or i–bVII–bVI–V (Andalusian), used to end, extend or redirect a musical phrase.
- 5 Finger Piano Exercises for Beginners That Sound BeautifulPlace your right thumb on C and your pinky on G. Then play four drills: up and down, in thirds, in triplet groups and in two-note pairs, all over a steady left-hand pulse. Next, change the second, third and fourth notes to turn the same drills into minor, dreamy or flamenco-like music.