Part Four:
MELODY STREET - INTERVALS
Intervals - Tonal Center

In the real world, the space between two places can be measured with 
          _ inches, yards, and miles.
It can also be measured with
           _ centimeters, meters, and kilometers.   

In the world of music, how far it is from one pitch to another pitch can be measured with 
          _ steps, skips, and leaps.   
Distance between pitches can also be measured with
          _ intervals.   

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Each step on Melody Street is also an interval  of a Major Second.  

Count from one pitch (house) to the next pitch (house).   1+1=2
The Major Seconds (above) are: 
           DO – RE and RE – DO 
    and RE – MI  and MI – RE 
    and SO – LA and LA – SO. 

The skips on Melody Street are thirds. Count both pitches (houses) and the pitch (house) or vacant lot between them.  1+1+1=3

The minor thirds are 
          MI – SO and SO – MI
but the Major Thirds are 
          DO – MI and MI – DO. 

Major is larger than minor.  Look at Melody Street to see the difference between a minor third and a Major Third.

The leaps on Melody Street are intervals of fourths, fifths, and sixths.
  
Can you find them?  Count both pitches (houses) and all the pitches (houses) and vacant lots between them.
   
The Perfect Fourths are
           RE – SO and SO – RE 
    and MI – LA  and  LA – MI.

The Perfect Fifths are
          DO – SO and SO – DO 
   and RE – LA and  LA – RE.

Finally, the Major Sixths are
          DO – LA and LA – DO.

In the world of make-believe, everyone on Melody Street and in the whole town liked DO. Everyone decided that DO was their best leader and most important pitch. He needed a new title.

In the real world, the leader of a nation is called a president.  What is the leader of a state called?  What is the leader of a city called?  

In the world of music, the most important pitch is called the Tonal Center, or Tonic.  The main duty of the Tonic is to finish the song. Most of our songs end with DO.

To Part Five for more of the story.

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"The Story of Glops"  © Copyright 2018 until now
​"Melody Street: Story and Illustrations"  © Copyright 2000, 2018
"Guitars & Folk Songs: An Anthology" © Copyright 2018
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