when to use intervals? For what instruments?

[pamuma]

my question is When should I use intervals (octave, fifth ...? and What instruments need these?

[Roman Empire]

You could use an extra octave on anything except for drums as long as it sounds great. A fifth you´d use for any scale function except for the diminished chord on the 7th step of the scale.
If that sounds like complete nonsense to you, I recommend that you google places on the internet where you can learn something about the basics of musical theory. Books, courses and such you know. You need to go through things step by step to get an understanding of all this.

Good luck!

Best Regards

Roman Empire

[pamuma]

You could use an extra octave on anything except for drums as long as it sounds great. A fifth you´d use for any scale function except for the diminished chord on the 7th step of the scale.
If that sounds like complete nonsense to you, I recommend that you google places on the internet where you can learn something about the basics of musical theory. Books, courses and such you know. You need to go through things step by step to get an understanding of all this.

Good luck!

Best Regards

Roman Empire

thanks, I have read more than 6 books of theory and I seen thousands of tutorials, but do not specify when using intervals or when that instruments.

[jancivil]

Music is all about intervals. Any work with pitched instruments at all would 'use intervals' extensively. To tune any pitched instrument means you do. Even drummers should have a grasp of it. If you really have read 6 whole books on music theory, and this is your actual question, reading is not really working for you here.

[Roman Empire]

Music is all about intervals. Any work with pitched instruments at all would 'use intervals' extensively. To tune any pitched instrument means you do. Even drummers should have a grasp of it. If you really have read 6 whole books on music theory, and this is your actual question, reading is not really working for you here.

Or perhaps they just used another terminology...?

Those books must´ve told you that in Western music, most of it is made of either minor or major scales. That on each step of that scale, there´s a corresponding chord, which depending on where in the scale that you start, is either major or minor. If you´re playing a C major song for instance, the tonic, which is the name of the function on 1st step of the scale, is a C major chord which then consists of step 1, 3 and 5 of the scale: C E and G. The G in that chord is your fifth. Any bells ringing now?

Best Regards

Roman Empire

[jancivil]

Another term than 'intervals' for intervals? The initial post contains the words 'octave' and 'fifth' directly following 'intervals' in the question so I don't reckon that's the issue.

[pamuma]

Another term than 'intervals' for intervals? The initial post contains the words 'octave' and 'fifth' directly following 'intervals' in the question so I don't reckon that's the issue.

harmonic intervals, I know that all music is built on harmonic and melodic intervals, but I have seen many instruments as tropetas or leads, that his melodies are built with third, fourth etc ...

[jancivil]

Not the first time I've seen someone here want the distinction harmonic vs melodic intervals, but that is not really so useful. An 'harmonic interval' would only mean 'a chord tone', and that does not exclude melodic consideration and as such poses an unnecessary dichotomy (the mutual exclusion, not so useful ultimately). So the best approach is to provide an example of where you want to go for analysis, I think. I really don't know what you're after.

For instance, certain instruments lend themselves to certain intervals and ways of approach. The tuning of a guitar for instance means certain things will turn out idiomatic/guitaristic.

[Roman Empire]

Not the first time I've seen someone here want the distinction harmonic vs melodic intervals, but that is not really so useful. An 'harmonic interval' would only mean 'a chord tone', and that does not exclude melodic consideration and as such poses an unnecessary dichotomy (the mutual exclusion, not so useful ultimately). So the best approach is to provide an example of where you want to go for analysis, I think. I really don't know what you're after.

For instance, certain instruments lend themselves to certain intervals and ways of approach. The tuning of a guitar for instance means certain things will turn out idiomatic/guitaristic.

Agree with this. I think I understand the question in this way as well. So, it seems that the requester is fully aware of what a fifth and an octave is. His question is, I think, which are the more common intervals for various instruments which obviously is dependant on their idiomacracy, but also on what sounds good.
Assuming that this was already googled without result, the smartest thing to do would be picking out your 5 favourite tunes for each of the instruments you´re interested in, and then analyze what´s going on interval-wise.

Best Regards

Roman Empire

[pamuma]

Not the first time I've seen someone here want the distinction harmonic vs melodic intervals, but that is not really so useful. An 'harmonic interval' would only mean 'a chord tone', and that does not exclude melodic consideration and as such poses an unnecessary dichotomy (the mutual exclusion, not so useful ultimately). So the best approach is to provide an example of where you want to go for analysis, I think. I really don't know what you're after.

For instance, certain instruments lend themselves to certain intervals and ways of approach. The tuning of a guitar for instance means certain things will turn out idiomatic/guitaristic.

Agree with this. I think I understand the question in this way as well. So, it seems that the requester is fully aware of what a fifth and an octave is. His question is, I think, which are the more common intervals for various instruments which obviously is dependant on their idiomacracy, but also on what sounds good.
Assuming that this was already googled without result, the smartest thing to do would be picking out your 5 favourite tunes for each of the instruments you´re interested in, and then analyze what´s going on interval-wise.

Best Regards

Roman Empire

many thanks!

[stillshaded]

If understand your question correctly, what you are asking about pertains to a subcategory of music theory, arrangement/orchestration.

I can't remember the book we used in college but it was pretty good.. It's kind of a standard nowadays. It has a blue and grey cover.

In my opinion looking studying a book would probably get you there faster than just looking at pieces. A lot of pieces are written in spite of what is more common on he instrument. For instance classical guitar. It has a lot of stuff that people didn't even attempt to do until Andre Segovia, so looking at his transcriptions might not be indicative of what the instrument lends itself to.

This would be especially applicable to contemporary orchestral music, as half of it is deliberately trying to push an instrument beyond its typical role.

[pamuma]

If understand your question correctly, what you are asking about pertains to a subcategory of music theory, arrangement/orchestration.

I can't remember the book we used in college but it was pretty good.. It's kind of a standard nowadays. It has a blue and grey cover.

In my opinion looking studying a book would probably get you there faster than just looking at pieces. A lot of pieces are written in spite of what is more common on he instrument. For instance classical guitar. It has a lot of stuff that people didn't even attempt to do until Andre Segovia, so looking at his transcriptions might not be indicative of what the instrument lends itself to.

This would be especially applicable to contemporary orchestral music, as half of it is deliberately trying to push an instrument beyond its typical role.

but the orchestration is like an instrument must be transposed in the music sheet, no? plus how is characteristically, as it sounds and the instruments that accompany to him .

[jancivil]

There are certain instruments (woodwind and brass) that are called 'transposing', which means that the instrument is built from a foundation where the fundamental (and subsequent harmonics) ie., 'open' tone(s) is/are pitched elsewhere than C. Bb trumpet, for example. So the player sees a C on the page while we hear Bb. To write the Bb trumpet part so that we hear C we write D, is the transposition. Conventionally, writing for a contrabass instrument we write an octave higher than sounding which means less ledger lines below the stave for easier reading.

One of the results of this is instruments (from say, Eb basis) are conventionally approached to suit this reality. And with many sharps in the key signature it may even be written as its enharmonic equivalent as a flats key. And in jazz, keys of 5, 6, 7 sharps were somewhat avoided conventionally because of the Eb saxophone (key of B written as key of G#, as preferably Ab).

The idiomaticness of eg., Bb trumpet has something to do with this but more is involved, particularly the valves. So there are some things that work better or worse depending on various factors. Some things that seem reasonable from the pianist's perspective could pose terrific problems for another instrument.