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- Interval: major second
Interval: major second
You sing a note, leap 2 semitones up and come back.
The smallest interval drill: sing the root, step up a major second, two semitones, and come back to a two-beat root. Three notes at a calm tempo. A whole step is the building block of every scale, so hearing it as a distinct distance, not just the next note, is basic ear training. Sung on 'lah', with the tongue light and the jaw still. Five repetitions, each a semitone higher.
How to do it
- Listen to the piano play root, second, root.
- Hear the second note in your head, then sing all three on 'lah'.
- Watch the roll: the middle bar sits two rows above the others.
- Five repetitions, each a semitone higher.
Coach's tip: Hear the second note in your head before you open your mouth.
What to watch out for
Because the interval is small, singers often overshoot it and land closer to a minor third, or undershoot and barely leave the root. Both show as yellow. Sing the step as a clear, deliberate move, not a slide. The return to the root is usually easier, but check it anyway. There's no strain in this range; if you lose focus, take a break rather than repeating on autopilot.
Who it's for
A starting point for complete beginners and for anyone whose scales come out uneven. Use it early in the main block, before 5-note scale. Continue to Interval: major third and Interval: minor third to learn the next distances. It isn't in a preset program; work through the Intervals category in order.
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