Minor Second Interval

1Composition: what it contains

Semitones

1

Abbreviation

m2

Inversion

major seventh

Consonance

dissonance

2Appearance: diagrams and sound

3Indications: what it is used for

Melodically it is the leading tone resolving to the tonic, the chromatic passing note, and the motion between degrees 3–4 and 7–8 of the major scale. Harmonically it creates dissonance: the flat ninth in 7♭9 chords, the clash in cluster chords, and suspense in film music, where two alternating notes a half step apart signal approaching danger. The Phrygian mode starts with a minor second, which gives it its dark character.

4Dosage: how to practise it

On guitar, a minor second is one fret; on piano, the next key, white or black. Play it harmonically and melodically, ascending and descending, and sing it back. Use an ear trainer daily for three to five minutes, comparing it with the major second. Build reference: ascending sounds like a tense creep upward, descending like a resolution. Practise chromatic scales at 60–100 BPM to make the motion feel natural on any instrument.

Train it in the ear trainer

5Warnings and common mistakes

Do not confuse a minor second (different letter names, like a note and the next letter flattened) with an augmented unison (same letter name, one with an accidental): they sound identical but are spelled differently. Two white keys can form a minor second where there is no black key between them. Played harmonically, minor seconds in low registers sound muddy; use them higher or with care.

6Other presentations available

• Perfect Unison Interval
• Major Second Interval
• Minor Third Interval
• Major Third Interval
• Perfect Fourth Interval
• Tritone Interval
• Perfect Fifth Interval
• Minor Sixth Interval
• Major Sixth Interval
• Minor Seventh Interval
• Major Seventh Interval
• Perfect Octave Interval