interval
the distance between two notes; has two parts: size and quality (perfect, major, minor)
perfect intervals
are unisons (1; tonic), fourths (4; subdominant), fifths (5; dominant), and octaves (8)
major intervals
remaining intervals above the tonic in major scales; seconds (2), thirds (3), sixths (6), and sevenths (7)
minor intervals
may be created by lowering the upper note of a major interval by a half step without changing the letter names; only seconds, thirds, sixths, and sevenths can be altered to become minor