List of fifth intervals
In the theory and practice of music, a fifth interval is an ordered pair of notes that are separated by an interval of 6–8 semitones.
There are three types of fifth intervals, namely
After the unison and octave intervals, the perfect fifth is the most important interval in tonal harmony. It is highly consonant. Its implementation in equal temperament tuning is highly accurate, unlike the major third interval, for example. As explained below, it is used to generate the chromatic circle and the cycle of fifths, and it is used for tuning string-instruments. It is a constituent interval for the fundamental chords of tonal harmony.
Tonal harmony
The fundamental chords of tonal music—major and minor triads and also seventh chords—all contain fifth intervals.- Perfect fifths are contained in major and minor triads and in particular seventh chords.
- Diminished fifths are contained in diminished triads and in half-diminished sevenths and fully diminished seventh chords.
Cycle of fifths
Image:Pitch class space star.svg|thumb|right|The circle of fifths drawn within the chromatic circle as a regular star dodecagonConcatenating the perfect fifths ,,,,, generates the sequence of fifths ; this sequence of fifths displays all twelve notes of the chromatic circle.