Tuning shorthand

[Susan Kline]

>
>   Is the big "M" different from the little "m" (I'm assuming Major and 
> minor)
>and does "P" mean perfect or pure?
>
>Dave Streit
>Beaverton, OR

Hi, Dave

Newton has, once again, demonstrated his erudition, but he made one slip: 
(Don't take it hard, Newton!) He said "major fifth".

Since, in my early struggles (in vain) to make an income, I spent a year as 
a sabbatical replacement teaching college music theory (sort of a year in 
purgatory, I'm afraid), I bristle when I see "major fifth." Fifths aren't 
major or minor: like fourths, they are perfect (that's what the P stands 
for), augmented, or diminished. Seconds, Thirds, Sixths and Sevenths (and 
their cousins which are an octave larger, such as 9ths, 10ths, etc.) are 
major or minor.

If one takes a major interval, like a third, and makes it another semitone 
larger, it is augmented (and a very strange bird.) If one takes a minor 
interval, like a third, and contracts it another semitone, it is diminished 
(and an equally strange bird.)

Spelling: C to D# is an augmented 2nd. C to Eb is a minor third. The number 
of the interval is determined by the letters. C to E is always a third, no 
matter how many semitones it contains (unless it is a tenth, etc.) C to D 
is always a second, ditto, even if it is C# to Db (a diminished second, 
sounds like a unison. You won't see it in real life, but technically, that 
is what it would be.) Then the type (major, minor, etc.) is determined by 
the number of semitones it contains. A minor third has three semitones, for 
example.

Hope all that is clearer than mud. I think it behooves piano tuners to get 
these things straight (and many were music majors and are very familiar 
with it already). Some of our customers are musicians, after all, and we 
don't want to seem ignorant. Spelling intervals is pretty basic: it was 
first year theory I taught.

So, let's hope I didn't screw up the explanation. No fun, getting a red face.

Susan