perfect fourth
Five semitones apart
A perfect fourth is a musical interval spanning five semitones—the distance from C to F, or from G to C.
The term "perfect" distinguishes it from augmented or diminished fourths and reflects the interval's acoustic purity in Western harmony.
The perfect fourth appears in countless melodies; the opening notes of "Here Comes the Bride" span a perfect fourth.
Harmonious sound combination
- dissonanceLack of harmony
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
- suspensionTemporary halt or exclusion
- chordNotes sounded simultaneously
triad · counterpoint · cadence · tonic · dominant · subdominant · parallel · doubling
Rate of recurrence
- overtonesImplicit secondary meanings
- partialsIncomplete sets or components
- vibrationRapid oscillating movement
- resonanceAmplified oscillation at natural frequency
waveform · fundamental · hertz · sympathetic · timbre · oscillation · standing wave · node
Uniform pitch division system
- PythagoreanOf ancient Greek mathematics
- ratioComparative numerical relation
- centsDollar subdivisions
- fretAgitation or fingerboard guide
string · open tuning · guitar · bass · violin · cello · mandolin · twelve-tone
consonance
Harmonious sound combination
- dissonanceLack of harmony
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
- suspensionTemporary halt or exclusion
chord · triad · counterpoint · cadence · tonic · dominant · subdominant · parallel · doubling · spacing
frequency
Rate of recurrence
- overtonesImplicit secondary meanings
- partialsIncomplete sets or components
- vibrationRapid oscillating movement
resonance · waveform · fundamental · hertz · sympathetic · timbre · oscillation · standing wave · node · antinode
equal temperament
Uniform pitch division system
- PythagoreanOf ancient Greek mathematics
- ratioComparative numerical relation
- centsDollar subdivisions
fret · string · open tuning · guitar · bass · violin · cello · mandolin · twelve-tone · calibration
fifth
Five's place in sequence
semitone · whole tone · unison · sixth · seventh · diatonic · chromatic · ascending · descending · melodic
- proportiongolden ratio, golden mean, golden section, phi, golden rectangle
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