tritone

tritone, in music, the interval encompassed by three consecutive whole steps, as for instance the distance from F to B (the whole steps F–G, G–A, and A–B). In semitone notation, the tritone is composed of six semitones; thus it divides the octave symmetrically in equal halves.

The tritone is a musical interval that's composed of two notes that are six semitones, or three adjacent whole tones, apart. Within a major scale, there's only one instance where a tritone is formed diatonically: between the seventh and fourth scale degrees (ex. B and F form a tritone in the key of C major).

The Unsettling Sound Of Tritones, The Devil's Interval In music theory, the tritone is an interval of three whole steps that can sound unresolved and creepy. Over time, the sound has wound up in jazz, rock and even Broadway musicals.

The tritone is an augmented fourth -- see, it's made of three tones: F to G is a tone, G to A is a tone, and A to B is a tone, so F to B is three tones.

And D see that now back up and go up another half a step to an F of B that's the tritone. And a fourth above that which is an e. All right now practice this back and forth. Sounds kind of jazzy.

Sometimes called an augmented fourth or diminished fifth, tritones have a distinctive dissonant sound that acts as a source of tension in many common musical scenarios. They also have the unique property of dividing the octave equally in half.

That dissonance (the tension your ears perceive) isn't without function - since your brain craves some kind of resolution when you hear it, the tritone is a magnificent engine for building anticipation before transitioning to a pleasant finality, or, perhaps, another interesting chord that can keep the music going.

As you can see, the tritone is a harmonic and melodic dissonance that is very important to tonal harmony because of the tension and instability that it creates.

Due to their intense dissonant sound, tritones are rarely used by themselves. However, they can add richness in context with other notes in a chord or melody. Tritones appear in many fundamental musical structures such as the major and minor scales and dominant 7th chord.

Second. Second is a major second three semitones is a minor. Third fourth returns the major. Third. Five semitones is a perfect fourth. And six semitones there is the tritone.

As its Latin moniker suggests, it's an evil sounding combination of notes that's designed to create a chilling or foreboding atmosphere. The interval was given a sinister name since listeners originally found it unpleasant and surprising.

Like the Beast, it goes by many names: Diabolus in musica (devil in music), the devil's interval, the tritone, the triad and the flatted fifth. As its Latin moniker suggests, it's an evil sounding combination of notes that's designed to create a chilling or foreboding atmosphere.