The Space Between Notes: Mastering Musical Intervals

Imagine you are standing on a piano keyboard. Each key is one step away from the next. If you jump from one key to another, how big is that jump? Musicians have a precise system for measuring the distance between any two notes — and once you know it, you can describe the 'space' between notes the same way musicians have done for centuries. Here is your warm-up challenge: on the keyboard diagram shown, count how many white and black keys lie between C and G, including both notes. Write down your count before reading on.