Hearing Intervals Differently

About this episode

This episode explores how our perception of consonance and dissonance is shaped by acoustics, musical habits, and cultural listening patterns through the lens of the overtone series.

https://www.skool.com/circle-of-interval-magicians/about Many musicians instinctively hear the major second as more dissonant than the minor third. But when we look at the overtone series—the natural harmonic structure inside every sound—we discover a surprising perspective: relationships corresponding to the major second appear earlier than those connected to the minor third. This episode explores how our perception of consonance and dissonance is shaped not only by acoustics, but also by musical habits and cultural listening patterns. By exploring harmony through the overtone series, composers can begin hearing intervals in a more flexible and creative way.

People in this episode

Host: The Music Interval Theory Podcast

Topics covered

• intervals
• overtone series
• musical perception
• consonance
• dissonance
• harmony
• cultural listening patterns

Keywords

• major second
• minor third
• overtone series
• musical habits
• cultural listening
• consonance
• dissonance
• harmony
• perception

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