Quote:
Originally Posted by dtiii  ...The familiar tune method is a good initial approach, but eventually you'll want to start hearing the interval without having to reference the tune. ....
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X 2. But the familiar tunes are a good way to get your foot in the door.
I remember when I was starting out, whenever I had idle time in transit or waiting in line, I'd hum various intervals softly (or imaginarily).
I recall starting with the notes of a major scale -- comparing the first note (bass/tonic/root) to the notes higher in the scale -- just humming the various intervals.
It was actually a fun and diverting exercise, cuz I was determined to be in control of it, and I knew I could do it with practice.
E.g.: You can probably already sing a major scale to yourself (the white notes on a piano, starting from C up to the next C). Your teacher or theory book will tell you what the various intervals are called.
With that firmly in your head, start skipping notes -- like, instead of singing C, D, E, F, G (do re mi fa sol), leave out the D (re) and F (fa) and just sing C, E, G (do mi sol). (Btw, C to G -- or do to sol -- is like a guitar power chord. That's a perfect 5th.)
Then progress to leaving other notes out -- trying all the possibilities. Eventually you'll be able to imagine going from any scale note to any other.
It was only when I had the intervals in simple scales fully mastered that I started working on the notes in between (the chromatic/"black notes").
Just take it slow and enjoy the challenge, with the knowledge that you
_can_ do this. :^)
Oh: unless you have perfect pitch, it doesn't matter what actual pitch you're singing or imagining in; you can imagine any note to be the start of a C scale -- it's all relative.
