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Cover of Interval Inversion & Compound Intervals
Reference Chart

Interval Inversion & Compound Intervals

Turn an interval upside down and it becomes a different, completely predictable interval — plus how to name intervals wider than an octave.

Letter · 1 page · 444 KB ⤢ View ⬇ Download PDF

What's inside

  • The Rule of Nine — every interval number and its inversion add up to 9, shown for all four pairs
  • How quality flips on inversion: major to minor, perfect stays perfect, augmented to diminished
  • A worked example inverting a 3rd to a 6th, with both directions notated
  • Compound intervals — 9ths, 10ths and 12ths — as an octave plus a simple interval, with a from-C example
intervalsinversioncompound-intervals

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Looking for step-by-step lessons instead? Head to Music Theory. Want composing ideas? Try Composing.