What songs can help me remember a minor 6th, a major 7th, and a minor 7th for ear training?

Question

I need some help remembering some of these intervals. If any of you know any kind of popular music, classical music, etc... that would help please share. Thanks!

Answer 1

I don't know if this will help --

the minor sixth was always a bit of a problem for me -- I had to do it in two steps.

Sing "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" - -the first two notes are a major 6th apart. Now sing it again in minor mode, and you've got it. (reduce the distance by a half step).

Major 7th -- Do you know the song "Bali High" from South Pacific? It goes up an octave and then down a half step. That third note is a major 7th above the 1st note.

Minor 7th. "There's a Place For Us" from West Side Story -- 1st two notes describe a minor 7th. Or you can sing the notes to a dominant 7th chord from the bottom up -- first and last notes describe a minor 7th.

That's how I mastered it. Now they are more or less automatic to me.

EDIT:

Very good, red hat -- "Love story":-- hadn't thoughtof that.

However, you don't need absolute pitch to assume on of those notes as tonic, and then sing up to the proper pitch. Being able to do so is one of the goals of ear training, yes?.

Answer 2

For a minor 6th I usually use the first two right-hand notes of Chopin's Nocturne in e minor (B to G, ascending). For a minor 7th, "Somewhere." A major 7th is harder, but I usually use "The Hut on Fowl's Legs" (the first two notes, F-sharp to G descending) from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.

Answer 3

songs? not reliable... but love story = minor 6th

Major 7th is wide & crashing... minor 7th is wide but it blends.

Best is if you can hear the 2 apart & take the lower note as the tonic then sing it up but you will need absolute pitch for that.