Hear two notes, name the interval between them, and get instant feedback with a reference tune. Choose which intervals to drill and build recognition one step at a time.
Interval recognition is the ability to hear two notes and know the distance between them without an instrument. It underpins transcription, sight-singing, improvisation and playing by ear — which is why every conservatory teaches it through all four years of study.
Do not try to learn all twelve intervals at once. Begin with two that sound very different — a perfect fifth and a minor second, say — and only add a third once you can tell those two apart every time. The Beginner preset above does this for you.
Linking each interval to the start of a familiar song is a useful scaffold: a perfect fourth opens "Here Comes the Bride", a major sixth opens "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean". The trainer shows one with every answer. After a few weeks of daily practice you will start to hear intervals directly, without reaching for the song.
Isolated intervals are only half the skill. Sing up a major scale and stop on different degrees, naming the interval from the tonic. This connects interval recognition to key, which is how it actually works in music.
The Cloud Atelier music guides include a full ear training path covering intervals, chords, scales and dictation in depth. To explore the chords of a key by ear, try the Circle of Fifths.
1. Choose a set of intervals — Beginner, Common or All 12 — and a direction: ascending, descending, harmonic or random.
2. Press Play interval, listen, and pick the interval you heard. Use Replay as often as you need.
3. After each answer you get feedback and a reference tune. Move to a larger set once you score well.
You hear two notes, the second higher, the leap open and stable. Think of "Twinkle, Twinkle": the jump from the first "twinkle" to the second is a perfect fifth, seven semitones. If the leap sounds bigger and sweeter, try the major sixth ("My Bonnie"); if smaller and darker, the minor third ("Greensleeves").
How does interval ear training work?
The trainer plays two notes and you name the distance between them — a major third, a
perfect fifth, and so on. Start with two contrasting intervals, add more as they become
reliable, and practise a little every day. Recognising intervals by ear is the foundation of
transcription, sight-singing and playing by ear.
Should I practise ascending, descending or harmonic intervals?
All three, but not at once. Most players find ascending intervals easiest, then descending,
then harmonic (both notes together). This tool lets you pick the direction so you can build
each one up separately.
What is a reference song for each interval?
A common learning aid is to link each interval to the opening of a familiar tune — a perfect
fourth to Here Comes the Bride, a major sixth to My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean. The trainer
shows a reference tune with every answer. Over time the song prompt drops away and you hear
the interval directly.
Is this ear trainer free?
Yes, completely free with no account and no ads. The sound is generated in your browser, so
it also works offline once the page has loaded.
How long does it take to learn intervals?
With ten minutes a day, most people recognise the common ascending intervals reliably within
a few weeks. Descending and harmonic intervals take longer. Consistency matters more than
the length of each session.
Which intervals are hardest to tell apart?
The usual confusions are the perfect fourth and perfect fifth, the major and minor sixths,
and the sevenths. Drill a confusing pair on its own until it is reliable, then put it back
into the full set.