Reading intervals on sheet music?

You learn to use both your ears AND your eyes. Some things in music are recognized by sight - C to F, - yeah, that's a P4 - and some by sound, within the key - I *hear* Eb to C in the key of Eb - yup, a major sixth - and I am LOOKING at it now - yup, nailed it. I taught solfege for many years, mainly to my vocal/choral students, and even the fine instrumentalists in my groups/classes said that they benefited by this. There are countless funny songs around the Net that serve as learning devices, are certain songs that students have used for decades, to help them remember a certain interval - Here Comes the Bride for an ascending fourth, Maria form E West Side Story for a tritone, etc. Within a reasonable amount of time and usage, you just *learn* them. Sit yourself down, and in a few different keys, go thru all the interval s built up from the tonic, working chromatically. Then start form notes OTHER than the tonic. Do-mi is a major third (we are assuming a major key, first) - but re-fa is minor. Work you way thru - but do not beat yourself up. Your eyes and ears need a rest. Do *some* every day - but not a lot. You will learn faster that way.m As much as my student know I value HARD work - they also know that SMART work is better.

1. Look at the key signature before reading anything.

2. Check the preceding notes for accidentals and cancellations.

3. Name the interval.