Handout — Harmony and Interval Chart
Darling student, imagine the way syrupy caramel settles on your tongue — that’s the mood we listen for in intervals. Ratios are the secret recipe behind how two notes sit together; they colour music like spices. With a partner, open the TeachRock Sound Waves synth (http://bit.ly/trsynth). Choose C as your starting note and explore each pairing below. Use the synth to test each pair, then write the ratio you hear (or find in just/intuitive tuning) and a short sensory description — warm, bright, tense, soothing — whatever imagery helps.
Instructions
- Work with a partner. One plays C, the other plays the paired note; swap roles.
- Use the TeachRock synth to change pitch and listen carefully.
- Write the frequency ratio you find (for example 2:1 for an octave) in the Ratio column.
- Describe how the interval sounds using at least one sensory word and one musical word (e.g., bright, consonant).
- Answer the questions at the end and keep this sheet for your reflection notes.
Chart — C scale note pairing observations
Tip: Simple ratios (few small whole numbers) often sound more consonant or 'pleasant'. More complex ratios tend to sound more dissonant or 'edgy'. But your ears are the judge — write what YOU hear.
| Interval | Description (pleasant, harsh, stable, jarring, etc.) | Ratio (fill using the synth) |
|---|---|---|
| C : D | ||
| C : E | ||
| C : F | ||
| C : G | ||
| C : A | ||
| C : B | ||
| C : C (octave) |
Reflection Questions
- List the ratios of the note pairings that you liked. What do you notice about these ratios?
- List the ratios of the note pairings that you disliked. What do you notice about these ratios?
- Which two notes have the largest ratio (numerically bigger ratio, e.g., 4:1 is larger than 2:1)?
- Which two notes have the smallest ratio?
- How does the complexity of the ratio relate to the sound of the two notes being played together?
Helpful listening prompts
- Play a pair and then hum one note while listening to the other: does one feel like a stable home?
- Swap octave (play the higher note an octave lower) — does it change the mood?
- Try small detuning (slightly change one pitch): what happens to the beat rate and feeling?
Teacher Notes (Nigella cadence) — brief and kind
Share this sheet with each pair and encourage warm, curious listening. The aim is not perfect theory but honest, careful description. Praise students who use sensory language and who experiment beyond the obvious. Use short demonstrations to show how simple ratios like 2:1 (octave), 3:2 (fifth) and 4:3 (fourth) sound more settled than complex ratios. Keep the classroom smelling faintly of imagination — in other words, let them taste the sound.
ACARA v9 mapping (teacher summary)
Mapped to Australian Curriculum (v9) — Music, Years 9–10 learning focus: understanding and using the elements of music (pitch, texture, timbre), creating and exploring sound with technologies, and responding: analysing how musical elements create meaning. This activity supports 'Creating' through experiment and 'Responding' through listening analysis and reflection.
Extended Rubric — Exemplary and Proficient outcomes
Criteria: Accuracy of ratios, quality of descriptive language, use of TeachRock synth, reflection depth, and evidence of listening experimentation.
Exemplary
- Accurately records ratios for all pairings (correct just/intuitive ratios or justified modern-tempered observations).
- Provides vivid, precise descriptions combining sensory and musical terms (e.g., 'clear, consonant major third — warm and stable').
- Uses the TeachRock synth confidently to test octave/inversion and documents effects (beats, roughness, stability).
- Reflective answers show insight: connects ratio simplicity to consonance, complexity to dissonance, and offers examples or short performance evidence.
Proficient
- Records ratios for most pairings with reasonable accuracy or documents reasoned attempts to measure them.
- Uses a mix of sensory and basic musical descriptors (pleasant, jarring, stable) clearly and consistently.
- Demonstrates use of the synth to hear differences and notes one or two effects (e.g., 'this beats more').
- Reflection answers show good understanding: recognises patterns between ratio simplicity and perceived consonance, and offers at least one clear example.
Teacher comments (for student work) — 100 words
Dear student, I enjoyed listening to your exploration of intervals. You approached each pairing with curiosity and described sounds vividly. For your next draft, name the interval (e.g., major third), record the frequency ratio using the TeachRock synth and describe sensory qualities — pleasant, bright, hollow — linking them to ratio complexity. Compare consonant (simple ratios like 2:1, 3:2, 4:3) with dissonant (more complex ratios) and note emotional effect. Try swapping inversion (higher/lower) and note changes. Aim for precise language and at least one musical example you could hum or perform. Well done — keep listening closely.
Teacher guidance comment (assessment) — 100 words
As you assess this activity, look for students’ ability to connect simple frequency ratios to perceived consonance and dissonance, and to use clear musical vocabulary. Encourage experimentation with the TeachRock synth and partner discussion. Prioritise evidence: labelled intervals, correct or reasoned ratios, written descriptors, and short performance demonstrations or audio clips. Provide focused, constructive feedback that points to specific improvements — for example, correcting a ratio, suggesting listening tests, or prompting comparison across octave/inversion. Recognise creativity in metaphors and attention to nuance. Use the rubric to justify grades and differentiated support.
Keep the classroom warm, curious and a little delicious — let the pupils taste the intervals.