Interval · 5 half steps
Perfect fourth
A perfect fourth is 5 half steps. From C, a perfect fourth up is F.
- Half steps
- 5
- Short name
- P4
- Guitar frets
- 5
How it sounds
Strong and open, a little like a call to attention. Bugle calls and a lot of anthems start with a leap of a fourth. Every pair of neighboring guitar strings except G and B is tuned a fourth apart.
Songs to remember it by
Hum the start of Here Comes the Bride or Amazing Grace. The jump between the first two notes is a perfect fourth. Reference songs get you started; after a while you will hear the interval itself.
On the guitar
The next higher string, same fret. That is how the guitar is tuned. With the lower note on the low E or A string in standard tuning; shapes that cross from the G string to the B string move up one fret.
A perfect fourth up from every note
| From | Up a perfect fourth | Hear it |
|---|---|---|
| C | F | |
| D♭ | G♭ | |
| D | G | |
| E♭ | A♭ | |
| E | A | |
| F | B♭ | |
| F♯ | B | |
| G | C | |
| A♭ | D♭ | |
| A | D | |
| B♭ | E♭ | |
| B | E |
This interval is one of the answers in the game’s “How far apart?” round.