Sonid is on a quest to make a series of playlists for you to practice ear training. This week we listen to some songs with the major second interval in mind. These are songs with the ascending, melodic major second interval in them.

Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse - Valerie

In this song you can hear the major second interval in the first two notes of the verse: WELL-SOME, and again at AND-SINCE (the beginning of the bridge). Both times Amy is singing from a Bb to a C.

The Beatles - In My Life

This song is written in A major, which is why there are many sharps. After the intro, you can hear the first major second interval in THERE-ARE (E-F#), and afterwards I’LL REMEMBER (B-C#). In the second sentence John sings, you can hear the major second in IN-MY (B-C#). Afterwards this melodie repeats.

John Mayer - I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You)

John sings the major second interval in the first two notes of the first three sentences of the verse. For example: NO-I’M from A to B. Please be aware that sometimes there is an extra note before, like in AND-IF-MY (E-A-B). The major second interval is in the last two notes.

Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way

This song is full of major second intervals. At the start of the verse, there is LOV-ING YOU (F-G-A), which are two major second intervals. Afterwards the melodie continues with IS-N’T-THE (F-G-A), repeating the same pattern. This doesn’t continue, because the next note is a Bb, which makes it a different interval. However, HOW-CAN-I, is going from Bb to C, and from C to D, which makes two major second intervals. The same goes for EV-ER CHANGE.

Foo Fighters - The Pretender

This song is for the rock-lovers among us! David Grohl sings a very melodic intro, in which there are many descending major second intervals, and also an ascending major second when he sings DARK-YOU and DARK-AND, going from A to B.

Duke Ellington, John Coltrane - In A Sentimental Mood

In the first two notes of the melodie, F to G, there is a very clear major second, followed by another one from G to A. You can hear this many times in this song. Sit back, and enjoy this jazz classic!

Justin Timberlake - Mirrors

We concentrate on the beginning of the melodie, which goes from Bb to C to D (AIN’T-YOU-SOME), resulting in two ascending major second intervals.

Elton John - Can You Feel the Love Tonight

This is maybe one of the easiest, recognizable interval-songs of this list. In this Disney classic Elton John is starting every line with a major second, going from G to A.

John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads

In this song you can hear the major second interval in MOST-HEA (going from G-A) and RIDGE-MOUN (going from D-E).

Of course there are many more songs with the major second interval in them. In fact, it is one of the most used intervals in pop songs. So, if you want us to add any song to this list, please feel free to submit it to our community forum.

After watching the video, you can also read about what a major second is or watch our major-second explanation video.