Guitar Mastery Intensive

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Intervals and Life

There is magic in intervals:

C - Root - Non-duality (unison)

D - 2nd - Duality and Opposites (dissonance)

E - 3rd - Holy Trinity (consonance)

F- 4th - Four Seasons (neither consonance nor dissonance)

G- 5th- The 7 Steps and Perfect Balance (consonance)

A- 6th - Transcendence and Reflection (consonance)

B- 7th - Cyclic Movement (dissonance)

The Octave is fascinatingly created by the accumulation of our 12 tones, 7 of which are natural notes. For me this represents time and it’s cyclical nature. We have 7 days in a week, 24 hours (2 x 12) in a day, and 12 months to a year. Every time we finish the cycle we repeat the same sequence, just like in music as we climb up or down the octaves we repeat the same notes. Why is this cool? Cause we may experience September in a certain way one year, but then experience September in a different way the next year. Likewise, we can experience G in one octave in a complete different way than G in a higher or lower octave. This expresses time because although life may repeat itself in cycles that look the same, our relation to each individual cycle is altered or enhanced by previous cycles: That higher G is only higher to me because I have heard the first G, giving me the richer experience of having heard both G’s. This teaches us that life is not about the accumulation of information, but rather our relationship to that information based on experience... i.e. wisdom.

Written by Ila Cantor