Perfect Fourth
An interval spanning five semitones, historically treated as both consonant and dissonant depending on context.
Category
intervals
Pronunciation
/ˈpɜːfɪkt fɔːθ/
Origin
Latin (quartus, fourth)
Length
205 words · 2 min read
About Perfect Fourth
The perfect fourth is the distance from C to F, or from G to C above, and it holds a unique position in Western harmony. In medieval music it was classified as a perfect consonance alongside the fifth and octave, but from the Renaissance onwards it was treated as a dissonance when appearing above the bass note — a rule that still applies in species counterpoint.
More intervals terms
Minor Third
View all intervalsterms →An interval spanning three semitones, often described as having a dark, melancholic, or tender quality.
Minor SeventhAn interval spanning ten semitones, central to dominant seventh chords and the blues sound.
AugmentedAn interval that has been widened by one semitone beyond its major or perfect form.
Perfect FifthAn interval of seven semitones
Major SecondAn interval spanning two semitones, equivalent to a whole tone or whole step.
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v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →