Fretboard Interval Complete Diagrams
Learn Intervals From Any Root Position
This tutorial contains only a few words and many diagrams, that will show you intervals of all kinds across all the fretboard.
Intervals are the building blocks of chords; if you want to know how to construct chords, you must learn your intervals and their inversion first.
We've already talked about intervals and chords in our complete guitar music theory complete tutorial (be sure to check the previous link if you've missed it); on this page, we're going to show you all the possible combinations of interval types and root positions.
Interval Types
As you probably already know, an interval is basically a distance between two pitches.
Depending on the length of that distance, the interval assumes a different name.
Is not uncommon to have different names for the same distance (like the Perfect Fifth/Augmented Fourth one).
This are the so-called enharmonics
Pro tip: if you want to memorize fretboard intervals in a fun way, try our Fretboard Intervals Game.
| Interval | Distance (Semitones) | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| Root | 0 | 1 |
| Minor Second | 1 | b2 |
| Major Second | 2 | 2 |
| Minor Third | 3 | b3 |
| Major Third | 4 | 3 |
| Perfect Fourth | 5 | 4 |
| Diminished Fifth (Augmented Fourth) | 6 | b5 |
| Perfect Fifth | 7 | 5 |
| Minor Sixth | 8 | b6 |
| Major Sixth | 9 | 6 |
| Minor Seventh | 10 | b7 |
| Major Seventh | 11 | 7 |
| Octave | 12 | 8 |
Octave - The Most Helpful Interval
The most precious and useful interval that you can learn is the octave interval.
You can use it to quickly find the same note on another string, and thus move smoothly on the fretboard.
Take some time to study the diagram below: notice how octaves create the geometric shapes denoted as A, B and C, and how these shapes repeat themselves (in the same sequence A, B and C) across all the neck.
You should master octave intervals perfectly, they will be immensely useful.
You can find more information on the guitar fretboard layout here.
Full Fretboard Maps | Compact Visualization
Below are the interval maps showing one string at a time.
If you want a more compact visualization, with all the intervals in a given chord, please check my complete ebook Chords Domination
Compact visualization of the fretboard intervals in a Dominant 7 chord (from Chords Domination ebook)
Fretboard Intervals with Root on 6th String
Minor Second intervals with root on 6th string
Major Second intervals with root on 6th string
Minor Third intervals with root on 6th string
Major Third intervals with root on 6th string
Perfect Fourth intervals with root on 6th string
Diminished Fifth intervals with root on 6th string
Perfect Fifth intervals with root on 6th string
Minor Sixth intervals with root on 6th string
Major Sixth intervals with root on 6th string
Minor Seventh intervals with root on 6th string
Major Seventh intervals with root on 6th string
Fretboard Intervals with Root on 5th String
Minor Second intervals with root on 5th string
Major Second intervals with root on 5th string
Minor Third intervals with root on 5th string
Major Third intervals with root on 5th string
Perfect Fourth intervals with root on 5th string
Diminished Fifth intervals with root on 5th string
Perfect Fifth intervals with root on 5th string
Minor Sixth intervals with root on 5th string
Major Sixth intervals with root on 5th string
Minor Seventh intervals with root on 5th string
Major Seventh intervals with root on 5th string
Fretboard Intervals with Root on 4th String
Minor Second intervals with root on 4th string
Major Second intervals with root on 4th string
Minor Third intervals with root on 4th string
Major Third intervals with root on 4th string
Perfect Fourth intervals with root on 4th string
Diminished Fifth intervals with root on 4th string
Perfect Fifth intervals with root on 4th string
Minor Sixth intervals with root on 4th string
Major Sixth intervals with root on 4th string
Minor Seventh intervals with root on 4th string
Major Seventh intervals with root on 4th string
Fretboard Intervals with Root on 3rd String
Minor Second intervals with root on 3rd string
Major Second intervals with root on 3rd string
Minor Third intervals with root on 3rd string
Major Third intervals with root on 3rd string
Perfect Fourth intervals with root on 3rd string
Diminished Fifth intervals with root on 3rd string
Perfect Fifth intervals with root on 3rd string
Minor Sixth intervals with root on 3rd string
Major Sixth intervals with root on 3rd string
Minor Seventh intervals with root on 3rd string
Major Seventh intervals with root on 3rd string
Fretboard Intervals with Root on 2nd String
Minor Second intervals with root on 2nd string
Major Second intervals with root on 2nd string
Minor Third intervals with root on 2nd string
Major Third intervals with root on 2nd string
Perfect Fourth intervals with root on 2nd string
Diminished Fifth intervals with root on 2nd string
Perfect Fifth intervals with root on 2nd string
Minor Sixth intervals with root on 2nd string
Major Sixth intervals with root on 2nd string
Minor Seventh intervals with root on 2nd string
Major Seventh intervals with root on 2nd string
Fretboard Intervals with Root on 1st String
Minor Second intervals with root on 1st string
Major Second intervals with root on 1st string
Minor Third intervals with root on 1st string
Major Third intervals with root on 1st string
Perfect Fourth intervals with root on 1st string
Diminished Fifth intervals with root on 1st string
Perfect Fifth intervals with root on 1st string
Minor Sixth intervals with root on 1st string
Major Sixth intervals with root on 1st string
Minor Seventh intervals with root on 1st string
Major Seventh intervals with root on 1st string
Conclusions
I hope these diagrams help you improve your fretboard knowledge and music theory skills.
Don't forget to request your free access to the download page; you'll get many chords, scales and fretboard pdf.