Perfect fourth - Definition and Overview

The musical interval of a perfect fourth, often P4, is the relationship between the first note (the root or tonic) and the fourth note (subdominant) in a major scale. It is the inversion of the perfect fifth.

It can be produced by starting on a high note and playing the fourth below or by starting on a low note and playing the fourth above.

A perfect fourth in just intonation corresponds to a pitch ratio of 3:4 or 1:1.333...while in an equal tempered tuning, a perfect fourth is equal to five semitones, a ratio of 1:2^5/12 (approximately 1:1.3348), or 500 cents, about 1.955 cents wide.

The perfect fourth is considered the most consonant interval after the unison, octave, and perfect fifth.

Conventionally, the strings of a double bass and a bass guitar are tuned by intervals of perfect fourths, while all strings but one of a guitar are tuned to intervals of perfect fourths.

See also: diatessaron, augmented fourth.

External links

• Tonalsoft Encyclopaedia of Tuning (http://tonalsoft.com/enc/index2.htm?p4.htm)