Interval
Tritone
A tritone is 6 half steps (3 whole steps): from C up to F♯.
- Half steps
- 6
- Symbol
- TT
- Sound
- Dissonance: tense, wants to move
The tritone splits the octave exactly in half. Spelled as a fourth (C to F♯) it is an augmented fourth; spelled as a fifth (C to G♭) a diminished fifth.
Play it yourself
Tap any key, then the key 6 half steps higher.
Tap a first note.
Hear it in a song
You can hear a tritone in The Simpsons theme. Humming that tune is the quickest way to recognise the interval by ear.
A tritone from every note
The letter names follow the interval's number, so a third always skips one letter, even when a sharp or flat is needed.
- C – F♯
- C♯ – F𝄪
- D – G♯
- E♭ – A
- E – A♯
- F – B
- F♯ – B♯
- G – C♯
- A♭ – D
- A – D♯
- B♭ – E
- B – E♯