Perfect fourth
Five semitones. It sounds open and suspended; it often opens hymns and fanfares. The risk is confusing it with the fifth — practice the two alternating.
5 semitones Symbol P4 Perfect consonance
Listen
See
C F
E
B
G P4
D 0
A
E
0 1234567
C → F
Where you have heard it
Ascending
Hino nacional (EUA) the first two notes
Amazing Grace opening
Descending
Eine kleine Nachtmusik opening descending leap
Born Free opening
What it gets confused with
Frequently asked
How many semitones is a perfect fourth?
Five, for example between C and F.
How do I recognise it by ear?
It opens the American national anthem and "Amazing Grace" — an open leap that feels like it is going somewhere.
What is its inversion?
The perfect fifth. Fourths and fifths are two views of the same pair of notes, which is why both sound stable.
There is an exercise track dedicated to recognising this by ear.
Train this