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An interval becomes compound when it spans more than an octave.
An interval measures the distance between two pitches. From C up to the next C is an octave, counted as an eighth. If the upper note rises still farther, the interval is compound. C up to D in the octave above is a ninth; C up to E is a tenth.
Counting includes both letter names at the ends. A compound interval also has a related simple interval: a tenth can be understood as an octave plus a third. That connection can help you hear a large leap without treating it as an entirely new pattern.
C4 to E5 spans ten letter-name positions: C–D–E–F–G–A–B–C–D–E. It is a tenth.
The number names the generic span; identifying its full quality also depends on the exact pitches.
Open Music Theory — Intervals.
Kris Shaffer, Bryn Hughes, Brian Moseley; edited by Kris Shaffer and Robin Wharton · Hybrid Pedagogy Publishing
CC BY-SA 4.0. Rewritten as a self-contained explanation; the example and activity are Vakataka additions. No source images reproduced.
Source edition: Retrieved 2026-09-26
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