: What is the "Devil's Note" and why is it called that? I think it's something to do with the flatted 5th but I can't figure it out.

Vote Up Vote Down   0 Reactions

Login to give Reaction!

The so-called Devil's interval is the tritone. Play any note, and the one that is three tones away is the tritone. It's in between the two other important notes in a scale, the P4 and P5.Just as far in semitones as you can get from the original note, either way.

It was said to be banned from renaissance music, as it is quite dissonant, and became known as the Devil's interval. Apochryphally or not, I'm not sure. But these days it's a commonly used interval, making the b5 in blues, and the #4 in jazz. In all the modes of the major scale, the 5ths are perfect, except the Locrian, which contains this flat fifth, in part making it the least used mode.