Major scale

Major scale
Modes	I,II,III,IV,V,VI,VII
Component pitches
	C,D,E,F,G,A,B
Qualities
Number ofpitch classes	7
	Maximal evenness
Forte number	7-35
Complement	5-35

Themajor scale(orIonian mode) is one of the most commonly usedmusical scales,especially inWestern music.It is one of thediatonic scales.Like many musical scales, it is made up of sevennotes:the eighth duplicates the first at double itsfrequencyso that it is called a higheroctaveof the same note (from Latin "octavus", the eighth).

The simplest major scale towriteisC major,the only major scale not requiringsharpsorflats:

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \clef treble \time 7/4 c4 d e f g a b c } }$

The major scale has a central importance in Western music, particularly that of thecommon practice periodand inpopular music.

InCarnatic music,it is known asSankarabharanam.InHindustani classical music,it is known asBilaval.

Structure

The pattern of whole and half steps characteristic of a major scale

The intervals from the tonic (keynote) in an upward direction to the second, to the third, to the sixth, and to the seventh scale degrees of a major scale are called major.^[1]

A major scale is adiatonic scale.The sequence ofintervalsbetween the notes of a major scale is:

whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half

where "whole" stands for awhole tone(a red u-shaped curve in the figure), and "half" stands for asemitone(a red angled line in the figure).^[2]

Whole stepsandhalf stepsare explained mathematically in a related article,Twelfth root of two.Notably, anequal-tempered octavehas twelve half steps (semitones) spaced equally in terms of the sound frequency ratio. The sound frequency doubles for corresponding notes from one octave to the next. The ratio is 3/2 = 1.5 for aperfect fifth,for example from C to G on a major scale, and 5/4 = 1.25 for amajor third,for example from C to E.

A major scale may be seen as two identicaltetrachordsseparated by a whole tone. Each tetrachord consists of two whole tones followed by asemitone(i.e. whole, whole, half).

The major scale ismaximally even.

Scale degrees

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \clef treble \time 15/4 c4-1 d-2 e-3 f-4 g-5 a-6 b-7 c-8 b-7 a-6 g-5 f-4 e-3 d-2 c-1 } }$

Thescale degreesare:

1st:Tonic
2nd:Supertonic
3rd:Mediant
4th:Subdominant
5th:Dominant
6th:Submediant
7th:Leading tone
8th:Tonic

Triad qualities

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \clef treble \time 7/1 <c e g>1_\markup I <d f a>_\markup ii <e g b>_\markup iii <f a c>_\markup IV <g b d>_\markup V <a c e>_\markup vi <b d f>_\markup vii° } }$

The triads built on each scale degree follow a distinct pattern. Theroman numeral analysisis shown in parentheses.

1st:Major triad(I)
2nd:minor triad(ii)
3rd: minor triad (iii)
4th: Major triad (IV)
5th: Major triad (V)
6th: minor triad (vi)
7th:diminished triad(vii^o)

Seventh chord qualities

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \clef treble \time 7/1 <c e g b>1_\markup IM7 <d f a c>_\markup ii7 <e g b d>_\markup iii7 <f a c e>_\markup IVM7 <g b d f>_\markup V7 <a c e g>_\markup vi7 <b d f a>_\markup viiø7}}$

The seventh chords built on each scale degree follow a distinct pattern. Theroman numeral analysisis shown in parentheses.

1st:Major seventh chord(IM⁷)
2nd:minor seventh chord(ii⁷)
3rd: minor seventh chord (iii⁷)
4th: Major seventh chord (IVM⁷)
5th:Dominant seventh chord(V⁷)
6th: minor seventh chord (vi⁷)
7th:half-diminished seventh chord(vii^ø7)

Relationship to major keys

If a piece of music (or part of a piece of music) is in amajor key,then the notes in the corresponding major scale are considereddiatonicnotes, while the notesoutsidethe major scale are consideredchromaticnotes.Moreover, thekey signatureof the piece of music (or section) will generally reflect theaccidentalsin the corresponding major scale.

For instance, if a piece of music is in E♭major, then the seven pitches in the E♭major scale (E♭,F, G, A♭,B♭,C and D) are considered diatonic pitches, and the other five pitches (E♮,F♯/G♭,A♮,B♮,and C♯/D♭) are considered chromatic pitches. In this case, the key signature will have three flats (B♭,E♭,and A♭).

The figure below shows all 12 relative major and minor keys, with major keys on the outside and minor keys on the inside arranged around thecircle of fifths.

The numbers inside the circle show the number of sharps or flats in the key signature, with the sharp keys going clockwise, and the flat keys counterclockwise from C major (which has no sharps or flats.) The circular arrangement depends onenharmonicrelationships in the circle, usually reckoned at six sharps or flats for the major keys of F♯= G♭and D♯= E♭for minor keys.^[3]Seven sharps or flats make major keys (C♯major or C♭major) that may be more conveniently spelled with five flats or sharps (as D♭major or B major).

Broader sense

The term "major scale" is also used in the names of some other scales whose first, third, and fifth degrees form amajor triad.

Theharmonic major scale^[4]^[5]has a minor sixth. It differs from theharmonic minor scaleonly by raising the third degree.

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \clef treble \time 7/4 c4^\markup { Harmonic major scale } d e f g aes b c } }$

The melodic major scale is the combined scale that goes as Ionian ascending and asAeolian dominantdescending. It differs frommelodic minor scaleonly by raising the third degree to a major third.^[6]

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \clef treble \time 7/4 c4^\markup { Melodic major (ascending and descending) } d e f g a b c bes aes g f e d c } }$

Thedouble harmonic major scale^[7]has a minor second and a minor sixth. It is the fifth mode of theHungarian minor scale.

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \clef treble \time 7/4 c4^\markup { Double harmonic major scale } des e f g aes b c } }$

References

^Benward, Bruce & Saker, Marilyn (2003).Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I,p.52. Seventh Edition.ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0.
^"Major scale | music".
^Drabkin, William (2001). "Circle of Fifths". InSadie, Stanley;Tyrrell, John(eds.).The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians(2nd ed.). London: Macmillan Publishers.
^Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai (2005).Practical Manual of Harmony.Carl Fischer, LLC.ISBN 978-0-8258-5699-0.
^Tymoczko, Dmitri (2011). "Chapter 4".A Geometry of Music.New York: Oxford.
^"Musicstudents - Free Sheet Music and Play-Along Soundfiles".Archived fromthe originalon 2014-03-11.Retrieved2014-03-13.
^Stetina, Troy (1999).The Ultimate Scale Book.p. 59.ISBN 0-7935-9788-9.

External links

Listen to and download harmonised Major scale piano MP3s
Major scales explained on a virtual piano
Interactive Piano Reference to Major Scales
History of the Major Scale
"Secrets of Major Keys You Need to Know",Sebastian Karika,Mindful Harmony.

[1] Benward, Bruce & Saker, Marilyn (2003).Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I,p.52. Seventh Edition.ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0.

[2] "Major scale | music".

[Drabkin-3] Drabkin, William (2001). "Circle of Fifths". InSadie, Stanley;Tyrrell, John(eds.).The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians(2nd ed.). London: Macmillan Publishers.

[4] Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai (2005).Practical Manual of Harmony.Carl Fischer, LLC.ISBN 978-0-8258-5699-0.

[5] Tymoczko, Dmitri (2011). "Chapter 4".A Geometry of Music.New York: Oxford.

[6] "Musicstudents - Free Sheet Music and Play-Along Soundfiles".Archived fromthe originalon 2014-03-11.Retrieved2014-03-13.

[7] Stetina, Troy (1999).The Ultimate Scale Book.p. 59.ISBN 0-7935-9788-9.

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