Editing Major scale (section)

==Structure==
[[Image:C major scale.png|thumb|The pattern of whole and half steps characteristic of a major scale]]

{{Blockquote|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.<ref>Benward, Bruce & Saker, Marilyn (2003). ''Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I'', p.52. Seventh Edition. {{ISBN|978-0-07-294262-0}}.</ref>}}

A major scale is a [[diatonic scale]]. The sequence of [[Interval (music)|intervals]] between the notes of a major scale is:

: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half

where "whole" stands for a [[Major second|whole tone]] (a red u-shaped curve in the figure), and "half" stands for a [[semitone]] (a red angled line in the figure).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/art/major-scale|title=Major scale &#124; music}}</ref>

[[major second | Whole steps]] and [[semitones | half steps]] are explained mathematically in a related article, [[Twelfth root of two]].  Notably, an [[Equal temperament|equal-tempered]] [[octave]] has 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 a [[perfect fifth]], for example from C to G on a major scale, and 5/4 = 1.25 for a [[major third]], for example from C to E.

A major scale may be seen as two identical [[tetrachord]]s separated by a whole tone. Each tetrachord consists of two whole tones followed by a [[semitone]] (i.e. whole, whole, half).

The major scale is [[Maximal evenness|maximally even]].

===Scale degrees===
{{block indent|<score sound="1"> {
\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
} }
</score>}}

The [[Degree (music)|scale degrees]] are:

*1st: [[Tonic (music)|Tonic]]
*2nd: [[Supertonic]]
*3rd: [[Mediant]]
*4th: [[Subdominant]]
*5th: [[Dominant (music)|Dominant]]
*6th: [[Submediant]]
*7th: [[Leading-tone|Leading tone]]
*8th: [[Tonic (music)|Tonic]]

=== Triad qualities ===
{{block indent|<score sound="1"> {
\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°
    }
}
</score>}}

The triads built on each scale degree follow a distinct pattern. The [[roman numeral analysis]] is 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<sup>o</sup>)

=== Seventh chord qualities ===
{{block indent|<score sound="1"> {
\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}}
</score>}}

The seventh chords built on each scale degree follow a distinct pattern. The [[roman numeral analysis]] is shown in parentheses.
* 1st: [[Major seventh chord]] (IM<sup>7</sup>)
* 2nd: [[minor seventh chord]] (ii<sup>7</sup>)
* 3rd: minor seventh chord (iii<sup>7</sup>)
* 4th: Major seventh chord (IVM<sup>7</sup>)
* 5th: [[Dominant seventh chord]] (V<sup>7</sup>)
* 6th: minor seventh chord (vi<sup>7</sup>)
* 7th: [[half-diminished seventh chord]] (vii<sup>ø7</sup>)