Major third

	Email		Print
	Bookmark		Link

Major third

A major third is one of two commonly occurring musical intervals that span three diatonic scale

Diatonic scale

In music theory, a diatonic scale is a seven note musical scale comprising five whole steps and two half steps, in which the half steps are maximally separated....
degrees, the other being the minor third

Minor third

A minor third is a Interval of three semitones. It is the smaller of two commonly occurring musical intervals compounded of two steps of the diatonic scale....
. It is denoted 'major' because it is the larger of the two: the major third is a leap of four semitones, the minor third three. The major third is abbreviated M3; its inversion

Inversion (music)

In music theory, the word inversion has several meanings. There are inverted chords, inverted melodies, inverted intervals, and inverted voices....
is the minor sixth

Minor sixth

A minor sixth is the smaller of two commonly occurring musical intervals that span six diatonic scale degrees. The prefix 'minor' identifies it as being the smaller of the two ; its larger counterpart being a major sixth....
.

The major scale

Major scale

In music theory, the major scale or Ionian mode scale is one of the diatonic scale Musical scales. It is made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher....
is so named because of the presence of this interval between its tonic

Tonic (music)

The tonic is the first note of a scale in the tonality method of musical composition. The chord #The Triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord ....
and mediant

Mediant

In music, the mediant is the third degree of the diatonic Scale , being the "middle" note of the Tonic triad .In music theory, the mediant chord is symbolized by the Roman numeral III if it is major or iii if it is minor....
(1st and 3rd) scale degrees. The major chord

Major chord

In music theory, a major chord is a chord having a Root , a major third, and a perfect fifth. When a chord has these three notes alone, it is called a major Triad ....
also takes its name from the presence of this interval built on the chord's root

Root (chord)

In music the root of a chord is the note or pitch upon which that chord is perceived or labelled as being built or tonality centered upon. This feeling of centeredness is aurally perceivable for those who grew up with European music, and its verbal labelling is a basic skill for the musically trained....
(provided that the interval of a perfect fifth

Perfect fifth

The perfect fifth is the musical interval between a note and the note seven semitones above it on the musical scale. For example, the note G lies a perfect fifth above C; D is a perfect fifth above G, C is a perfect fifth above F, and so on....
from the root is also present or implied).

A major third in just intonation

Just intonation

In music, just intonation is any musical tuning in which the frequency of notes are related by ratios of whole numbers. Any interval tuned in this way is called a just interval; in other words, the two notes are members of the same harmonic series ....
most often corresponds to the fifth partial of the overtone series, or a pitch ratio of 5:4 ; in equal temperament

Equal temperament

Equal temperament is a musical temperament, or a system of Musical tuning in which every pair of adjacent notes has an identical frequency ratios....
a major third is equal to four semitone

Semitone

A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone,Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, and others use "half tone".One source says that step is "chiefly US", and that half-tone is "chiefly N....
s — 400 cent

Cent (music)

Discussion

Ask a question about 'Major third'

Start a new discussion about 'Major third'

Answer questions from other users

Full Discussion Forum

Encyclopedia

A major third is one of two commonly occurring musical intervals that span three diatonic scale

Diatonic scale

Minor third

Inversion (music)

In music theory, the word inversion has several meanings. There are inverted chords, inverted melodies, inverted intervals, and inverted voices....
is the minor sixth

Minor sixth

Major scale

Tonic (music)

Mediant

Major chord

Root (chord)

Perfect fifth

Just intonation

Equal temperament

Equal temperament is a musical temperament, or a system of Musical tuning in which every pair of adjacent notes has an identical frequency ratios....
a major third is equal to four semitone

Semitone

Cent (music)

The cent is a logarithmic scale unit of measure used for musical interval . Typically cents are used to measure extremely small intervals, or to compare the sizes of comparable intervals in different tuning systems, and in fact the interval of one cent is much too small to be heard between successive notes....
s, 13.686 cents higher than the 5:4 major third. The older concept of a ditone (two 9:8 major seconds) made a dissonantly wide major third with the ratio 81:64 .

In equal temperament three major thirds in a row are equal to an octave (for example, C to E, E to G?/A?, and A? to C). This is sometimes called the "circle of thirds". In just intonation, however, three 5:4 major thirds are less than an octave. For example, three 5:4 major thirds from C is B? (C to E to G? to B?). The difference between this just-tuned B? and an equal temperament C, called a diesis

Diesis

A diesis is a Comma type of musical interval, usually meaning the difference between three just intonation major thirds and an octave , equal to 128:125 or about 41.06 Cent s....
, is about 41 cents.

The major third is classed as an imperfect consonance

Consonance and dissonance

In music, a consonance is a harmony, Chord , or interval considered stable, as opposed to a dissonance ? considered unstable . The strictest definition of consonance may be only those sounds which are pleasant, while the most general definition includes any sounds which are used freely....
and is considered one of the most consonant intervals after the unison

UNISON

UNISON ? the Public Service Union is the second largest trade union in the United Kingdom, with over 1.3 million members.It was formed in 1993 when three previous public sector trade unions, the National Association of Local Government Officers , the National Union of Public Employees and the Confederation of Health Service Employees merg...
, octave

Octave

In music, an octave The octave is occasionally referred to as a diapason.The octave above an indicated note is sometimes abbreviated 8va, and the octave below 8vb....
, perfect fifth

Perfect fifth

Perfect fourth

The perfect fourth is a musical interval which spans four diatonic scale scale degree. It consists of the note and the note five semitones above it on the musical scale....
. In the common practice period

Common practice period

The common practice period, in the history of European art music , spanning the Baroque Music, Classical music era, and Romantic Music periods, lasted from about 1600 until about 1900....
, thirds were considered interesting and dynamic consonances along with their inverses the sixths, but in medieval times

Medieval music

The term medieval music encompasses European music written during the Middle Ages. This era begins with the fall of the Roman Empire and ends in approximately the middle of the fifteenth century....
they were considered dissonances unusable in a stable final sonority.

A diminished fourth

Diminished fourth

In music, a diminished fourth is an Interval that spans four diatonic scale degrees, and is narrower than a perfect fourth by a chromatic semitone....
is enharmonically equivalent to a major third (that is, it spans the same number of semitones). For example, B–D? is a major third; but if the same pitches are spelled B and E?, the interval is instead a diminished fourth. B–E? occurs in the C harmonic minor scale.

Major third

See also