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The major scale (or Ionian mode) is one of the most commonly used musical scales, especially in Western music. It is one of the . Like many musical scales, it is made up of seven Musical note: the eighth duplicates the first at double its frequency so that it is called a higher octave of the same note (from Latin "octavus", the eighth).
The simplest major scale to write is C major, the only major scale not requiring sharps or flats:
The major scale has a central importance in Western music, particularly that of the common practice period and in popular music.
In Carnatic music, it is known as Sankarabharanam. In Hindustani classical music, it is known as Bilaval.
where "whole" stands for a Major second (a red u-shaped curve in the figure), and "half" stands for a semitone (a red angled line in the figure).
major second and semitones are explained mathematically in a related article, Twelfth root of two. Notably, in terms of the sound frequency ratio in equal temperament, a whole tone has twice the sound frequency ratio of a semitone and an octave has twelve half steps (semitones) spaced equally. 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 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.
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 the circle 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 on enharmonic relationships in the circle, usually reckoned at six sharps or flats for the major keys of F = G and D = E for minor keys. 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).
The harmonic major scale has a minor sixth. It differs from the harmonic minor scale only by raising the third degree.
The melodic major scale is the combined scale that goes as Ionian ascending and as Aeolian dominant descending. It differs from melodic minor scale only by raising the third degree to a major third.
The double harmonic major scale has a minor second and a minor sixth. It is the fifth mode of the Hungarian minor scale.
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