Major scale

Major scale
Major Ma"jor, [L. major, compar. of magnus great: cf. F. majeur. Cf. {Master}, {Mayor}, {Magnitude}, {More}, a.] 1. Greater in number, quantity, or extent; as, the major part of the assembly; the major part of the revenue; the major part of the territory. [1913 Webster]

2. Of greater dignity; more important. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. Of full legal age; adult. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

4. (Mus.) Greater by a semitone, either in interval or in difference of pitch from another tone. [1913 Webster]

{Major key} (Mus.), a key in which one and two, two and three, four and five, five and six and seven, make major seconds, and three and four, and seven and eight, make minor seconds.

{Major offense} (Law), an offense of a greater degree which contains a lesser offense, as murder and robbery include assault.

{Major scale} (Mus.), the natural diatonic scale, which has semitones between the third and fourth, and seventh and fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees; the scale of the major mode, of which the third is major. See {Scale}, and {Diatonic}.

{Major second} (Mus.), a second between whose tones is a difference in pitch of a step.

{Major sixth} (Mus.), a sixth of four steps and a half step. In major keys the third and sixth from the key tone are major. Major keys and intervals, as distinguished from minors, are more cheerful.

{Major third} (Mus.), a third of two steps. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Major scale — Major scales In music theory, the major scale or Ionian scale is one of the diatonic scales. It is made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables Do …   Wikipedia

  • major scale — major diatonic scale major diatonic scale n. (Mus.), The natural diatonic scale, which has semitones between the third and fourth, and seventh and eighth notes, and whole tones between the other notes; the scale of the major mode, of which the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • major scale — n. Music any of the diatonic scales having the eight tones succeeding by whole tones but with a semitone between the third and fourth and seventh and eighth tones: there are twelve major scales, one in each key …   English World dictionary

  • major scale — noun a diatonic scale with notes separated by whole tones except for the 3rd and 4th and 7th and 8th • Syn: ↑major diatonic scale • Hypernyms: ↑mode, ↑musical mode • Hyponyms: ↑C major, ↑C major scale, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • major scale — noun One of the diatonic scales; a group of notes or musical pitches in a particular pattern, used to make melodies. The pattern for a major scale is: tone tone semitone tone tone tone semitone. :In the key of C Major, this produces a scale with… …   Wiktionary

  • major scale — Music. a scale consisting of a series of whole steps except for half steps between the third and fourth and seventh and eighth degrees. Also called major mode. [1865 70] * * * ▪ music       in music, stepped arrangement of notes following the… …   Universalium

  • major scale — /ˈmeɪdʒə skeɪl/ (say mayjuh skayl) noun a musical scale whose third tone forms a major third with the root …  

  • major scale — ma′jor scale′ n. mad a musical scale consisting of a series of whole steps except for half steps between the third and fourth and seventh and eighth degrees • Etymology: 1865–70 …   From formal English to slang

  • major scale — musical scale made up of eight notes (Music) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Harmonic major scale — In music theory, the harmonic major scale is a musical scale which found occasional use during the common practice era and is now often employed, particularly in jazz. It may be considered as a major scale with the sixth degree flattened, or the… …   Wikipedia

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