First of three Step Scales, Melodic Minor and Neapolitan Major being the other two.
Has Major, Major-Minor, Minor, and Diminished qualities
Establishes Tonic, Dominant, and Subdominant expectations
Equivalent definitions:
The major scale consists of…
- seven keys
- seven chords
- seven modes
- the Ionian Mode and it’s 6 permutations.
- 6 perfect fifths and 1 tritone.
First mode of Major Scale
Maj1, Cmaj, Ionian
Second mode of Major Scale
Maj2, Dmin, Dorian
Third mode of Major Scale
Maj3, Emin, Phrygian
Fourth mode of Major Scale
Maj4, Fmaj, Lydian
Fifth mode of Major Scale
Maj5, Gdom, Myxolydian
Sixth mode of Major Scale
Maj6, Amin, Aeolian
Seventh mode of Major Scale
Maj7, Bdim, Locrian