Major seventh

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A major seventh is the larger of two commonly occurring musical intervals that span seven diatonic scale degrees. The prefix 'major' identifies it as being the larger of the two (by one chromatic semitone); its smaller counterpart being a minor seventh. The major seventh is abbreviated as M7 and its inversion is the minor second. It occurs most commonly built on the root of major triads, resulting in the chord type also known as major seventh.

A major seventh in just intonation most often corresponds to a pitch ratio of 15:8, while in 12-tone equal temperament, a major seventh is equal to eleven semitones, or 1100 cents, about 12 cents higher than the 15:8 major seventh.

The major seventh is considered one of the most dissonant intervals after its inversion the minor second. For this reason, its melodic use is infrequent in classical music and almost nonexistent in popular music. One piece that makes use of the major seventh is "The Hut on Fowl's Legs" from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.

Under equal temperament this interval is enharmonically equivalent to a diminished octave (which has a similar musical use to the augmented unison).

Major seventh (equal temperament)

The file plays middle C, followed by B (a tone 1100 cents sharper than C), followed by both tones together.

Problems listening to the file? See media help.

[edit] See also

• musical tuning
• minor seventh
• list of meantone intervals

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