Major seventh

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the interval. For the chord, see Major seventh chord.
major seventh
minor second
Name
Other namessupermajor seventh
AbbreviationM7
Size
Semitones11
Interval class1
Just interval15:8,[1] 50:27
Cents
12-Tone equal temperament1100
Just intonation1088, 1067
Major seventh Playⓘ

In music from

semitones, its smaller counterpart being the minor seventh, spanning ten semitones. For example, the interval from C to B is a major seventh, as the note B lies eleven semitones above C, and there are seven staff positions from C to B. Diminished and augmented
sevenths span the same number of staff positions, but consist of a different number of semitones (nine and twelve).

The intervals from the tonic (keynote) in an upward direction to the second, to the third, to the sixth, and to the seventh scale degrees (of a major scale are called major.[2]

The easiest way to locate and identify the major seventh is from the octave rather than the unison, and it is suggested that one sings the octave first.[3] For example, the most commonly cited example of a melody featuring a major seventh is the tonic-octave-major seventh of the opening to "(Somewhere) Over the Rainbow".[3] "Not many songwriters begin a melody with a major seventh interval; perhaps that's why there are few memorable examples."[4] However, two songs provide exceptions to this generalisation: Cole Porter's "I love you" (1944) opens with a descending major seventh and Jesse Harris's "Don't Know Why",(made famous by Norah Jones in her 2002 debut album, Come Away with Me), starts with an ascending one. In the refrain of "Bali Hai" in "South Pacific," the third tone ("Hai") is a major seventh to the first ("Ba-").

The major seventh occurs most commonly built on the root of major triads, resulting in the chord type also known as major seventh chord or major-major seventh chord: including I7 and IV7 in major.[5] "Major seven chords add jazziness to a musical passage. Alone, a major seventh interval can sound ugly."[6]

A major seventh in

septimal semi-diminished octave.[8] The 15:8 just major seventh occurs arises in the extended C major scale between C & B and F & E.[9] Play F & Eⓘ

The major seventh interval is considered one of the most

Mussorgsky's piano suite Pictures at an Exhibition (1874).

Mussorgsky, 'The Hut on Fowl's Legs', piano version
Mussorgsky 'The Hut on Fowl's Legs', piano version.

Another is the closing duet from

Webern's Variations for Piano, Op. 27
, opens with a major seventh and the interval recurs frequently throughout the piece.

Pythagorean major seventh (243:128) on C Playⓘ, five Pythagorean perfect fifths.

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 playing this file? See media help.

The major seventh chord is however very common in jazz, especially 'cool' jazz, and has a characteristically soft and sweet sound: think of the first chord in "The Girl from Ipanema".[citation needed] The major seventh chord consists of the first, third, fifth and seventh degrees (notes) of the major scale. In the key of C, it comprises the notes C E G and B.

See also

References

  1. ISBN 0-8247-4714-3
    . Classic major seventh.
  2. ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0
    .
  3. ^
    ISBN 0-7935-8193-1
    .
  4. ISBN 0-470-49644-4
    .
  5. ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0
    .
  6. ISBN 1-59869-260-7
    .
  7. ^ Royal Society (Great Britain) (1880, digitized Feb 26, 2008). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Volume 30, p.531. Harvard University.
  8. ISBN 0-8247-4714-3
    .
  9. ^ Paul, Oscar (1885). A manual of harmony for use in music-schools and seminaries and for self-instruction, p.165. Theodore Baker, trans. G. Schirmer.
  10. ^ Fleming, William and Veinus, Abraham (1958). Understanding Music, p.67. Holt. "Verdi's startling use of the rising major seventh in "O terra addio," the final duet of Aida,...creates an almost unbearable tension that perfectly expresses the infinite longing of the doomed lovers on the brink of eternity."
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