| Inverse | minor second |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Other names | supermajor seventh |
| Abbreviation | M7 |
| Size | |
| Semitones | 11 |
| Interval class | 1 |
| Just interval | 15:8,[1] 50:27 |
| Cents | |
| 12-Tone equal temperament | 1100 |
| Just intonation | 1088, 1067 |
In music fromWestern culture, aseventh is amusical interval encompassing sevenstaff positions (seeInterval number for more details), and themajor seventh is one of two commonly occurring sevenths. It is qualified asmajor because it is the larger of the two. The major seventh spans elevensemitones, its smaller counterpart being theminor 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 andaugmented 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]
A major seventh injust intonation most often corresponds to a pitch ratio of 15:8 (playⓘ); in 12-toneequal temperament, a major seventh is equal to elevensemitones, or 1100 cents, about 12 cents wider than the 15:8 major seventh. In24-tone equal temperament a supermajor seventh, semiaugmented seventh or, semidiminished octave, 23 quarter-tones, is 1150 cents (Playⓘ). The small major seventh is a ratio of 9:5,[3] now identified as a justminor seventh. 35:18, or 1151.23 cents, is the ratio of theseptimal semi-diminished octave.[4] The 15:8 just major seventh occurs arises in the extended C major scale between C & B and F & E.[5]Play F & Eⓘ
Under equal temperament, this interval isenharmonically equivalent to adiminished octave (which has a similar musical use to theaugmented unison).
The major seventh is considered one of the mostdissonant intervals after itsinversion, theminor second. For this reason, its melodic use is infrequent in classical music. However, in the genial Gavotte fromJ.S. Bach’sPartita in E major for solo violin, a major seventh features both as a chord (bar 1) and as a melodic interval (bar 5):
Another piece that makes more dramatic use of the major seventh is "The Hut on Fowl's Legs" fromMussorgsky's piano suitePictures at an Exhibition (1874).
Another is the closing duet fromVerdi'sAida, "O terra addio".[6] During the early 20th century, the major seventh was used increasingly both as a melodic and a harmonic interval, particularly by composers of theSecond Viennese School.Anton Webern'sVariations for Piano, Op. 27 opens with a major seventh and the interval recurs frequently throughout the piece.
The major seventh occurs most commonly built on the root of major triads, resulting in the chord type also known asmajor seventh chord or major-major seventh chord: including I7 and IV7 in major.[7] "Major seven chords add jazziness to a musical passage. Alone, a major seventh interval can sound ugly."[8]
The easiest way to locate and identify the major seventh is from the octave rather than theunison, and it is suggested that one sings the octave first.[9] 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".[9] "Not many songwriters begin a melody with a major seventh interval; perhaps that's why there are few memorable examples."[10] However, two songs provide exceptions to this generalisation:Cole Porter's "I Love You" (1944) opens with a descending major seventh andJesse Harris's "Don't Know Why" (made famous byNorah 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-").
Themajor 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.
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