# Major third > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Major_third > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Major_third.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_third > Source revision: 1355786871 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{about|the musical interval|the guitar tuning|major thirds tuning}} {{see also|Ditone}} {{More references|date=June 2020}} {{Infobox | title = Major third | headerstyle = background-color:palegoldenrod; color:inherit; | label1 = [Inverse](/source/Inversion_(music)) | data1 = [Minor sixth](/source/Minor_sixth) | header2 = Name | label3 = Other names | data3 = [ditone](/source/ditone) | label4 = Abbreviation | data4 = M3, {{sup|maj}}3, {{sup|M}}3, {{nobr|maj 3}} | header5 = Tuning | label6 = [12 equal temperament](/source/12_equal_temperament) | data6 = 4 [semitone](/source/semitone)s (400 [cents](/source/Cent_(music))) | label7 = [Pythagorean tuning](/source/Pythagorean_tuning) | data7 = 81:64 (408 cents) | label8 = [5-limit tuning](/source/5-limit_tuning) | data8 = 5:4 (386 cents) | label9 = [7-limit tuning](/source/7-limit_tuning) | data9 = [9:7](/source/Septimal_major_third) (435 cents) }} In [music theory](/source/music_theory), a '''third''' is a [musical interval](/source/Interval_(music)) encompassing three [staff position](/source/staff_position)s (see [Interval number](/source/Interval_(music)) for more details), and the '''major third''' ({{Audio|Major third on C.mid|Play}}) is a third spanning four [half steps](/source/Semitone) or two [whole steps.](/source/Whole_step){{cite book |author-link=Allen Forte |last=Forte |first=Allen |year=1979 |title=Tonal Harmony in Concept and Practice |page=8 |publisher=Holt, Rinehart, and Winston |edition=3rd |isbn=0-03-020756-8 |quote=A large 3rd, or ''major 3rd'' (M3) encompassing four half steps. }} Along with the [minor third](/source/minor_third), the major third is one of two commonly occurring thirds. It is described as ''major'' because it is the larger interval of the two: The major third spans four semitones, whereas the [minor third](/source/minor_third) only spans three. For example, the interval from C to E is a major third, as the note E lies four semitones above C, and there are three staff positions from C to E. : { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \time 4/4 \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 1 = 20 1 } } As Beward and Saker explain: {{Quote|The intervals from the [tonic](/source/tonic_(music)) (keynote) in an upward direction to the second, to the third, to the sixth, and to the seventh [scale degree](/source/scale_degree)s of a major scale are called "major".{{cite book |last1=Benward |first1=Bruce |last2=Saker |first2=Marilyn |year=2003 |title=Music: In theory and practice |volume=I |page=52 |publisher=McGraw-Hill |edition=7th |isbn=978-0-07-294262-0 }}}} [Diminished](/source/Diminished_third) and [augmented third](/source/augmented_third)s are shown on the [musical staff](/source/musical_staff) the same number of lines and spaces apart, but contain a different number of semitones in pitch (two and five). == Harmonic and non-harmonic thirds == [[Image:Ditone on C.png|thumb|Pythagorean major third, i.e. a [ditone](/source/ditone)|175x175px]] thumb|Comparison, in cents, of intervals at or near a major third|300x300px The major third may be derived from the [harmonic series](/source/harmonic_series_(music)) as the interval between the fourth and fifth harmonics. The [major scale](/source/major_scale) is so named because of the presence of this interval between its [tonic](/source/tonic_(music)) and [mediant](/source/mediant) (1st and 3rd) [scale degrees](/source/scale_degrees). The [major chord](/source/major_chord) also takes its name from the presence of this interval built on the chord's [root](/source/root_(chord)) (provided that the interval of a [perfect fifth](/source/perfect_fifth) from the root is also present). A major third is slightly different in different [musical tuning](/source/musical_tuning)s: In [just intonation](/source/just_intonation) it corresponds to a pitch ratio of 5:4, or {{small|{{math|{{sfrac| 5 | 4 }}}}}} ({{Audio|Just major third on C.mid|play}}) (fifth harmonic in relation to the fourth) or 386.31 [cents](/source/musical_cents); in [12 tone equal temperament](/source/12_equal_temperament), a major third is equal to four [semitone](/source/semitone)s, a ratio of 21/3:1 (about 1.2599) or 400 cents, 13.69 [cent](/source/cent_(music))s wider than the 5:4 ratio. The older concept of a "[ditone](/source/ditone)" (two 9:8 major seconds) made a dissonant, wide major third with the ratio 81:64 (about 1.2656) or 408 cents ({{Audio|Pythagorean major third on C.mid|play}}), about [22 cents](/source/syntonic_comma) sharp from the harmonic ratio of 5:4 . The [septimal major third](/source/septimal_major_third) is 9:7 (435 cents), the '''undecimal major third''' is 14:11 (418 cents), and the '''tridecimal major third''' is 13:10 (452 cents). In 12 tone equal temperament {{nobr|([12 {{sc|TET}}](/source/12_equal_temperament))}} three major thirds in a row are equal to an octave. For example, A{{sup|{{music|flat}}}} to C, C to E, and E to G{{sup|{{music|sharp}}}} (in {{nobr|[12 {{sc|TET}}](/source/12_equal_temperament),}} the differently written notes G{{sup|{{music|sharp}}}} and A{{sup|{{music|flat}}}} both represent the same pitch, but ''not'' in most other [tuning systems](/source/tuning_(music))). This is sometimes called the "[circle of thirds](/source/circle_of_thirds)". In just intonation, however, three 5:4 major third, the 125th [subharmonic](/source/subharmonic), is less than an octave. For example, three 5:4 major thirds from C is B{{sup|{{music|sharp}}}} (C to E, to G{{sup|{{music|sharp}}}}, to B{{sup|{{music|sharp}}}}) ({{sfrac|  B{{sup|{{music|#}}}} | C }} = \tfrac{\; 5^3 \ }{\; 2^6\ } = \tfrac{\ 125\ }{ 64 }\ ). The difference between this just-tuned B{{sup|{{music|sharp}}}} and C, like the interval between G{{sup|{{music|sharp}}}} and A{{sup|{{music|flat}}}}, is called the "enharmonic [diesis](/source/diesis)", about 41 cents, or about two [commas](/source/syntonic_comma) (the [inversion](/source/inversion_(interval)) of the interval {{small|{{math|{{sfrac| 125 | 64 }}}} }}: \ \frac{\ 128\ }{ 125 } = \frac{\; 2^7\ }{\; 5^3 }\ ({{audio|5-limit limma on C.mid|play}})). == Consonance vs. dissonance == The major third is classed as an [imperfect consonance](/source/consonance_and_dissonance) and is considered one of the most consonant intervals after the [unison](/source/unison), [octave](/source/octave), [perfect fifth](/source/perfect_fifth), and [perfect fourth](/source/perfect_fourth). In the [common practice period](/source/common_practice_period), thirds were considered interesting and dynamic consonances along with their [inverses](/source/inversion_(interval)) the sixths, but in [medieval times](/source/medieval_music) they were considered dissonances unusable in a stable final sonority. In equal temperament, a [diminished fourth](/source/diminished_fourth) is [enharmonic](/source/enharmonic)ally equivalent to a major third (that is, it spans the same number of semitones). For example, B–D{{sup|{{music|sharp}}}} is a major third; but if the same pitches are spelled as the notes B and E{{sup|{{music|flat}}}}, then the interval they represent is instead a [diminished fourth](/source/diminished_fourth). The difference in [pitch](/source/pitch_(music)) is erased in [12 tone equal temperament](/source/12_tone_equal_temperament), where the distinction is only nominal, but the difference between a major third and a diminished fourth is significant in almost all other [musical tuning](/source/musical_tuning) systems. B–E{{sup|{{music|flat}}}} occurs in the C [harmonic minor scale](/source/harmonic_minor_scale). The major third is used in [guitar tunings](/source/guitar_tunings). For the [standard tuning](/source/guitar_tunings), only the interval between the 3rd and 2nd strings (G to B, respectively) is a major third; each of the intervals between the other pairs of consecutive strings is a [perfect fourth](/source/perfect_fourth). In an [alternative tuning](/source/guitar_tunings), the [major-thirds tuning](/source/major-thirds_tuning), ''each'' of the intervals are major thirds. ==Interval sounds== * Minor thirds: {| | {{Listen | filename = Kl terz auf.ogg | title = C-E{{sup|{{music|b}}}} | description = Strings playing the note C then E{{sup|{{music|b}}}} }} | {{Listen | filename = Kl terz ab.ogg | title = C-A | description = Strings playing the note C then A }} |} * Major thirds {| | {{Listen|filename=Third_ET.ogg|title=Major third (equal temperament)|description=The file plays [middle C](/source/middle_C), followed by E (a tone 400 cents sharper than C), followed by both tones together.}} {{Listen | filename = Gr terz auf.ogg | title = C-E | description = Strings playing the note C then E }} | {{Listen | filename = Gr terz ab.ogg | title = C-A{{sup|{{music|b}}}} | description = Strings playing the note C then A{{sup|{{music|b}}}} }} |} ==See also== * [Decade (log scale)](/source/Decade_(log_scale)), compound just major third{{Clarify|date=April 2025}} * [Ear training](/source/Ear_training) * [Ladder of thirds / chain of thirds](/source/Ladder_of_thirds) * [List of meantone intervals](/source/List_of_meantone_intervals) * [Circle of thirds](/source/Circle_of_thirds) == References == {{reflist|25em}} {{Intervals}} Category:Thirds (music) Category:Major intervals [ru:Терция (интервал)#Разновидности терции](/source/ru%3A%D0%A2%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F_(%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BB)) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Major third](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_third) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_third?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.