Major Scale

Seven-note diatonic collection with scale degrees W-W-H-W-W-W-H; basis for Ionian mode.

Major Scale

The Major Scale is the foundation of Western tonal music. It defines both pitch hierarchy (tonic, dominant, etc.) and the interval framework from which chords and modes derive. Every major scale follows the same pattern of tones (whole steps) and semitones (half steps):

Formula:

W – W – H – W – W – W – H

(Whole = 2 semitones, Half = 1 semitone)

Scale Degrees

Degree	Name	Function (Roman)	Interval from Tonic	Nashville (1–5–4 etc.)
1	Tonic	I	Unison (0)	1
2	Supertonic	ii	+2 semitones (Major 2nd)	2
3	Mediant	iii	+4 semitones (Major 3rd)	3
4	Subdominant	IV	+5 semitones (Perfect 4th)	4
5	Dominant	V	+7 semitones (Perfect 5th)	5
6	Submediant	vi	+9 semitones (Major 6th)	6
7	Leading tone	vii°	+11 semitones (Major 7th)	7
8	Octave	I	+12 semitones	1 (repeats)

The Roman numerals show the diatonic triads built on each degree (uppercase = major, lowercase = minor, ° = diminished).

Major Scales in All Keys

Key	Notes (ascending)	Intervals (W/H pattern)
C Major	C D E F G A B C	W W H W W W H
G Major	G A B C D E F♯ G	W W H W W W H
D Major	D E F♯ G A B C♯ D	W W H W W W H
A Major	A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A	W W H W W W H
E Major	E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E	W W H W W W H
B Major	B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B	W W H W W W H
F♯ Major	F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯	W W H W W W H
C♯ Major	C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B♯ C♯	W W H W W W H
F Major	F G A B♭ C D E F	W W H W W W H
B♭ Major	B♭ C D E♭ F G A B♭	W W H W W W H
E♭ Major	E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D E♭	W W H W W W H
A♭ Major	A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G A♭	W W H W W W H
D♭ Major	D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭	W W H W W W H
G♭ Major	G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F G♭	W W H W W W H
C♭ Major	C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭	W W H W W W H