Major third
The interval of four semitones above a note, which is the third found in a major chord and a major scale.
The major third is one of the most important intervals in Western music because it is what makes a chord sound major rather than minor: the same root and fifth with a major third above sounds bright, while lowering that note by one semitone produces a minor chord. On guitar it appears as a wide stretch on a single string and as one fret across adjacent strings, which is why the shape of a major chord is instantly recognisable. Its exact tuning is one of the compromises in equal temperament.
Example: The interval from the open G string to the B at the fourth fret is a major third.
See also
Related
- PageInterval
- PageTriad
- PageDiatonic
- PageAugmented chord
- PageBlue note
- PageBlues scale
- PageAaron Dessner
- PageAce Frehley