A is the larger of two commonly occurring , while the minor third leaps three); its smaller counterpart being a
Minor Third . The major third is abbreviated as '''M3''' and its
Inversion is the
Minor Sixth .
The
Major Scale is so named because of the presence of this interval between its
Tonic and
Mediant (1st and 3rd)
Scale Degrees .
Major Chord s also take their name from the presence of this interval built on the chord's
Root (provided that the interval of a
Perfect Fifth from the root is also present or implied).
A major third in (two 9:8 major seconds) made a dissonantly wide major third with the ratio 81:64.
The major third is classed as an
Imperfect Consonance and is considered one of the most consonant intervals after the
Unison ,
Octave ,
Perfect Fifth , and
Perfect Fourth . In the
Common Practice Period , thirds were considered interesting and dynamic consonances along with their inverses the sixths, but in
Medieval Times they were considered dissonances unusable in a stable final sonority.
A diminished fourth is
Enharmonically equivalent to a major third (that is, it spans the same number of semitones). For example, B–D♯ is a major third; but if the same pitches are spelled B and E♭, the interval is instead a diminished fourth. B–E♭ occurs in the C
Harmonic Minor Scale .
