Skip to content

Major second

A major second, also called a whole step or whole tone, is 2 half steps: from C up to D. A whole step, the step most scales move in. One after the other it walks; together it rubs softly.

CD

The major second at a glance

The major second: its size, short name, inversion and frequency ratio
Major second
Half steps2 (one whole step)
Letters it spans2: C D
Short nameM2
Also calleda whole step or whole tone
Inverts toMinor seventh
Frequency ratio1.122 on a piano, 9:8 in just intonation

Every note’s frequency in hertz is on the note frequency chart.

Songs that start with a major second

Going up: "Happy Birthday" ("py Birth" in "Hap-py Birth-day") and "Frère Jacques", its first two notes.

Going down: "Mary Had a Little Lamb", its first two notes.

Sing the tune’s first notes in your head and you have the interval from any starting note.

The major second in chords

The 2 of a sus2 chord (C to D in Csus2) and the ninth of a ninth chord, an octave higher.

Every chord’s notes, to hear on a keyboard, are on piano chords.

A major second from every note

The note a major second above each of the twelve notes
FromUp a major second
CD
C♯D♯
DE
E♭F
EF♯
FG
F♯G♯
GA
A♭B♭
AB
B♭C
BC♯

Questions about the major second

What is a major second in music?

A major second, also called a whole step or whole tone, is 2 half steps: from C up to D. A whole step, the step most scales move in. One after the other it walks; together it rubs softly.

Is a major second a whole step?

Yes. A major second is two half steps, a whole step, such as C to D or E to F♯.

What songs start with a major second?

"Happy Birthday" ("py Birth" in "Hap-py Birth-day") and "Frère Jacques", its first two notes. Going down: "Mary Had a Little Lamb", its first two notes.

What is the inversion of a major second?

A minor seventh. Move the lower note up an octave and a major second becomes a minor seventh: their half steps add up to twelve.

Other intervals

Minor secondMajor secondMinor thirdMajor thirdPerfect fourthTritonePerfect fifthMinor sixthMajor sixthMinor seventhMajor seventhOctave

All of them side by side, with how to name one, are on the interval chart.

Put intervals in a song

Open the free editor with a beat playing, then draw a melody note by note in the piano roll and hear every leap. No account needed to start.

Start a beatIntervals

Keep going