C major
7-note major scale on C — C, D, E, F, G, A, B. Also called Ionian.
Press to hear the scale played ascending.
The major scale — the bright, resolved sound most Western music is built on, and the reference every other mode is measured against.
The notes
Each degree links to its pitch page. Note names use sharp spelling throughout — every accidental is written as a sharp (C♯, not D♭), the same convention as the note pages.
Degrees & steps
| Degree | Note | Semitones from root | Step to next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | 0 | whole |
| 2 | D | 2 | whole |
| 3 | E | 4 | half |
| 4 | F | 5 | whole |
| 5 | G | 7 | whole |
| 6 | A | 9 | whole |
| 7 | B | 11 | half |
The step formula is 2–2–1–2–2–2–1 semitones — 7 steps that sum to a full octave (12 semitones) and return to C.