Seconds · 2 semitones
Major 2nd
Two semitones — adjacent notes in the major scale. Mildly dissonant but very common, it forms the basis of stepwise melodic motion.
How to Hear It
How to Identify It
Slightly more open than a minor 2nd but still has tension. Think of the opening of Happy Birthday — the first two notes (Hap-py) are a major 2nd up.
Famous Examples
- Happy Birthday — first two notes (Hap-py)
- Major scale — every adjacent step
- Yesterday (Beatles) — opening interval
Often Confused With
All Intervals
About the Major 2nd
The Major 2nd (M2) is a dissonant interval spanning 2 semitones. Two semitones — adjacent notes in the major scale. Mildly dissonant but very common, it forms the basis of stepwise melodic motion.
To train your ear to identify the major 2nd reliably, practice hearing it in all three modes — ascending, descending, and harmonic. The ascending version is most commonly tested, but recognising it in all contexts is the mark of a trained ear. Use the trainer above to test yourself in a mixed set of all intervals.