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Interval

Major 6th
9 semitones.

A major 6th sounds warm and sweet. The fastest way to recognize it is the opening of My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean.

  • Play it on piano
  • M6 · 9 st
  • Same songs as the trainer

Major 6th

Hear the major 6th from middle C

The major 6th is 9 semitones (M6). From C4 at 261.63 Hz the upper note is A4 at 440.00 Hz, a frequency ratio of 1.6818.

Ascending hookMy Bonnie Lies over the Ocean
Descending hookNobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen
Characterwarm and sweet

Sing the opening of My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean and you are singing this interval upward. Downward, the hook is Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen. The interval trainer uses these same hooks.

All twelve

StudioEars app icon
StudioEarsEar training for iPhone & iPad

Recognize it without the song hint.

The app drills this interval against the ones you confuse it with, and keeps score across days.

Download on theApp Store

Free to start. 5 free training units every day plus built-in studio tools.

  • EQ & compressionDaily drills on drums, bass, guitars and full mixes.
  • Intervals & chordsPiano training that uses the same note names as these pages.
  • Studio toolsMetronome, tone generator and tap tempo live in the app too.

Explore the cluster

Minor 6th One step smaller. Previous interval → Minor 7th One step larger. Next interval → Interval trainer Name it from a random root. Train →

FAQ

Major 6th questions

How many semitones is a major 6th?

9. Stack them from any note and you land 9 keys away on the piano, counting only the destination.

What song starts with it?

Ascending: My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean. Descending: Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen.

How do I practice it?

Play the buttons above, sing the hook, then do a round in the interval trainer with only this interval and its neighbors turned on.