What is a major scale?

A major scale is defined by a specific pattern of whole and half steps that creates a distinctive sound, characterized as bright and cheerful. The pattern for constructing a major scale follows the sequence of whole steps and half steps as: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. This means that, starting from the root note, you would move a whole step up for the first two intervals, followed by a half step, then three more whole steps, and finish with a half step back to the root note's octave.

This systematic arrangement of intervals is crucial because it generates the unique tonal quality associated with major scales, differentiating them from other scales like minor scales or modal scales which follow different interval patterns. Understanding this pattern helps not only in recognizing major scales but also in constructing them starting from any root note.