Need something to do this weekend? Grab an older friend that bears an ever-so-slight resemblance to Pythagoras and set off in search of a Greek-style stone ampitheater. Have your Pythagorean friend stand at the base of the stairs. The next thing you know you’re doing the Major Scale hop.
Not surprisingly, hopping up the scale sounds very Major. This is due to the fact you are landing on the Intervals of a Major 2nd, Major 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Major 6th, Major 7th and Perfect 8th (or the octave C to C).
Hopping down the scale, however, results in a minor sounding musical excursion. The reason, your stops along the way (starting from the Octave C to B) are the intervals of minor 2nd, minor 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, minor 6th, minor 7th and Perfect 8th.
Prove it to yourself by playing the first few notes to a Major sounding song like Frere Jacques (Do-Re-Mi-Do). Then, starting at the Perfect 8th, descend the scale and the minor sounding Joy To The World (Do-Ti-La-Sol, Fa-Mi-Re-Do) is revealed!
