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Hints for Spelling Major and Minor Sixths |
| Look at a piano keyboard. If you remain on the white keys (no accidentals) there are two minor sevemtjs (E-F, and B-C), all the others are major sevenths. |
| Sharps move a note up, flats move it down. Always think in terms of moving towards or away from the other note. Moving the upper note up makes a larger interval, while moving the lower note up makes a smaller interval. Moving both notes in the same direction doesn't change the interval. |
| If you know your key signatures, any time the upper note is in the major key of the lower note it is a major seventh. (i.e. C-B: There are no sharps or flats in the key of C major, so B is in the key of C major, so C-B is a major seventh.) |
| If you remember your seconds, you can use them to double check your work. Remember, all seconds invert to sevenths. Major seconds invert to minor sevenths, and minor seconds invert to major sevenths. (C up to D is a major second, therefore D up to C is a minor seventh) |