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Minor Sixth

An interval spanning eight semitones, with a bittersweet quality often used in expressive melodic writing.

Category
intervals
Pronunciation
/ˈmaɪnə sɪksθ/
Origin

Latin (sextus, sixth)

Length
205 words · 2 min read

About Minor Sixth

The minor sixth stretches from C to A-flat, or from E to C above, and creates an effect that is wider and more yearning than a perfect fifth but less bright than a major sixth. It is the inversion of the major third — flipping a major third upside down produces a minor sixth.
v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →