Why is the musical scale the way it is: 12 keys: 7 major, 5 minor?

The musical scale is structured in this way because it is based on the over t one series , which is a sequence of frequencies that are produced when a musical note is played . The over t one series is made up of a combination of whole notes and their harmon ics , and the specific frequencies that are present in the series determine the characteristics of the note . \n \n In the case of the major scale , there are seven whole notes and five half - steps , which correspond to the frequencies of the over t one series that are most commonly used in Western music . The major scale is often described as sound ing happy or bright , and it is commonly used in a variety of musical gen res , including pop , rock , and classical music . \n \n The minor scale , on the other hand , has five whole notes and seven half - steps , which correspond to the frequencies of the over t one series that are less commonly used in Western music . The minor scale is often described as sound ing sad or dark , and it is commonly used in gen res such as blues , jazz , and classical music . \n \n Over all , the structure of the musical scale is based on the characteristics of the over t one series , and it is designed to provide a range of different ton al qualities that can be used to create a variety of different musical effects . </s>