在西方文化的古典音乐中，一个六度是一个包含六个五线谱位置的音程，而大六度( 播放)是两个常见的六度(大六度和小六度)的其中一个。它是大六度因为它是两个之中最大的：大六度跨越九个半音，小六度跨越八个。例如，从C到A的音程是一个大六度，因为A在C的四个半度以上(C->C#->D->D#->E->F->F#->G->G#->A)，而且A在五线谱的位置距离C六个位置(C->D->E->F->G->A)。虽然减六度和增六度包含相同数目的五线谱位置，但是它们包含的半音数目不同(7和10)。

In music from Western culture, a sixth is a musical interval encompassing six note letter names or staff positions (see Interval number for more details), and the major sixth is one of two commonly occurring sixths. It is qualified as major because it is the larger of the two. The major sixth spans nine semitones. Its smaller counterpart, the minor sixth, spans eight semitones. For example, the interval from C up to the nearest A is a major sixth. It's a sixth because it encompasses six note letter names (C, D, E, F, G, A) and six staff positions. It's a major sixth, not a minor sixth, because the note A lies nine semitones above C. Diminished and augmented sixths (such as C♯ to A♭ and C to A♯) span the same number of note letter names and staff positions, but consist of a different number of semitones (seven and ten).