semitone

Chromatic scale unit

A semitone is the smallest interval in standard Western music—the distance between two adjacent keys on a piano, whether white to black or white to white.

Twelve semitones make an octave.

Musicians also call this interval a half step: The melody rises by a semitone.

instrument

fret

Agitation or fingerboard guide

violin · fingerboard · key · hammer · string · neck · capo · barre · accordion · synthesizer

tuning

Pythagorean

Of ancient Greek mathematics

Hertz · detune · calibration · temperament · comma

notation

sharp

Fine-edged, or astute

clef · transpose · score · staff · note · solfege · tablature

interval

half-step

Smallest Western musical interval

  • tritoneSix-semitone musical interval
  • octaveEight-note interval
  • unisonSimultaneous identical action

third · fourth · sixth · seventh · augmented · diminished · enharmonic · cent · step · leap

voice-leading

resolution

Formal decision or determination

counterpoint

Categories
Opposites
musical interval size

semitonewhole tone

Interval of two semitones

whole step · octave · tone · tritone · perfect fifth

Family

semitones

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Rated G