semitone
/'semitoun/
Definition
- Noun:
- A musical interval equal to half of a whole tone: A "semitone" is the smallest standard interval in Western music, representing the distance between two adjacent notes on a keyboard (e.g., from C to C# or from E to F). It is the interval between any two immediately neighboring keys on a piano, whether white or black.
Usage and Examples
- Noun:
- The melody moves up by a semitone, creating a sense of tension.
- In Western scales, there is a semitone between the third and fourth notes (e.g., E and F in a C major scale).
- To tune the guitar correctly, you must adjust the string by one semitone.
Advanced Usage
- "Chromatic semitone" vs. "Diatonic semitone": In advanced music theory, a distinction is sometimes made. A "chromatic semitone" is between two notes with the same letter name (e.g., C to C#), while a "diatonic semitone" is between two notes with different letter names (e.g., E to F). However, in modern equal temperament tuning, their pitch difference is identical.
- As a unit of measurement: The semitone is a fundamental unit for measuring musical intervals. Larger intervals are often described as a number of semitones (e.g., a perfect fifth spans seven semitones).
Variants and Related Words
- Half step: (noun) A common synonym for "semitone," primarily used in American English.
- Microtone: (noun) An interval smaller than a semitone, used in some non-Western musical traditions.
- Semitonal: (adjective) Relating to or consisting of semitones.
- The piece has a semitonal harmonic structure.
Synonyms
- Half step: The most direct synonym.
- Minor second: This is the name for the same interval when described within the context of scales and chords.
Related Terms and Concepts
- Whole tone / Whole step: (noun) An interval equivalent to two semitones.
- Interval: (noun) The difference in pitch between two notes.
- Chromatic scale: (noun) A musical scale consisting entirely of semitone steps.
- Equal temperament: (noun) The modern tuning system that divides an octave into twelve equal semitones.
Noun
-
the musical interval between adjacent keys on a keyboard instrument
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