[pianotech] somewhat OT -- step vs. tone

[David Ilvedson]

>From Wiki:  

"A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone,[1] is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music,[2] and it is considered the most dissonant.[3] The most commonly written form of this interval is the minor second (Minor second on C.mid Play (help·info)), notated using two adjacent letter names (e.g. C and D?), but the augmented unison is also used, both notes having the same letter-name, with one of the notes being inflected by an accidental (e.g. C and C?).

In twelve-tone equal temperament all semitones are equal in size. Any equal-tempered interval can be defined in terms of an appropriate number of semitones (e.g. an octave is 12 semitones wide). In other tuning systems the term "semitone" refers to a family of intervals which may vary both in size and name. Often a distinction is made between a diatonic semitone (notated as a minor second), and a chromatic semitone (as an augmented unison). These are enharmonically equivalent in equal temperament."

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "David Nereson" <da88ve at gmail.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 5/12/2009 2:09:56 AM
Subject: [pianotech] somewhat OT -- step vs. tone


><<The piano is  a semitone (I dislike "half-step", because it's
>essentially meaningless) >>

>    Yes, but in the world of musicians, the terms "whole step," "half-step," 
>"quarter-step" are used interchangeably with "whole tone," "half-tone," 
>"quarter-tone."  When teaching accidentals, I'd venture to say that most 
>teachers tell students that in order to sharp a note, one raises it a "half 
>step," not a "semitone." Those with some music theory education understand 
>the two terms to mean the same thing.
>    I don't see how the term "half-step" is meaningless.  Scales are taught 
>as being built of whole steps and half steps.  Scientifically, the word 
>"step" doesn't imply 200 cents any less than the word "tone."
>    When accompanying a singer, and s/he comes to a note that's out of their 
>range, they'll usually say, "Can you transpose down (or up) a half step [not 
>"semitone"]?"
>    My Random House Unabridged Dictionary says a semitone is "a pitch 
>interval halfway between two whole tones.  Also called half step, half 
>tone."
>    That first phrase is laughable, really.  If C# is halfway between C and 
>D, then C is a whole tone and D is a whole tone.  This would mean that E 
>could be a whole tone and F# a whole tone, with F, halfway between, being a 
>semitone.  What is not explained is that the DISTANCE between C and D is a 
>whole tone (or, just "a tone").
>    And the prefix could just as well be "hemi" as "semi," as in 
>"hemisphere" (half a sphere).  We say "semi-trailer," when the trailer isn't 
>half a trailer; it's just that only the rear of it is trailing -- the front 
>is fastened to the tractor.
>    Along parallel lines, here in the U.S. we use the terms "half note," 
>"quarter note," "eighth note," etc., whereas in the U.K, they say 
>"hemi-demi-semiquaver," etc.
>    I say either term is correct.
>    --David Nereson, RPT

>