[pianotech] somewhat OT -- step vs. tone

[David Nereson]

<<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