Hobbies Playing Music Semitone Share PINTEREST Email Print Image © Brandy Kraemer, 2015 Playing Music Playing Piano Tutorials Piano Chords Buying Advice Music Education Playing Guitar Home Recording By Brandy Kraemer Updated May 24, 2019 Definition: A semitone is the smallest musical interval in modern Western music (or, the smallest distance between notes in the chromatic and diatonic scales*). There are two semitones in one whole tone.* A semitone is always a half step; however, it can be called either diatonic or chromatic: Diatonic semitones affect two different note-names; the distance between F and G-flat (pictured) is a diatonic semitone.Chromatic semitones name the same note; the distance between A and A-sharp. Also Known As: half step; minor secondsemitono; seconda minore (It)demi-ton; seconde mineure (Fr)Halbton; kleine Sekunde (Ger) Musical Symbols: ■ Staff & Barlines■ The Grand Staff■ Key Signatures■ Time Signatures■ Note Lengths■ Dotted Notes■ Music Rests■ Tempo Commands■ Accidentals■ Articulation■ Dynamics & Volume■ 8va & Octave Commands■ Repeat Signs■ Segno & Coda Signs■ Pedal Marks■ Piano Chords■ Trills■ Turns■ Tremolos■ Glissando■ MordentsBeginner Piano Lessons▪ Notes of the Piano Keys▪ The Point Of Double-Sharps▪ Finding Middle C on the Piano▪ Essential Piano Fingering▪ Comparing Major & Minor ChordsGetting Started on Keyboards▪ Sitting Correctly at the Keys▪ Playing Piano vs. Electric Keyboard▪ How to Buy a Used PianoPiano Chords▪ Chord Types & Symbols in Sheet Music▪ Root Notes & Chord Inversion▪ Diminished Chords & Dissonance▪ Essential Piano Chord FingeringPiano Care▪ Everyday Piano Care▪ Safely Whiten Your Piano Keys▪ When to Tune a Piano▪ Easy-to-Spot Signs of Piano Damage▪ Piano Room Temps & Humidity LevelsPiano Recitals & Performing▪ What to Eat & Drink Before a Performance▪ Concert Etiquette for the Audience▪ Warming Up for a Piano Performance▪ Overcoming Mistakes On Stage♫ Musical Quizzes!● Identify the Piano Keys● Key Signature Quiz● Note Length & Rest Quiz (U.S. or U.K. English)● Grand Staff Notes Quiz● Time Signature & Rhythm QuizMusical Articulation:◦ staccato◦ tie◦ (rfz) rinforzando◦ arpeggiato◦ accentatoVolume Commands & Symbols:◦ (mf) mezzo forte◦ (sfz) sforzando◦ diminuendo◦ al niente◦ (fp) fortepianoCommon French Musical Terms:◦ à l’aise◦ doucement◦ en ralentissant◦ mi-doux◦ très viteGerman Musical Commands:◦ anschwellend◦ lebhaft◦ geschwind◦ fröhlich◦ schnellIllustrated Piano Chords:Abmaj ▪ Abma7 ▪ Abma9 | Abmin ▪ Abm7 ▪ Abm9 | Abdim ▪ Ab°7 | Abaug ▪ Ab+7 | Absus2 ▪ Absus4