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In music theory a diatonic scale is a heptatonic (seven-note) scale that includes five whole steps (whole tones) and two half steps (semitones) in each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by either two or three whole steps.
Melodies can be based on a diatonic scale and maintain its tonal characteristics but contain many accidentals, up to all twelve tones of the chromatic scale, such as the opening of Henry Purcell's "Thy Hand, Belinda" from Dido and Aeneas (1689) with figured bass), which features eleven of twelve pitches while chromatically descending by half steps, [1] the missing pitch being sung later.
In music theory, a distinction is made [7] between a diatonic semitone, or minor second (an interval encompassing two different staff positions, e.g. from C to D ♭) and a chromatic semitone or augmented unison (an interval between two notes at the same staff position, e.g. from C to C ♯).
The diatonic semitone, d, called S above, is the change in pitch of a sequence of six notes spaced by fifths, e.g. from E to F or B to C. For any tuning, the diatonic semitone is the relative pitch difference on a standard keyboard between two white keys that have no black key between them.
Thus, S is the greater semitone, and X is the lesser one. S is commonly called the diatonic semitone (or minor second), while X is called the chromatic semitone (or augmented unison). The sizes of S and X can be compared to the just intonated ratio 18:17 which is 99.0 cents. S deviates from it by +18.2 cents, and X by −22.9 cents. These two ...
For example, for every generic interval of a second there are only two possible specific intervals: 1 semitone (a minor second) or 2 semitones (a major second). In diatonic set theory a generic interval is the number of scale steps between notes of a collection or scale. The largest generic interval is one less than the number of scale members ...
Namely, the apotome (about 113.69 cents, e.g. from C to C ♯) is the chromatic semitone, or augmented unison (A1), while the limma (about 90.23 cents, e.g. from C to D ♭) is the diatonic semitone, or minor second (m2). A ditone (or major third) is an interval formed by two major tones. In Pythagorean tuning, a major tone has a size of about ...
The table below summarizes the definitions of the diminished second in the main tuning systems. In the column labeled "Difference between semitones", m2 is the minor second (diatonic semitone), A1 is the augmented unison (chromatic semitone), and S 1, S 2, S 3, S 4 are semitones as defined in five-limit tuning#Size of intervals.