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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.
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 ♯).
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.
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.
7 diatonic semitones (m2) are ≈ 90.225 cents (100 − 5ε), 5 chromatic semitones (A1) are ≈ 113.685 cents (100 + 7ε), and their average is 100 cents. In short, similar differences in width are observed for all interval types, except for unisons and octaves, and they are all multiples of ε , the difference between the Pythagorean fifth ...
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 ...
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 ...
In music, the minor diatonic semitone is a ratio of 17:16, [2] [3] making it the seventeenth harmonic [1] or partial. This is in contrast to the 5-limit major diatonic semitone of 16/15. Minor diatonic semitone on C Play ⓘ .