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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.
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 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.
Meantone temperaments can be specified in various ways: By what fraction of a syntonic comma the fifth is being flattened (as above), the width of the tempered perfect fifth in cents, or the ratio of the whole tone (in cents) to the diatonic semitone. This last ratio was termed " R " by American composer, pianist and theoretician Easley Blackwood.
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 ...
B Flat notes. B ♭ (B-flat), or, in some European countries, B, is the eleventh step of the Western chromatic scale (starting from C).It lies a diatonic semitone above A and a chromatic semitone below B, [1] thus being enharmonic to A ♯, even though in some musical tunings, B ♭ will have a different sounding pitch than A ♯.
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.
E is the third note and the fifth semitone of the C major scale, and mi in fixed-do solfège.It has enharmonic equivalents of F♭ [(F-flat) which is by definition a diatonic semitone above E ♭] and D (D-double sharp), amongst others.