Half and Whole Steps
Half Steps
Keys that are right next to each other on the keyboard (with no keys in between) are adjacent keys. The difference in pitch between adjacent keys on the keyboard is called a half step or a semitone. This is the smallest distance between pitches in most Western music systems.
Half steps occur in three possible ways on the keyboard:
Notice that white keys are not considered to be adjacent when a black key occurs between them. Also, two black keys are never adjacent, since there will always be either one or two white keys in between them. Because of the intervening keys, these are not half steps.
Two Black-Key Groups
The following interactive example summarizes the three key combinations that can produce half steps (semitones) on the keyboard. Play these semitones after watching the presentation.
Half Steps on the Keyboard
Whole Steps
Two half steps make up a whole step, which is also called a tone (or a whole tone) since it is made up of two semitones. The whole step involves non-adjacent keys on the keyboard. There is always one key in between the two keys in a whole step.
The following interactive example shows the four key combinations that can produce whole steps on the keyboard. In each case, there is one intervening key that is skipped. Play these whole steps after watching the presentation.
Whole steps on the keyboard
Remember:
- A half step is the smallest distance between two keys on the keyboard.
- A whole step is equivalent to two half steps.
- There will always be a key between two keys that form a whole step on the keyboard.
Hearing Half and Whole Steps
Differentiating between half and whole steps is one of the most important aural skills to acquire. Listen carefully and compare these ascending and descending half and whole steps. How do they sound different?
ascending
descending
ascending
descending
Core Skill
- Memorize and visualize the key combinations that produce half steps on the keyboard.
- Memorize and visualize the key combinations that produce whole steps on the keyboard.
- Differentiate the sound of half and whole steps.
