In music theory, a half-step is defined as which distance?

In music theory, a half-step is defined as which distance?

• A. The distance between two pitches forming a perfect fifth
• B. The distance between consecutive pitches on the chromatic scale
• C. The distance between the tonic and the subdominant
• D. The distance between an octave and the octave above

Answer: (B)

A half-step is the smallest distance between pitches in Western music, equal to one semitone. On a keyboard, it’s the distance from one key to the very next key, whether moving up or down. In the chromatic scale, each successive note is a half-step away from the previous one, so consecutive pitches on that scale are separated by one semitone. For example, moving from C to C-sharp (or D-flat), from E to F, or from B to C all illustrate this one-step distance. Other intervals cover more ground: for instance, a perfect fifth spans seven semitones, a fourth spans five semitones, and an octave spans twelve semitones.

A half-step is the smallest distance between pitches in Western music, equal to one semitone. On a keyboard, it’s the distance from one key to the very next key, whether moving up or down. In the chromatic scale, each successive note is a half-step away from the previous one, so consecutive pitches on that scale are separated by one semitone. For example, moving from C to C-sharp (or D-flat), from E to F, or from B to C all illustrate this one-step distance.

Other intervals cover more ground: for instance, a perfect fifth spans seven semitones, a fourth spans five semitones, and an octave spans twelve semitones.