Re: [Harp-L] Why do they call them half steps and whole steps?

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Look at a typical scale, like the C Major scale.

You step up or down to the neighboring note in the scale. C to D to E, etc. Most of these steps cover the distance of two semitones. Consequently, any move of two semitones is also called a whole step, and any one-semitone distance is called a whole step.

For centuries, the chromatic scale wasn't even an idea, and and mention of it would have been met with blank incomprehension. There were seven notes - A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Occasionally you might alter one of those notes with a sharp or a flat. But these were considered local disturbances governed by strict formulas, and they were labeled "musica ficta" - fictional notes. The idea of a 12-note octave containing all the semitones simply did not enter into the thinking of medieval musicians.

So moving from C to D in the scale is a whole step (one whole tone, or two semitones). Moving from C# to D is a half-step (one semitone).

Of course moving from E to F is both a "step" in the scale and a semitone ("half-step") in actual size. The word 'step" in this context has two contradictory meanings. But what can I say? Music theory gets messy in a few places because it evolved through tradition and not through a comprehensive, unified, logically rigorous system. That music theory actually is pretty logical and consistent is something of a miracle under the circumstances.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5

Resident expert at bluesharmonica.com

Harmonica instructor, jazzschool.com

Columnist, harmonicasessions.com

--- On Tue, 7/27/10, michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Why do they call them half steps and whole steps?
To: "harp-l" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 9:38 AM

I've been stumped by a student yet again.  WHere did these terms come
from?  Why would you not call one note's distance, one whole step?
Why is one note's distance one half step?
Thanks,
Michael Rubin
MIchaelrubinharmonica.com