semitone

semitone
   a unit used in music to describe the ratio in frequency between notes. The unit is actually used in two slightly different ways. In one use, two notes are said to differ by one semitone if the higher note has frequency exactly 16/15 = 1.0667 times the frequency of the lower one. Also, the semitone is used as a synonym for the half step in the standard chromatic scale; in this use, two notes differ by a semitone if the higher note has frequency exactly 21/12 = 1.0595 times the frequency of the lower one.

Dictionary of units of measurement. 2015.

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  • Semitone — Sem i*tone, n. [Pref. semi + tone. CF. {Hemitone}.] (Mus.) Half a tone; the name commonly applied to the smaller intervals of the diatonic scale. [1913 Webster] Note: There is an impropriety in the use of this word, and half step is now preferred …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • semitone — ► NOUN Music ▪ the smallest interval used in classical Western music, equal to a twelfth of an octave or half a tone …   English terms dictionary

  • semitone — [sem′i tōn΄] n. Music the difference in pitch between any two immediately adjacent keys on the piano; half of a whole tone semitonic [sem΄itän′ik] adj. semitonal [sem′itōn΄əl] semitonally adv …   English World dictionary

  • Semitone — This article is about the musical interval. For the printing method, see halftone. semitone Inverse major seventh (for minor second); diminished octave (for augmented unison); augmented octave (for diminished unison) Name Other names minor second …   Wikipedia

  • semitone — UK [ˈsemɪˌtəʊn] / US [ˈsemɪˌtoʊn] / US [ˈsemaɪˌtoʊn] noun [countable] Word forms semitone : singular semitone plural semitones music British an amount by which one sound is higher or lower than another, equal to 1/12 of an octave. This difference …   English dictionary

  • semitone — semiton фр. [сэмито/н] semitone англ. [сэмито/ун] semitonium лат. [сэмито/ниум] semitono ит. [сэми/тоно] полутон …   Словарь иностранных музыкальных терминов

  • semitone — [[t]se̱mitoʊn[/t]] semitones N COUNT In Western music, a semitone is the smallest interval between two musical notes. Two semitones are equal to one tone …   English dictionary

  • semitone — pustonis statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. half tone; semitone vok. Halbton, n rus. полутон, m pranc. demi ton, m …   Fizikos terminų žodynas

  • semitone — noun Date: 15th century the tone at a half step; also half step • semitonic adjective • semitonically adverb …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • semitone — semitonic /sem ee ton ik, sem uy /, semitonal /sem ee tohn l, sem uy /, adj. semitonally, adv. /sem ee tohn , sem uy /, n. Music. a pitch interval halfway between two whole tones. Also called half step, half tone. [1600 10; SEMI + TONE] * * * …   Universalium

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