1.5: Chromatic and Diatonic Half Steps
- Page ID
- 51973
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Music notation contains two types of half steps: chromatic and diatonic. Chromatic half steps contain the same alphabet letters. For instance, C and C#, Eb and E, and G and G# are all pairs of chromatic half steps. Diatonic half steps also contain half step motions but use adjacent letters in the musical alphabet. E and F, F# and G, and A and Bb are pairs of diatonic half steps.
Study the figure below. Which are chromatic half steps and which are diatonic half steps?
Answer: C to C# is a chromatic half step. D to Eb and E to F are diatonic half steps.
Here are some examples of chromatic half steps in music notation. Notice that half steps can ascend or descend.
Ascending (C to C#, chromatic half step):
Ascending (Bb to B natural, chromatic half step):
Descending (D to Db, chromatic half step):
Likewise diatonic half steps can ascend or descend.
Ascending (A# to B, diatonic half step):
Ascending (B to C, diatonic half step):
Descending (E to D#, diatonic half step):
