Félhangra

Félhangra is a Hungarian term that translates to "half-sound" or "semitone" in English musical terminology. It refers to the smallest interval in Western music that is commonly used, specifically the interval between two adjacent notes on a piano keyboard, regardless of whether they are white or black keys. For instance, the distance between C and C# (or Db) is a félhangra, as is the distance between E and F, or B and C.

In the diatonic scale, a félhangra typically occurs between the third and fourth degrees, and the seventh and eighth degrees. For example, in the C major scale, the intervals between E and F, and B and C are both félhangra. The presence and location of these semitones are crucial in defining the characteristic sound and emotional quality of different musical modes and keys.

The concept of the félhangra is fundamental to understanding melody, harmony, and the construction of scales and chords. Composers utilize the relationship between semitones and whole tones (which are composed of two félhangra) to create tension, resolution, and to modulate between different keys. The precise intonation of a félhangra can also vary slightly depending on the tuning system used, such as just intonation or equal temperament, although the term generally refers to the theoretical interval.