Semitonia
Semitonia, commonly known as the semitone, is the smallest melodic interval in most Western tuning systems. It is the distance between two adjacent notes, such as C and C sharp, or E and F. In the standard 12-tone equal-tempered system, a semitone is defined as 100 cents. The semitone is a fundamental building block of scales, melodies, and harmony, and it underpins the chromatic and diatonic steps that organize Western music.
Historically, theorists distinguish two kinds of semitone: the diatonic semitone, found between certain scale degrees (for
Semitonia plays a central role in music theory, notation, and performance practice. It describes intervallic relationships,
Etymology traces the term to Latin semitonium from Greek semitonos, meaning “half tone.” The concept is widely