Tones and semitones explained

What a semitone and a whole tone are, where the two white-key semitones are, and how to find them on piano, guitar and when singing.

A semitone (in America, a half step) is the smallest distance between two notes in most Western music. On a piano it is the distance from any key to the very next key — black or white — with nothing in between.

The two white semitones

Most semitones go from a white key to a black key. But there are two places where two white keys sit side by side with no black key between them: B to C, and E to F. These are called the white semitones, and they are worth learning until you can spot them straight away.

Whole tones

A whole tone (a whole step) is two semitones. So there is always one key — black or white — lying between the two notes. C to D is a tone (C♯ lies between), E to F♯ is a tone (F lies between), and A♭ to B♭ is a tone (A lies between).

On guitar and when singing

• Guitar: one fret is a semitone, two frets are a tone.
• Singing: a semitone is the smallest step you'll usually sing. In the major scale the semitones fall between mi and fa, and between ti and do.

Quick check

• F to G — tone (F♯ between)
• E to F — semitone (next-door keys)
• B♭ to A — semitone
• F♯ to G♯ — tone (G between)