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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → okay maybe this is a stupid question....
I know that when you look up a song here on chordie that you can move it up or down by 'semitones'. Maybe this is a stupid question, but im unfamiliar with this term, is a semitone a whole or half step??
Hi last-rebel - it is not a stupid question. The lingo of music is confusing because there are multiple words for the same thing.
A semitone is one-half step - that would be one fret.
A whole step is two half steps - that would be two frets.
Now, just to further delight your curiosity here are some other terms for musical intervals:
Root = tonic = the starting note of a scale or chord
b2 = flatted second = 1 half step above the root
2 = second = 2 half steps above root
b3 = flatted third = 3 half steps above root
3 = third = 4 half steps above root
4 = fourth = 5 half steps above root
b5 = flatted fifth = 6 half steps above root
5 = fifth = 7 half steps above root
b6 = flatted sixth = 8 half steps above root
6 = sixth = 9 half steps above root
b7 = flatted seventh = 10 half steps above root
7 = seventh = 11 half steps above root
octave = 12 half steps above root
And now to really confuse you here are some names for different notes of a certain notes major scale.
Root(1st)=tonic
2nd=supertonic
3rd=mediant
4th=sub dominant
5th=Dominant
6th=Sub mediant
7th=leading note
8th=(octave) tonic.
Ah, piano theory lessons. haha.
thanks James
I'd never heard of any of those untill i read altex's post (i took a teensy weensy bit of piano and my dad plays) then it started sounding familiar... so thanks to both of you for this information
And now to really confuse you here are some names for different notes of a certain notes major scale.
Root(1st)=tonic
2nd=supertonic
3rd=mediant
4th=sub dominant
5th=Dominant
6th=Sub mediant
7th=leading note
8th=(octave) tonic.Ah, piano theory lessons. haha.
That's not just piano. That's straight up music theory. It's the same no matter what instrument you're playing.
Yeah, I know but I learnt it in my piano theory exam.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → okay maybe this is a stupid question....
