Minor second
A minor second, also called a half step or semitone, is 1 half step: from C up to D♭. The smallest step in most music: two keys side by side. One after the other it creeps; played together it clashes, tense and biting.
The minor second at a glance
| Minor second | |
|---|---|
| Half steps | 1 (half a whole step) |
| Letters it spans | 2: C D |
| Short name | m2 |
| Also called | a half step or semitone |
| Inverts to | Major seventh |
| Frequency ratio | 1.059 on a piano, 16:15 in just intonation |
Every note’s frequency in hertz is on the note frequency chart.
Songs that start with a minor second
Going up: The "Jaws" theme, its two notes a half step apart.
Going down: "Für Elise", which opens rocking down a half step and back.
Sing the tune’s first notes in your head and you have the interval from any starting note.
The minor second in chords
Rarely in a chord on its own. It is the rub between a major seventh chord’s seventh and the root above it, B against C in Cmaj7.
Every chord’s notes, to hear on a keyboard, are on piano chords.
A minor second from every note
| From | Up a minor second |
|---|---|
| C | D♭ |
| C♯ | D |
| D | E♭ |
| D♯ | E |
| E | F |
| F | G♭ |
| F♯ | G |
| G | A♭ |
| G♯ | A |
| A | B♭ |
| A♯ | B |
| B | C |
Questions about the minor second
What is a minor second in music?
A minor second, also called a half step or semitone, is 1 half step: from C up to D♭. The smallest step in most music: two keys side by side. One after the other it creeps; played together it clashes, tense and biting.
Is a minor second a half step?
Yes. A minor second is one half step, the distance between two keys side by side, such as E to F or C to D♭.
What songs start with a minor second?
The "Jaws" theme, its two notes a half step apart. Going down: "Für Elise", which opens rocking down a half step and back.
What is the inversion of a minor second?
A major seventh. Move the lower note up an octave and a minor second becomes a major seventh: their half steps add up to twelve.
Other intervals
All of them side by side, with how to name one, are on the interval chart.
Put intervals in a song
Open the free editor with a beat playing, then draw a melody note by note in the piano roll and hear every leap. No account needed to start.
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