Lessons · Unit 9: Accidentals

Tone or semitone

Two neighbouring notes on the staff can be a tone or a semitone apart. Among naturals, only E–F and B–C are semitones. An accidental changes the distance: from F to F♯ is a semitone; from E to F♯, a tone; from E♭ to F, also a tone.

Semitone: E–F
Tone: F–G
Tone: E–F♯
Semitone: B–B♭

A practical rule: think of the keyboard. If there is no key between the two notes, it is a semitone; if there is one key in between, it is a tone.

Drill

The session goes on until every skill below is mastered: at least 10 answers, at most 40. Your progress carries over between sessions.

Master the previous lesson first: Until the bar line