Le demi-ton
Example: Le chanteur a utilisé un demi-ton pour changer la mélodie.
Definition
"Le demi-ton" in music refers to the smallest interval commonly used in Western music, representing the pitch difference between two adjacent keys on a piano. It is essential for creating scales, melodies, and harmonies by allowing subtle variations in pitch.
Etymology
The term "le demi-ton" comes from French, where 'demi' means 'half' and 'ton' means 'tone.' It literally translates to 'half-tone,' reflecting its function as half of a whole tone in musical scales. Did you know? This concept traces back to ancient Greek theories of musical intervals, later refined in European music theory.
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"Le demi-ton" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 102 commonly used words.
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