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Here we have the notes from the central octave.
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Although they are written one after another:
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line, space, line, space, line, space, etc.
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the interval between them is not always the same.
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So between C and D, we have an interval of a large second,
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or - a whole tone.
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Between D and E, similarly we have one tone.
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Between E and F, on the other hand,
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although they are written consecutively,
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we have a semi-tone, meaning - a half of a tone.
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Between F and G - tone, G and A - tone,
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A and B - tone, and between B and C - semi-tone.
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In order for the explanation to be easily visualised,
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I have drawn for you the piano keys.
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These would be the white piano keys
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and these the black ones, as you can see.
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This is the key for the C note.
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Between C and D there is a whole tone.
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Between D and E, a whole tone.
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Between E and F, a semi-tone.
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And we can visualise this, because we see that the black key is missing.
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The same case is between B and C.
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Let's write C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C;
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ie: Do, Re, Mi Fa, Sol, La, Si, Do
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So between E - F and B - C, we have semi-tone.
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Let's hear a tone! - between C and D (playing notes on the piano)
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between D and E
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between E and F it's a semi-tone
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How would it sound like if it would be a whole tone?
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But it is a semi-tone and it sounds like this
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You hear - that this is an dissonant interval,
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disturbing to the ear.
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And the whole-tone interval is not as disturbing
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as the semi-tone would be.
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These intervals are also named
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large-second and small-second: tone and semi-tone
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The semi-tone interval, specifically because it is
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so disturbing to the ear, is used for
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tunning the car horns, it sound dissonant.