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Minor Second





Interval| Information

  Main Interval Name minor second
  Inverse Major Seventh
  Complement Major Seventh
  Other Names semitone
  Abbreviation m2
  Semitones 1
  Interval Class 1
  Just Interval 16:15
  Cents Equal Temperament 100


A minor second is the smallest of three commonly occurring Musical Interval s that span two Diatonic Scale degrees; the others being the Major Second and the Augmented Second , which are larger by one and two Semitone s respectively. The minor second is abbreviated as '''m2''' and its Inversion is the Major Seventh . It occurs naturally and most memorably between the 7th and 8th degrees of a Major Scale , as the Leading Note rising melodically to the upper Tonic (the familiar '''ti-do''' sung in Solfege }.

A minor second in tuning a minor second is equal to one semitone, and is a ratio of 21/12 (approximately 1.059), or 100 cents, 11.731 Cent s Flat of 16:15.

Traditionally the minor second is considered the most Dissonant interval, followed by the Tritone .

According to Carl Dahlhaus (1990), "as late as the 13th century the half step was experienced as a problematic interval not easily understood, as the irrational remainder between the perfect fourth and the Ditone (4/3) / (9/8)2 = 256/243 ." In a melodic half step, no "tendency was perceived of the lower tone toward the upper, or of the upper toward the lower. The second tone was not taken to be the 'goal' of the first. Instead, the half step was avoided in Clausulae because it lacked clarity as an interval." Beginning in the 13th century Cadences begin to require motion in one voice by half step and the other a whole step in contrary motion.


SEE ALSO




SOURCE

  • Dahlhaus, Carl, trans. Gjerdingen, Robert O. (1990). ''Studies in the Origin of Harmonic Tonality''. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691091358.



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