A musical interval equal to half of a whole tone; another name for a semitone.
From hemi- (half) + tone (from Greek tonos meaning pitch). This musical term developed alongside semitone in music theory, appearing as an alternative or older variant.
A hemitone is what happens when you play a black key on the piano right next to a white key—it's the smallest musical step in Western music, and composers use this 'half-step' to create tension and emotional impact.
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