Pitch & Intervals

Whole Step (Whole Tone)

Definition

A whole step, or whole tone, is an interval of two half steps: from one piano key, skip the very next key and land on the one after it. C to D and E to F♯ are whole steps.

A whole step is two half steps added together. On the piano, start on any key, skip exactly one key (black or white) and land on the next one: C to D skips C♯, E to F♯ skips F. British musicians call it a tone or whole tone.

C to D: count C♯ (1), then D (2). E to F♯: count F (1), then F♯ (2). Either way the skipped key can be black or white.

With and without black keys

A black key sits between most pairs of neighboring white keys, so most white-key pairs are whole steps: C–D, D–E, F–G, G–A and A–B. The exceptions are E–F and B–C, which are only half steps. To make a whole step up from E or B you need a black key, E–F♯ and B–C♯. Going down, a whole step below F is E♭, and below C it is B♭.

Spelling a whole step

A whole step normally moves to the next letter name, which makes it a major second: C–D, E–F♯, B♭–C. The same two keys spelled with letters two apart, such as C–E𝄫, form a diminished third. It sounds identical but almost never appears outside advanced harmony, so for everyday reading, think "next letter, two half steps".

Three examples, each one bar of half notes: the lower note, the upper note, then both together: C4 and D4 in treble clef, E4 and F sharp 4 in treble clef, B flat 2 and C3 in bass clef. — Three whole steps (major seconds), each played one note after the other and then together: C–D, E–F♯ and, in the bass clef, B♭–C.

Whole steps in scales

The major scale follows a fixed pattern of whole (W) and half (H) steps: W W H W W W H. In C major that gives C–D–E–F–G–A–B–C, with the half steps on E–F and B–C. Every other major key needs sharps or flats to keep the same pattern. A scale built only from whole steps is the whole-tone scale: six notes per octave and no half steps at all.

In equal temperament a whole step measures exactly 200 cents.

Practice telling the two steps apart with Half steps & whole steps and Whole step or half step?.

Common questions

How many half steps are in a whole step?

Two. A whole step skips exactly one key on the piano, so it equals two half steps, or 200 cents in equal temperament.

Is a whole step the same as a major second?

Almost always. A whole step spelled with neighboring letter names (C–D, E–F♯) is a major second. The rare spelling C–E𝄫 covers the same distance but is called a diminished third.