Page 47 - Music

The distance between two consecutive pitches can either be tone or semitone. A tone
distance is also known as a whole step. It consists of two semitones. A semitone
distance is also known as a half step. It is the distance between two close pitches.
The example in Figure 3.2 shows tone distance on a piano keyboard, from note
C to D and F to G. It also shows semitone distance as follows: from a white key
for note C to the next adjacent black key, from a white key for note F to the next
adjacent black key and from note B to C.

Key:
S = Semitone
T = Tone

Figure 3.2: Examples of tone and semitone distances on a piano keyboard

Staff notation

A staff is a set of five parallel lines with four spaces that are used in writing music.
Hence, staff notation is a system of writing music using a staff. Lines and spaces
of a staff are counted from the bottom to the upward direction. Figure 3.3 shows
a set of five horizontal lines and four spaces which form a staff.

Figure 3.3: A set of five horizontal lines and four spaces which form a staff

A staff can be extended upwards or downwards by using short lines called ledger
lines. These lines are used to show notes above or below the staff. Figure 3.4 shows
ledger lines added above and below the staff.

41

MUSIC 2023 mpya FINAL.indd 41 18/10/2024 13:24