whole-tone

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whole-tone. Interval of 2 semitones, e.g. from C up to adjacent D. whole-tone scale progresses entirely in whole-tones instead of partly in whole-tones and partly in semitones as in major and minor scales and modes. The scale is obtained by taking every other note of the 12-semitone chromatic (or equal-tempered) scale, thus only 2 whole-tone scales are possible, one beginning on C, the other on C♯ (but since there is no keynote each scale can begin on any note). Used by Debussy, Vaughan Williams, Glinka, and others for chords and short passages.

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