The Change Events/transpose Funtion In Reason, what is a semitone Options

[mellotron]

i just started using reason about 2 months ago... is there is anyone who uses reason and can tell me what a semitone is. when you go to the change events window and use the transpose function, how much is that changing the events you have selected? is it by a whole step or half step?

[ghess]

A semitone is a half step.

[Levon River]

Whole tone=whole step
Semi tone=half step.

Just don't step in any hemisemidemiquavers.

[rickenbacker]

Semitones are basically the stage between two notes: from C to D is a tone, with a C sharp in between, ie a semitone up from C. Or conversely, a semitone down from D. C sharp and D flat are the same note, effectively.

It's not a hard and fast rule: there's no such thing as a B sharp for instance - the next note up from B is C. That's a semitone interval.

Musical theory, what fun.

[Levon River]

C sharp and D flat are the same note, effectively.

Only to keyboardists.

[ghess]

There certainly is a B#, without it the major key of C# would be very difficult. Actually, most notes have three different names, using naturals, accidentals and double accidentals. For example, C can also be called the aforementioned B# and it can be called Dbb (double flat). These are known as enharmonics.

Perhaps theory may seem mundane to some who don't understand it, but dismissing it to a musician is similar to saying, "Syntax, what fun" to a computer programmer or "Grammar, what fun" to a writer.

[Levon River]

mellotron: We've started wandering into the poppy-fields of music theory now, and I just wanted to make sure your question actually got fully answered in the context in which you asked it. Ghess's first and original reply to you was correct, and is probably all you need to know for the purposes you were asking about.

If you want to learn more about music theory, there are many basic books and even free on-line dissertations on the subject. When you want to bite off a little more of the subject, my bibles are the Harvard Dictionary of Music and Walter Piston's "Harmony."

What ghess is talking about, enharmonics, are the different names for notes. You run into those when you start writing or arranging or analyzing music in different keys, where a certain note has to be named a certain way to reflect the correct interval (distance between notes) in order to keep the scale orthodox. That's when the key you look at and think about as "C" on the keyboard might need to be called and thought of as "B#." It sounds just the same when you strike it, though. At least on a keyboard....

And what *I* was talking about when I said "only to a keyboardist" is the fact that a violin player--not encumbered by frets, keyboard keys, or "tempered tuning"--will often play a "C" in, e.g., a C-major key, slightly differently than he would play a "B#" in , e.g., the key of C#--even though on a piano or other keyboard, they would be the same keyboard key, and would produce precisely the same sound.

Hope that makes some sense.

[K-note]

In fact tests have shown that string players often play "enharmonicly" spelled notes differently. For example, in c# minor B# is the leading tone and is often played higher than "C". Wind player often "lip" the note higher. Hope this is just what you've been waiting to hear all your life.

PEACE

[rickenbacker]

Hey, Ghess, chill out. Mellotron asked a simple question and I gave a simple answer. You know, I've got grade 8 violin and musical theory certifcates, too.

It's not essential to understand musical theory or to be able to read and write music and it doesn't necessarily make you a better musician.
My point was that if you look at a keyboard, there "is" no B# - there's no black key between the white keys of B and C. The same on a guitar - there's no extra fret between the B and C frets. It goes from B to C with nothing in between.

When I said "musical theory, what fun", well, as a writer I guess I should have learnt by now that irony and light-hearted remarks don't always translate well to the black and white of the printed page.

As for "grammar, what fun" - hey, I've worked as a sub-editor and made a living out of correcting spelling and punctuation, but I don't go round telling everyone how exciting it is. Because it isn't.

[ghess]

Rickenbacker, I understood your point. Your response wasn't simple, but simplistic. As a professor with a Ph.D in music theory and composition, I felt compelled to correct the misinformation. My analogies were intended to indicate that I consider music theory as essential to a musician as grammar to a writer. As a musician, I find theory interesting. As a writer, I also find grammar interesting. Go figure.
Of course, reading music and understanding theory isn't essential to all types of music making. But unless you are very lucky or very talented, or both, it will probably help.

Sorry if you are offended. Have a nice day.