User:VectorGraphics/Diatonic and chromatic steps

This page goes over four different types of steps, defined in terms of the 7-note diatonic and 12-note chromatic scale. However, there are some important considerations:

• Here, "diatonic scale" refers not explicitly to the diatonic scale but to the 7 interval classes it defines, such that a diminished third, minor third, major third, and augmented third are all in the same diatonic interval class ("third", or 2\7).
• Similarly, "chromatic scale" does not refer explicitly to the chromatic scale, but to the 12 interval classes it defines, such that a diminished fourth, a double-augmented second, and a major third are all in the same chromatic interval class (4\12). So it does not matter if m-chromatic or p-chromatic is used; both of them work the same in this context.

Here are the types of steps:

• diatonic "semitones" (alterations by 1 diatonic step and 1 chromatic step, i.e. E to F)
• chromatic "semitones" (alterations by 0 diatonic steps and 1 chromatic step, i.e. E to E#)
• enharmonic "dieses" (alterations by 1 diatonic step and 0 chromatic steps, i.e. E to Fb)
• subchromatic "commas" (alterations by 0 diatonic steps and 0 chromatic steps, i.e. E to ^E)

A more in-depth explanation follows.

WIP