Half steps and whole steps

Key idea A half step is the distance between two neighbouring keys, black keys included. A whole step is two half steps: skip exactly one key.

The half step is the smallest distance on the piano. Moving to the very next key, white or black, is a half step. Scales, intervals, and chords are all built from these steps.

Most neighbouring white keys are a whole step apart, because a black key sits between them. The two exceptions are E-F and B-C: only a half step.