Why is there no black key on a keyboard in between the notes of E and F?
In: 9
The most ELI5 is that they’re already only a half step apart.
When you go up the major scale: C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C, those increments aren’t all the same size. By convention / definition, we have decided the pattern goes whole step, whole step, half step, whole, whole, whole, half.
* When there is a **whole** step between letters, there’s room for a black key that plays the half step between those letters. For example C-sharp (aka B-flat) is the half step between B and C.
* When there is a **half** step between letters, like E and F, there is no room for a black key because *E and F are already only a half step apar*t! An F-flat is just E. An E-sharp is just F.
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