Which of the following make up a chromatic scale?
whole steps
whole and half steps
half steps
only natural notes
A chromatic scale is made up of half steps.
A chromatic scale consists of all 12 pitch classes, including natural notes and sharps/flats. It is made up of half steps.
To determine which of the options make up a chromatic scale, let's first understand what a chromatic scale is. A chromatic scale consists of all 12 pitches within an octave, including both natural notes (A, B, C, D, E, F, G) and their corresponding sharps or flats. The pitches ascend or descend by the smallest possible interval in Western music, which is a half step (also called a semitone).
Now, let's analyze the options given:
1. Whole steps: A whole step consists of two half steps. Since a chromatic scale is made up of consecutive half steps, whole steps are not part of a chromatic scale.
2. Whole and half steps: This combination includes both tones (whole steps) and semitones (half steps). Although a chromatic scale does contain half steps, it also includes pitches not separated by whole steps. Therefore, this option is not the correct answer.
3. Half steps: As mentioned earlier, a chromatic scale consists entirely of half steps or semitones. Therefore, this option is correct.
4. Only natural notes: Natural notes refer to the white keys on a piano (A, B, C, D, E, F, G) without any sharps or flats. Since a chromatic scale contains both natural notes and their corresponding sharps or flats, this option is not accurate.
In conclusion, the option that correctly represents the pitches in a chromatic scale is "half steps."