Fig. 1 · A to Bb

interval

A minor second

AlowerB♭upperm21 half steps

One half step, written as a second: the smallest distance between two notes with different letters.

On the keyboard

ABb
Fig. 2

What is true of it

A up a minor second is B♭: 1 half step, and 2 letters counting both ends.

Turn it upside down — put the A on top — and it becomes a major seventh. The two numbers always add to nine, and the two sizes to twelve.

It is a dissonance.

Every interval on A

A → Bmajor second · dissonanceA → Cminor third · imperfect consonanceA → C♯major third · imperfect consonanceA → Dperfect fourth · perfect consonanceA → D♯augmented fourth · dissonanceA → E♭diminished fifth · dissonanceA → Eperfect fifth · perfect consonanceA → Fminor sixth · imperfect consonanceA → F♯major sixth · imperfect consonanceA → Gminor seventh · dissonanceA → G♯major seventh · dissonance

C m2C♯ m2D♭ m2D m2D♯ m2E♭ m2E m2F m2all 204