whole step
In Depth
A whole step (called a tone in British terminology) is the distance of two semitones — from C to D, from E to F♯, or from A♭ to B♭. Major and minor scales are defined by their specific patterns of whole steps and half steps. The major scale pattern is W-W-H-W-W-W-H. The whole-tone scale, built entirely of whole steps (C-D-E-F♯-G♯-A♯), has a distinctive floating, dreamlike quality because it contains no semitones and therefore no tendency tones pulling toward resolution. Debussy used the whole-tone scale extensively to create his characteristic impressionistic sound — harmonies that shimmer and hover rather than progress.
The whole-tone scale divides the octave into exactly six equal parts — there are only two possible whole-tone scales, and between them they use all twelve notes of the [chromatic scale](/term/chromatic%20scale).