Steps and skips

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In music, a step is a linear or successive interval between two pitches which are consecutive scale degrees. Any larger interval is called a skip. In the diatonic scale, a step is either a minor second or major second, with all intervals of a minor third or larger being skips.

For example, C to D (major second) is a step, whereas C to E (major third) is a skip.

More generally, a step is a smaller or narrower interval in a musical line, and a skip is a wider or larger interval, with the categorization of intervals into steps and skips is determined by the tuning system and the pitch space used.

Linear motion in which the interval between any two consecutive pitches is no more than a step, or, less strictly, where skips are rare, is called stepwise or conjunct melodic motion. Melodic motion characterized by skips is called skipwise or disjunct.