How many semitones are present in a whole tone scale?

In music theory, a whole tone scale consists of a series of whole tones that are built by using two semitones to form each step within the scale. A whole tone itself is defined as the distance of two semitones apart. Therefore, within a whole tone scale, each interval between successive notes is one whole tone, which corresponds to two semitones.

When you consider the entire scale, it typically consists of six notes, with each note separated by a whole tone. This means that while the scale as a whole does not have any intervals of just a single semitone, it is fundamentally comprised of intervals that are in fact made up of semitones.

In essence, the term "whole tone scale" signifies that each pitch is created using these larger intervals (whole tones), rather than focusing on semitones alone. Therefore, describing the amount of semitones present in a whole tone scale as "none" wouldn't be accurate in terms of the definition and construction of the scale itself, as it simply emphasizes the interval structure rather than the individual components that make it up.