Meaning of Keynote in Music
In music, the term "keynote" refers to the first note or degree of any diatonic scale, such as a major or minor scale. It is also known as the tonic note. The keynote is the most important degree of the scale and serves as the focal point for both melody and harmony. Additionally, the term "keynote" can also refer to the tonic triad, which is the chord built in thirds from the tonic note. For example, in the key of C major, the keynote is C, and the tonic triad is CEG.
The concept of the keynote in music is similar to the main idea or central principle of a speech or program. It sets the foundation and establishes the key or tonality of a musical piece. The keynote can be thought of as the starting point from which the rest of the musical composition unfolds.
References: Source: 'Tonic | Classical, Baroque, Renaissance | Britannica' Source: 'Keynote - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com'
The note upon which a scale or mode is based or around which a composition is centered, or the tonic.
In addition, you can familiarize yourself with the terms:
- [English] tonic
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