Tonic Key (Noun)
Meaning
The basic key in which a piece of music is written.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The symphony's first movement was written mainly in the tonic key of C major.
- Understanding the tonic key is essential for analyzing a piece of music.
- The sonata's final movement started with a strong tonic key resolution.
- In music theory, a piece often begins or ends in its tonic key.
- After a series of modulations, the composition returned to its tonic key.