Meaning & use
tonality
Last updated
The organization of musical pitches around a central note or key; more broadly, the overall color or quality of tone in art, writing, or speech.
See it in a sentence
The symphony shifts tonality dramatically in the second movement.
The painting's tonality gives it a warm, nostalgic feel.
A note on using this word
Central to Western music theory, describing how a piece relates to its home key.
Words with a similar meaning
keypitch center
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