Tonic: Difference between revisions

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== Relationship to other tonal centers ==

In pieces that have more than one tonal center throughout their length, as with many Western Classical pieces, the tonic is the most important of the various tonal centers that appear in that piece. For that reason, it is considered the home note, and, as a consequence, is often referenced in the name of certain works, for example, Bach's [[Wikipedia: Fugue in G_minor, BWV 578|Fugue in G Minor, BWV 578]], otherwise known as the "Little Fugue", in which G is the Tonic.

Like any other tonal center, the tonic has a way of successfully contextualizing the surrounding collection of notes across long distances in time around itself, provided that each note in the collection meets certain criteria that enable such contextualization. Consequently, in pieces that have more than one tonal center throughout their length, as with many Western Classical pieces, the tonic is the most important of the various tonal centers that appear in that piece, and it contextualizes the other tonal centers by means of its being located at critical positions within the piece. For that reason, it is considered the home note, and, as a consequence, is often referenced in the name of certain works, for example, Bach's [[Wikipedia: Fugue in G_minor, BWV 578|Fugue in G Minor, BWV 578]], otherwise known as the "Little Fugue", in which G is the Tonic.

== As an initiating event ~~and the main~~ resolution tone ~~of a piece~~ ==

== As an initiating event, anchor, or resolution tone ==

In many Medieval, Neo-Medieval and [[Wikipedia:Common practice period|Common Practice]] pieces, the ~~Tonic~~ is often the tone used for resolution in musical phrases, and, as a logical extension of this, can be considered the principal goal tone of a piece. This is especially known for being established through an [[Wikipedia:Cadence#Authentic%20cadence|Authentic cadence]]. In addition, it should be noted that other chords in diatonic harmony, namely the mediant and submediant, often have tonic-like function in the sense of being resolution tones, with the caveat that they are ultimately nontonic functions, and hence, such resolutions are considered to be either interrupted or deceptive cadences. In Common Practice music, most pieces began in the tonic key, and thus, the tonic can be considered a very common initiating event for a piece— a function which continues to be widespread in Western Classical music.

In many Medieval, Neo-Medieval and [[Wikipedia:Common practice period|Common Practice]] pieces, the tonic is often the tone used for resolution in musical phrases, and, as a logical extension of this, can be considered the principal goal tone of a piece. This is especially known for being established through an [[Wikipedia:Cadence#Authentic%20cadence|Authentic cadence]]. In addition, it should be noted that other chords in diatonic harmony, namely the mediant and submediant, often have tonic-like function in the sense of being resolution tones, with the caveat that they are ultimately nontonic functions, and hence, such resolutions are considered to be either interrupted or deceptive cadences. In Common Practice music, most pieces began in the tonic key, and thus, the tonic can be considered a very common initiating event for a piece— a function which continues to be widespread in Western Classical music. As a consequence of its role as both a common initiating event and the main resolution tone, the tonic often serves as the single most important anchor for both melodies and harmonies in a tonal piece, and as a consequence, it is likely to occur very frequently, even if it is not the most commonly occurring functional element of a piece.

~~== As a melodic and or harmonic anchor ==~~

As a consequence of its role as both a common initiating event and the main resolution tone, the tonic often serves as the single most important anchor for both melodies and harmonies in a tonal piece, and as a consequence, it is likely to occur very frequently, even if it is not the most commonly occurring functional element of a piece.

== Relationship to other functions ==

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Since the tonic is the generator of other tones through either the [[harmonic series]] or the [[subharmonic series]], it is thus the origin and the definer of all other functions and can be considered the [[1/1]], and, in [[Octave #Octave equivalence|octave equivalent]] systems, [[2/1]]. In such systems, the first [[3-limit]] nontonic pitches in both the harmonic series and the subharmonic series give rise to the dominant and subdominant (or, alternatively, superdominant) harmonies, with the exact role of each 3-limit pitch being determined by whether you build your tonality from the low pitches to the high pitches, or from the high pitches to the low pitches—that is, your tonality's chosen direction of construction. From there, the next 3-limit pitches in both the harmonic series and the subharmonic series give rise to the [[Wikipedia:Supertonic|supertonic]] and [[Wikipedia:Subtonic|subtonic]]—with the exact functions of each of these also being determined by your chosen tonality's direction of construction—and the next three limit pitches after that in both the harmonic series and the subharmonic series give rise to variations of the [[Wikipedia:Mediant|mediant]] and [[Wikipedia:Submediant|submediant]] (or, alternatively, the supermediant) depending on your tonality's direction of construction.

In the [[5-limit]], the first pair of nontonic pitches in both the harmonic series and the subharmonic series give rise to the simplest variations of the mediant and ~~contramediant~~, while the first combinations of 3-limit and 5-limit give rise to a set of leading tones— the exact role of each individual pitch is again determined by your chosen tonality's direction of construction. Between the 3-limit and the 5-limit, all [[Diatonic functional harmony|diatonic functions]] are generated.

In the [[5-limit]], the first pair of nontonic pitches in both the harmonic series and the subharmonic series give rise to the simplest variations of the mediant and either the submediant or supermediant, while the first combinations of 3-limit and 5-limit give rise to a set of leading tones— the exact role of each individual pitch is again determined by your chosen tonality's direction of construction. Between the 3-limit and the 5-limit, all [[Diatonic functional harmony|diatonic functions]] are generated.

Of course, this same pattern of generation extends to the [[7-limit]], the [[11-limit]], the [[13-limit]], and so on, resulting in [[Paradiatonic functional harmony|pardiatonic functions]]. As a result of all this giving rise to other functions, the tonic neutralizes the tension between the dominant and the subdominant (or superdominant) as well as their respective [[Wikipedia:Parallel and counter parallel|"parallels" and "counter parallels"]].

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 == Relationship to other tonal centers ==
-In pieces that have more than one tonal center throughout their length, as with many Western Classical pieces, the tonic is the most important of the various tonal centers that appear in that piece. For that reason, it is considered the home note, and, as a consequence, is often referenced in the name of certain works, for example, Bach's [[Wikipedia: Fugue in G_minor, BWV 578|Fugue in G Minor, BWV 578]], otherwise known as the "Little Fugue", in which G is the Tonic.
+Like any other tonal center, the tonic has a way of successfully contextualizing the surrounding collection of notes across long distances in time around itself, provided that each note in the collection meets certain criteria that enable such contextualization.  Consequently, in pieces that have more than one tonal center throughout their length, as with many Western Classical pieces, the tonic is the most important of the various tonal centers that appear in that piece, and it contextualizes the other tonal centers by means of its being located at critical positions within the piece.  For that reason, it is considered the home note, and, as a consequence, is often referenced in the name of certain works, for example, Bach's [[Wikipedia: Fugue in G_minor, BWV 578|Fugue in G Minor, BWV 578]], otherwise known as the "Little Fugue", in which G is the Tonic.
-== As an initiating event and the main resolution tone of a piece ==
+== As an initiating event, anchor, or resolution tone ==
-In many Medieval, Neo-Medieval and [[Wikipedia:Common practice period|Common Practice]] pieces, the Tonic is often the tone used for resolution in musical phrases, and, as a logical extension of this, can be considered the principal goal tone of a piece. This is especially known for being established through an [[Wikipedia:Cadence#Authentic%20cadence|Authentic cadence]]. In addition, it should be noted that other chords in diatonic harmony, namely the mediant and submediant, often have tonic-like function in the sense of being resolution tones, with the caveat that they are ultimately nontonic functions, and hence, such resolutions are considered to be either interrupted or deceptive cadences.  In Common Practice music, most pieces began in the tonic key, and thus, the tonic can be considered a very common initiating event for a piece— a function which continues to be widespread in Western Classical music.
+In many Medieval, Neo-Medieval and [[Wikipedia:Common practice period|Common Practice]] pieces, the tonic is often the tone used for resolution in musical phrases, and, as a logical extension of this, can be considered the principal goal tone of a piece. This is especially known for being established through an [[Wikipedia:Cadence#Authentic%20cadence|Authentic cadence]]. In addition, it should be noted that other chords in diatonic harmony, namely the mediant and submediant, often have tonic-like function in the sense of being resolution tones, with the caveat that they are ultimately nontonic functions, and hence, such resolutions are considered to be either interrupted or deceptive cadences.  In Common Practice music, most pieces began in the tonic key, and thus, the tonic can be considered a very common initiating event for a piece— a function which continues to be widespread in Western Classical music. As a consequence of its role as both a common initiating event and the main resolution tone, the tonic often serves as the single most important anchor for both melodies and harmonies in a tonal piece, and as a consequence, it is likely to occur very frequently, even if it is not the most commonly occurring functional element of a piece.
-== As a melodic and or harmonic anchor ==
-As a consequence of its role as both a common initiating event and the main resolution tone, the tonic often serves as the single most important anchor for both melodies and harmonies in a tonal piece, and as a consequence, it is likely to occur very frequently, even if it is not the most commonly occurring functional element of a piece.
 == Relationship to other functions ==
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 Since the tonic is the generator of other tones through either the [[harmonic series]] or the [[subharmonic series]], it is thus the origin and the definer of all other functions and can be considered the [[1/1]], and, in [[Octave #Octave equivalence|octave equivalent]] systems, [[2/1]]. In such systems, the first [[3-limit]] nontonic pitches in both the harmonic series and the subharmonic series give rise to the dominant and subdominant (or, alternatively, superdominant) harmonies, with the exact role of each 3-limit pitch being determined by whether you build your tonality from the low pitches to the high pitches, or from the high pitches to the low pitches—that is, your tonality's chosen direction of construction. From there, the next 3-limit pitches in both the harmonic series and the subharmonic series give rise to the [[Wikipedia:Supertonic|supertonic]] and [[Wikipedia:Subtonic|subtonic]]—with the exact functions of each of these also being determined by your chosen tonality's direction of construction—and the next three limit pitches after that in both the harmonic series and the subharmonic series give rise to variations of the [[Wikipedia:Mediant|mediant]] and [[Wikipedia:Submediant|submediant]] (or, alternatively, the supermediant) depending on your tonality's direction of construction.
-In the [[5-limit]], the first pair of nontonic pitches in both the harmonic series and the subharmonic series give rise to the simplest variations of the mediant and contramediant, while the first combinations of 3-limit and 5-limit give rise to a set of leading tones— the exact role of each individual pitch is again determined by your chosen tonality's direction of construction. Between the 3-limit and the 5-limit, all [[Diatonic functional harmony|diatonic functions]] are generated.
+In the [[5-limit]], the first pair of nontonic pitches in both the harmonic series and the subharmonic series give rise to the simplest variations of the mediant and either the submediant or supermediant, while the first combinations of 3-limit and 5-limit give rise to a set of leading tones— the exact role of each individual pitch is again determined by your chosen tonality's direction of construction. Between the 3-limit and the 5-limit, all [[Diatonic functional harmony|diatonic functions]] are generated.
 Of course, this same pattern of generation extends to the [[7-limit]], the [[11-limit]], the [[13-limit]], and so on, resulting in [[Paradiatonic functional harmony|pardiatonic functions]]. As a result of all this giving rise to other functions, the tonic neutralizes the tension between the dominant and the subdominant (or superdominant) as well as their respective [[Wikipedia:Parallel and counter parallel|"parallels" and "counter parallels"]].