Diatonic functional harmony

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Diatonic functional harmony is the functional harmony of the diatonic scale as well as that of similar MV3 and MV4 scales such as both Nicetone and Classitone in the 5-limit.

Tonic

The tonic the first and most important of the three primary functions of diatonic functional harmony. It typically serves as one, or often more, of the following— the primary tonal center, the main resolution tone, one of the most common initiating events of a piece, the most important melodic and or harmonic anchor in tonal music, the generator of other tones either harmonically or subharmonically, and or a discourager against the usage of other microtonally nearby pitches.

Dominant

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Generated by the tonic as the first 3-limit interval and indeed the first nontonic note in the "majoresque" direction, the Dominant is the second of the three primary functions of diatonic functional harmony, and, as its name suggests, is the most important nontonic function. It typically serves as one, or often more, of the following— a primary creator of instability in the "majoresque" direction that requires the tonic for resolution, the second most important melodic and or harmonic anchor after the tonic, a generator of many of the "majoresque" notes in a diatonic MOS, and or a discourager against the usage of other microtonally nearby pitches.

Subdominant and Superdominant

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In octave equivalent tonal systems built from the low pitches to the high pitches, the subdominant is the third of the three primary functions and is the second most important nontonic function after the dominant. It typically serves as one, or often more, of the following— a primary creator of instability in the "minoresque" direction that can either be intensified with the dominant or resolved with the tonic, the third most important melodic and or harmonic anchor after the tonic and the dominant, a generator of many of the "minoresque" notes in a diatonic MOS, and or a discourager against the usage of other microtonally nearby pitches.

In octave equivalent tonal systems built from the high pitches to the low pitches, the superdominant takes over the usual roles of the subdominant, and in fact, in microtonal theories derived from Aura's work, the subdominant and the superdominant are combined into the serviant (alternatively spelled servient) function, since both the subdominant and the superdominant are considered to be generated by the tonic as the first 3-limit interval and indeed the first nontonic note in the "minoresque" direction.

Further reading