tonality

[toh-nal-i-tee]

noun

plural

tonalities 

1. Music.

   1. the sum of relations, melodic and harmonic, existing between the tones of a scale or musical system.

   2. a particular scale or system of tones; a key.

2. (in painting, graphics, etc.) the system of tones or tints, or the color scheme, of a picture.

3. the quality of tones.

tonality

/ təʊˈnælɪtɪ /

noun

1. music

   1. the actual or implied presence of a musical key in a composition

   2. the system of major and minor keys prevalent in Western music since the decline of modes Compare atonality

2. the overall scheme of colours and tones in a painting

Other Word Forms

• tonalitive adjective
• nontonality noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tonality¹

First recorded in 1830–40; tonal + -ity

Example Sentences

Uncompromising and innovative, he devised the 12-tone method, a musical structure that broke with the traditional rules of tonality and composition.

From Los Angeles Times

Watching people record harmonies in real time, everyone on one mic, having to match the tonality of everybody else.

From Los Angeles Times

When Feyd steps into an enormous arena filled with a chanting mob eager for bloodshed, a brutalist symphony of visual aesthetics and aural tonality deepens the viciousness of the character.

From Los Angeles Times

The A, D and G strings are all tuned an octave higher than a standard guitar, adding a new level of tonality.

From Los Angeles Times

The next chapter the tempo shifts, tonalities of joy, and solos of love are spoken.

From New York Times

Related Words

• timbre