Tonic (music)

The central pitch of a key or tonal passage, heard as its point of rest and stability. It also names the chord built on that pitch.

Tonal center: The pitch or chord that functions as the organizing focus of a passage of music. The tonic is the clearest form of a tonal center, though passages can establish others.
Dominant (music): The fifth scale degree and the chord built on it, often creating tension that resolves toward the tonic. Dominant harmony typically directs musical motion back to the tonic.
Subdominant: The fourth scale degree and the chord built on it, often associated with motion away from the tonic. Its predominant role contrasts with the tonic's usual function as a point of arrival.
Modulation (music): The process of changing from one key to another within a piece of music. Modulation replaces one tonic with another and can reshape a passage's sense of direction.
Key (music): A system of pitches organized around a tonic, with characteristic relationships among its scale degrees. A key specifies the tonic and the surrounding hierarchy of pitches.
Leading tone: The scale degree a semitone below the tonic in a major or harmonic-minor scale. Its close pitch distance creates a strong melodic pull toward the tonic.
Mediant: The third scale degree and the chord built on it, positioned between tonic and dominant. Its less stable scale-degree role helps distinguish tonic function from simple pitch prominence.
Transposition (music): The operation of moving a melody or passage to a different pitch level while preserving its intervals. Transposition changes the tonic's absolute pitch while preserving its tonal function.
Scale degree: A pitch's position in a scale, commonly identified by number or by a traditional name. The tonic is scale degree one, the reference point for naming the others.
Cadence: A melodic or harmonic progression that marks a pause, ending, or point of arrival. Cadences establish the tonic by making its arrival sound conclusive.

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