tonal system

• Système d'organisation des hauteurs musicales autour d'une note centrale (la tonique), où les relations entre les notes reposent sur des gammes et des tonalités, formant la base de la musique classique et populaire occidentale.

A system of organizing musical pitches around a central note (tonic), where relationships between notes are based on scales and keys, forming the foundation of Western classical and popular music.

1. Musical Tonal SystemC1formal

   A system of organizing music around a central note (tonic) and related keys, typical of Western classical music from the 17th to the 19th centuries.

   système tonal

   • The tonal system is based on major and minor scales.
   • Composers like Bach and Mozart worked within the tonal system.
   • The piece shifts from one key to another, a common feature of the tonal system.

2. Linguistic Tonal SystemC1formal

   A system in a language where pitch or tone is used to distinguish the meaning of words.

   système tonal

   • Mandarin Chinese has a tonal system with four main tones.
   • The tonal system in Thai uses five distinct tones.
   • In many African languages, the tonal system is crucial for understanding meaning.