atonal
3
9.1
- adjective
- /ˌeɪˈtoʊnəl/
- Specialized
:
atonal
- Some of them are more jarring and atonal or discordant.
- atonal music
- atonal melodies
It's kind of an interesting weird almost like atonal even though it's not atonal but has an atonal vibe to it.
- It's kind of an interesting weird almost like atonal even though it's not atonal but has an atonal vibe to it.
Examples
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It's kind of an interesting weird almost like atonal even though it's not atonal but has an atonal vibe to it.
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Traditional notation does a poor job of representing atonal and microtonal music.
Academic text (1997) -
The future would be cool and atonal, they thought.
Fiction book (1995) -
When combined with Jonny Greenwood's atonal score, the scene is set for a dark and bloody American tale.
Blog text (27) -
No particular atonal compositional idiom was followed; they simply did not have a specific tonal center.
Academic text (2013) -
The investigator composed 16 melodies, 8 of which were tonal and 8 of which were atonal.
Academic text (2013) -
Another spectator asked if the concerto was atonal or polytonal.
Academic text (2001) -
Four musicians who play three types of staccato drums and an atonal flute provide musical punctuation and rhythm.
Academic text (2013) -
The music here was louder and distinctly atonal, a blend of techno and trip-hop that shuddered with confusion.
Fiction book (1999) -
The artist's latest album features completely atonal pieces that challenge conventional harmony.
Synonyms
Music with no clear key or usual harmony
Music that does not have a clear main note or usual harmony
Antonyms
How Tonal
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Atonal starts with a- meaning 'not' and comes from the common word tone, which means 'a musical center' or 'key'. So atonal describes music that is 'not' built around a single 'tone' or key, which is why it often sounds strange or uneasy.