noun / verb
key
The tonal center and scale to which music is set.
The band plays the song in the key of G.
Etymology
Key once named an individual musical note or pitch. Its meaning broadened to the system of pitches organized around a tonic, so a piece’s key identifies its overall tonal setting.
More examples
- A minor key gives this melody a somber sound.
- The chorus changes to a different key.
- The arrangement is keyed to the singer's vocal range.
Forms
key · keys · keyed · keying
Similar words
- tonality
- Describes tonal organization rather than identifying a particular musical key.
- tonic
- Names the central note alone, not its surrounding scale.