tonalcentrum

A tonal center, also called the tonic, is the pitch around which a piece of music is organized. It serves as a gravity point: melodies tend to gravitate toward it and harmonies function relative to it. In practice, the tonal center is usually the first degree of the prevailing scale and the root of the tonic triad. The key naming tends to reflect this center, but the tonal center and the notated key can diverge in certain contexts, such as modal motion or the use of secondary tonics.

A tonal center is established through several interrelated cues. Melodic emphasis on the tonic pitch, harmonic progressions that revolve around dominant and subdominant functions, and cadences that reinforce a sense of closure on the tonic all contribute to a stable center. The authentic cadence, moving from V to I, is particularly strong in confirming the tonal center.

Musical pieces may begin by outlining a center, undergo brief tonicization of other pitches, or modulate to new centers as the music develops. In common-practice harmony, the tonic is typically reinforced by a final chord or cadence that confirms the home pitch, though temporary shifts to other centers are common in longer works.

Beyond Western tonal music, other systems may use different centers of gravity or place less emphasis on a single tonic. Nevertheless, the concept of a tonal center remains a fundamental tool for understanding cadence, form, and harmonic direction in many musical traditions.