01 n. The tonic or first tone of the scale in which a piece or passage is written; the fundamental tone of the chord, to which all the modulation…
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1.
The tonic or first tone of the scale in which a piece or passage is written; the fundamental tone of the chord, to which all the modulations of the piece are referred; -- called also key tone.(Mus.) Also: key tone
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2.
The fundamental fact or idea; that which gives the key; as, the keynote of a policy or a sermon.