tonal music?

i heard this term somewhere and it sounds weird to me because isn't all music tonal?
if not what other types of music are there? and what are the differences between them?

Answer this guy dudes!!!!!!
I didn't understood the question....

Hmmm.. I have to agree all music is tonal, at least by defintion of tonal. Where did you see it say that lord? You'll have to explain to me more about where you heard that and how it was used. :confused:

Review and Discussion of A Generative Theory of Tonal Music.

Start page for comprehensive guide to Schenker's theory of harmony, counterpoint and tonal music.

Tonal Music - Abstract. This book deals with the aesthetics of tonal music and analyses sound forms, such as consonance, dissonance ...

and there's of course this site: it's an in depth study of how music works, how root progressions relate to themselvs.
it's ****ing interesting btw so i usuggest you all take a look into it: http://www.harmony.org.uk
from the glossery there it says about tonal music:

"Term used to denote the western system of music which is based on major and minor keys and a series of chords and notes related to a central tonic note which determines the key of a piece."

is there really music that isn't built on that?!

Yeah it’s exactly what it is in the definition you gave. The western form of music, and yes there is other music that isn’t built on this form or tonal music. Examples are Chinese music, African tribal music, anything that is not western or diatonic. The difference between western music and other music is western music has harmony, chordal structure, and strict time signature. Other cultural music only has melody, like a Indian song where there is only a melody, no chords and no harmony. With western theory you can harmonize it and put chords to it, but traditional Indian music does involve these principles. Time signature can easily be differentiated between Tribal music and western music. Tribal music will usually have a sequence of measures like 5/4, 7/8, 5/4/, 3/4. Where western music will normally stick to one signature. That should answer your question.

Although there is no precise harmony involved in Indian music (and music of other eastern cultures) there use of drones does indicate a tonal and tonic relationship.

Very true. I can remember hearing a Indian tune on the discovery channel one day (hah..yeah i watch the discovery channel.) and it was clearly in Bb, and oriental music is clearly pentatonic. All music will have a tonic relationship, like you could play a melody in G major, and although you may not play the G you can still hear its impression "color" in the tune your playing. Unless your playing Jazz, then you may find that the tonal center is a mode. A cool twist to the tonal or tonic idea.

Indian music is quatertones - 24 notes per octave - however..

Tonal music has been described as a system of hierarchies in which different classes of chords lead from one chord to another, such as dominant harmony or one of its substitutes resolving to tonic harmony. Establishing such tonal nets centered on the tonic chord is the essence of functional harmony.

Atonality means the absence of a tonal center as the basis for the whole or part of a piece of music. This was one of the radical innovations in music around the second decade of the twentieth century.

Originally posted by Azrael
Atonality means the absence of a tonal center as the basis for the whole or part of a piece of music. This was one of the radical innovations in music around the second decade of the twentieth century.

Huh?? A tonality is the tonal character of piece of music determined by the relationship of tones to it's keynote (tonic). Like you could say the major scale has the "major" tonality. Because all the intervals or scale degrees are a major interval from the keynote. Take G major, G-A major second, G-B major third, and so on.

All music has a tonality, even Indian music which is quarter-tone. So piece sould still be said to be in Fb major(not enharmonic E, but a flat F). Turkish music is eigth-tone, so there pitches are measured as 25 cents. (Not money) heh

I think you confused tonal music with tonality. ;)

Originally posted by chris mood
Although there is no precise harmony involved in Indian music (and music of other eastern cultures) there use of drones does indicate a tonal and tonic relationship.

Isn't tonal music used in the context modal vs tonal???

Originally posted by noticingthemistake
Yeah it’s exactly what it is in the definition you gave. The western form of music, and yes there is other music that isn’t built on this form or tonal music. Examples are Chinese music, African tribal music, anything that is not western or diatonic.

Answered that already lalimacefolle. ;) Diatonic is either the major or minor scale, modes aren't diatonic. Sorry I missed explaining into that.

Originally posted by noticingthemistake
Unless your playing Jazz, then you may find that the tonal center is a mode. A cool twist to the tonal or tonic idea.

In jazz, a mode would be considered the tonal center although technically it isn't. Classically, if you write a tune in C lydian, C is still IV. By terms not tonic, which is I. This is why something written in C lydian will have the key signature of G major, not C major. G is still the tonic if something is written in C lydian. Now jazz theory is very different. Some jazz composers will call C the tonic, so that the twist that Jazz has from classical theory is applied easier. A trick used in Jazz, especially when coming from a classical point of view. I dunno maybe that was the confusing part, and maybe misinterpeted.

Originally posted by noticingthemistake

Originally posted by Azrael
Atonality means the absence of a tonal center as the basis for the whole or part of a piece of music. This was one of the radical innovations in music around the second decade of the twentieth century.

Huh?? A tonality is the tonal character of piece of music determined by the relationship of tones to it's keynote (tonic). Like you could say the major scale has the "major" tonality. Because all the intervals or scale degrees are a major interval from the keynote. Take G major, G-A major second, G-B major third, and so on.

All music has a tonality, even Indian music which is quarter-tone. So piece sould still be said to be in Fb major(not enharmonic E, but a flat F). Turkish music is eigth-tone, so there pitches are measured as 25 cents. (Not money) heh

I think you confused tonal music with tonality. ;)

i think you misunderstood what i said - its not "A tonality" its "ATONALITY" from "aton" which means "without notes" - so its Tonal VS Atonal - got me?

All tonal is a POV. That POV is what makes people in a general sense, comfortable. What is POV, now? You have to know something, to do something. Ignore what you wish, still doesn't make it NEW! Sorry.

Az-

Ahh. Ok I see, I didn't catch that. I looked at it and thought you missed a space and was trying to type "A tonality", not "Atonality'. Interesting Concept, sort of like free time but with pitches.

Griphon-

Atonality is a POV, cause it says free thought in music. Tonality isn't a point of view although one may have a different impression of tonality than another person. Example: You can write a song in a major key and still have it sound sad or melancholy, descriptions one would consider minor.