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.