KEY n.
A family of tones whose regular members are called diatonic tones, and named key tone (or tonic) or one (or eight), mediant or three, dominant or five, subdominant or four, submediant or six, supertonic or two, and subtonic or seven. Chromatic tones are temporary members of a key, under such names as " sharp four," "fl…
MAJOR n.
(Mus.), a sixth of four steps and a half step. In major keys the third and sixth from the key tone are major. Major keys and intervals, as distinguished from minors, are more cheerful. -- Major term (Logic), that term of a syllogism which forms the predicate of the conclusion. -- Major third (Mus.), a third of two st…
SENSIBLE a.
venth note of any scale; -- so called because, being but a half step below the octave, or key tone, and naturally leading up to that, it makes the ear sensible of its approaching sound. Called also the leading tone. -- Sensible horizon. See Horizon, n., 2. (a).