tonal

[ tohn-l ]

adjective

, Music.

1. pertaining to or having tonality.

tonal

/ ˈtəʊnəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to tone
2. See atonal
   of, relating to, or utilizing the diatonic system; having an established key Compare atonal
3. 1. (of an answer in a fugue) not having the same melodic intervals as the subject, so as to remain in the original key
   2. denoting a fugue as having such an answer Compare real 1

Derived Forms

• ˈtonally, adverb

Other Words From

• tonal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of tonal¹

1770–80; < Medieval Latin tonālis . See tone, -al ¹

Example Sentences

Sound quality is quite rich and tonal from 30mm drivers, with little fuzz on the high end or loss of clarity on the lows.

From Popular-Science

This new device scans your skin for tonal irregularities, then dispenses a perfectly blended wisp of tinted serum to cover any blemishes.

From Popular-Science

This makes the title's cockfighting mini-game a bit of a tonal shift from the presentation of wildlife in the rest of the game.

From TechCrunch

The question lingers alongside the film’s tonal inconsistencies.

From Washington Post

According to Gold, pre-planning—having design files, copy and tonal guidelines ready to go for social pushes— is the key to virtual success.

From Digiday

Harsh critics insist it's the film's tonal shifts that destroy it.

From The Daily Beast

How could Cardiff lose, they asked, when she was piggybacking on the tonal pleasures of established classical music?

From The Daily Beast

Robert King: My answer would be yes, there were tonal issues.

From The Daily Beast

And Romney spoke at a lower pitch and used more tonal amplitude.

From The Daily Beast

Look for the Al Franken show to be the tonal opposite of change we can believe in.

From The Daily Beast

The introduction of the balanced Swell pedal (Walcker, 1863) has greatly increased the tonal resources of the organ.

From Project Gutenberg

Many organs now constructed have their tonal effects more than doubled through adoption of this principle.

From Project Gutenberg

The Hope-Jones leathered Tibias have already effected a revolution in the tonal structure of large organs.

From Project Gutenberg

The tonal stairway which leads up to the chorus of Egypt rose in rasping wailfulness.

From Project Gutenberg

But their tonal scale is far different from ours; we have not one musical instrument that can reproduce it.

From Project Gutenberg