diatonic's Usage Examples:

2 Ptolemy set forth this system as one of eight possible forms of the diatonic scale.

the greater tone, lesser tone, and diatonic semitone of modern music.

Diapason >>But Zarlino uncompromisingly declared that the syntonous or intense diatonic scale was the only form that could reasonably be sung; and in proof of its perfection he exhibited the exact arrangement of its various diatonic intervals, to the fifth inclusive, in every part of the diapason or octave.

diatonic accordion played music in the Cajun style of Louisiana.

Yet the symphony also reconciles the intricately serial derivation of its material with a clearly diatonic goal.

diatonic harmonica is the material that the comb is made from.

diatonic instruments, in that they only play the basic scale without sharps and flats.

But Zarlino uncompromisingly declared that the syntonous or intense diatonic scale was the only form that could reasonably be sung; and in proof of its perfection he exhibited the exact arrangement of its various diatonic intervals, to the fifth inclusive, in every part of the diapason or octave.

Now suppose we take G as the key-note and form its diatonic scale.

The frequency ratios in the diatonic scale are all expressible either as fractions, with i, 2, 3 or 5 as numerator and denominator, or as products of such fractions; and it may be shown that for a given note the numerator and denominator are smaller than any other numbers which would give us a note in the immediate neighbourhood.

Claudius Ptolemy (130) rectified this error, and in the so-called syntonous or intense diatonic scale reduced the proportions of his tetrachord to s, iii, f, -i.

Synonyms:

tonal,

Antonyms:

unkeyed, atonal,