diatonic
DIE-uh-toh-nik
[English]
Proceeding in the order of the octave based on five tones (steps) and two semitones (half steps). The major and natural minor scales and the modes are all diatonic In the major scale, the semitones (half steps) fall between the third and fourth tones (steps) and the seventh and eighth tones (steps). In the minor scale, the semitones (half steps) fall between the second and third tones (steps) and the fifth and sixth tones (steps).
Example
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, Prelude No. 1 in C major
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, Fugue No. 1 in C major
See Also
[French] diatonique[German] diatonisch
[Italian] diatonico
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Last Updated: 2016-05-23 01:06:52