Glossary — short definitions of terms
Alphabetic list of basic and unique terms and names used by Tonalibus
(alphabetic order of terms and names in English)
Aeol / Eol — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality and pentachord names; indicates correlation to Aeolian; short for Aeolian
AeolDorian — name of the corresponding pentachord
Aeolian — a diatonic tonality; natural minor
Anchor, harmonic — fundamental pitch with its quint and quart, progressive and regressive
Anchor, primary harmonic — a corner pitch of the sound temple with its quint and quart: North as fundamental anchor, South as contrast anchor, East as minor anchor, and West as major anchor
Anchor, secondary harmonic — a non-primary harmonically anchored pitch with its quint and quart (anchor head indication: NE=North-East, EN=East-North, ES=East-South, SE=South-East, SW=South-West, WS=West-South, WN=West-North, NW=North-West)
Aum / Ōṁ — the sound of a sacred spiritual symbol; ॐ or ओम् in Sanskrit; the essence of reality and consciousness
Axis, harmonic — two diametrically opposed pitches in an octave circle
Bal — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality names; indicates balance in its structure, generally a halfway mirrored pattern; short for balance
Blu — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality names; indicates a tonality includes an initial Reach step (off its fundamental), its quart (except PentaBluNa), and its quint, but not its tritone; short for partial blue
Blue — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality names; indicates a tonality includes one or more Reach steps (primarily off its fundamental and/or its quint), its tritone, plus generally both, its quart and its quint, exceptionally just one of the two; short for full blue; name of a corresponding lower pentachord and upper tetra/trichord
Blues — a diverse musical style originated in the United States from African roots; blues tonalities often include the tritone, one or two Reach steps, and/or consecutive half steps
BlueUp — name of an exceptional lower pentachord and upper tetrachord
BluNa — key syllable combination used by Tonalibus in exceptional tonality names; indicates a tonality includes both its minor and its major third; short for partial blue and natural harmonics
Cluster — key expression used by Tonalibus in tonality names; indicates correlation to clustered tonalities; short for clustered or melodic tonality
Clustered / melodic heptatonality — five whole steps and two half steps (or semitones) to an octave, alternating one or four whole steps between single half steps
Cor — key syllable used by Tonalibus in a few hexa- and pentatonality names; indicates the presence of the four Core pitches or corners of the sound temple (North, East, South, and West); also some heptatonalities contain these but don’t have Cor in their names; short for corners of the sound temple or Core tonality
Core tonality — contains all four corners of the sound temple
Corners of the sound temple — four equidistant tones within the octave, three semitones from each other
Diatonic heptatonality — five whole steps and two half steps (or semitones) to an octave, alternating two or three whole steps between single half steps
Dor — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality and tetrachord names; indicates correlation to Dorian; short for Dorian
Dorian — a diatonic tonality
DorMixolydian — name of the corresponding tetrachord
Duality — worlds and states of consciousness with polarities and illusion
Duality, beyond — planes of existence and states of consciousness beyond polarities and illusion, states of unity and being, of soul and divine love
Eol / Aeol — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality and pentachord names; indicates correlation to Aeolian; short for Aeolian
Fidibus — lighter, kindling; Latin: chord, string, stringed instruments, faith, trust, loyalty, fidelity
Gypsy scales — from Romani, Hungarian, Byzantine, Klezmer, Jewish, and Spanish music; often including one or two Reach steps and more or less Phrygian characteristics
Half step (or semitone) — minor second; twelve halftone steps or semitones make an octave
Harmonic heptatonality — one of a few specific, more common Reach heptatonalities; single or double harmonic
Harmonic, reciprocal — mirror image or reverse harmonic relationship; e.g., the quart (perfect fourth) carrying the octave as primary harmonic or its quint (perfect fifth)
Harmonic tetrachord — Reach tetrachord; traditional name of a corresponding tetrachord
Harmonics or overtones, primary — correspond to the octave and quint
Harmonics or overtones, secondary — correspond more or less exactly to the major third, minor seventh, major second, tritone, and minor sixth
Harmonics or overtones, tertiary — correspond more or less exactly to the major seventh, minor second, minor third, quart, and major sixth — reciprocal harmonics
Harmony — the balanced relationship of different elements to each other; equilibrium; in music: the pleasant interplay of multiple tones or chords
Hepta- — used like a prefix meaning seven
Heptatonality — tonality with seven different pitches per octave; sorted into four groups by Tonalibus: 1) regular diatonic heptatonalities, 2) clustered (or melodic) heptatonalities, 3) Tritone or Blues Tonalities and 4) Reach (or harmonic) heptatonalities
Hexa- — used like a prefix meaning six
Hexatonality — tonality with six different pitches per octave
HU (pronounced “hiou”) — ancient name for God; mantra of soul
Interval — distance between two tones, in a scale relative to the fundamental or tonic: prime, major/minor second, major/minor third, fourth, fifth, major/minor sixth, major/minor seventh, octave
Ion — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality and tetrachord names; indicates correlation to Ionian; short for Ionian
Ionian — a diatonic tonality; diatonic major
IonLydian — name of the corresponding tetrachord
Key (or scale) — sequence of successive tones at certain intervals; key emphasizes the tonal gender (major/minor) at a particular pitch
La — key syllable used by Tonalibus in hexa- and pentatonality names; indicates the presence of the major sixth (La) and no seventh; the absence of La in an equivalent name indicates the presence of the minor seventh and no sixth; short for last harmonic in the series and the solfège pitch La
Lo — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality names; indicates correlation to the lower tetra- or pentachord or a lowered Reach or other step; short for low
Locor — key syllable used by Tonalibus in exceptional hexatonality names; indicates that the lower tetrachord consists of the initial three of the four corners of the sound temple (North, East, and South, but not West) plus the quint; short for low Core
Locrian — a diatonic tonality; regressive, without quint; name of the corresponding penta- and tetrachord
Lolo — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality names; indicates the lower pentachord consists of an initial Reach step followed by two consecutive half steps and a whole step; refers to the initial Reach step in the lowest possible position right off the fundamental in the lower pentachord; short for double low; name of a corresponding pentachord
LoloReach — subgroup of Reach tonalities with an initial Reach step followed by two consecutive half steps in the lower tetrachord
LoReachUp — subgroup of Reach tonalities with an initial or low half step and a Reach step pushed up by a whole step; indicates the lower pentachord consists of a half step followed by a whole step before a Reach step followed by a half step; name of a corresponding pentachord
Lyd — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality names; indicates correlation to Lydian; short for Lydian
Lydian — a diatonic tonality; progressive, without quart; name of the corresponding pentachord
Maj — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality names; first in a name it indicates the lower, last in a name the upper tetrachord consists of two consecutive whole steps followed by a half step; short for major (matching traditional tetrachord naming)
Major — common tonality classification with multiple meanings, including diatonic major, harmonic, melodic, Neapolitan, double harmonic, Gypsy, pentatonic, blues major, etc.; traditional name of a corresponding tetrachord
Mantra — a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit believed by practitioners to have a religious, magical or spiritual charge
Mantra, individual sound — an individually attuned tonal mantra
Melodic / clustered heptatonality — five whole steps and two half steps (or semitones) to an octave, alternating one or four whole steps between single half step
Min — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality names; first in a name it indicates the lower terachord consists of a whole step followed by a half and a another whole step; last in a name it indicates the upper tetrachord consists of a half step followed by two consecutive whole steps (partially in pentatonalities); short for minor; matching traditional naming for the lower but not the upper tetrachord (traditionally called Phrygian)
Mini-concert session — small concert session focusing on qualities of sound and harmony
Minor — common tonality classification with multiple meanings, including natural minor, harmonic, melodic, Neapolitan, double harmonic, Gypsy, pentatonic, blues minor, etc.; traditional name of a corresponding tetrachord
Mix — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality names; at the end of a name it indicates the upper tetrachord consists of a whole step followed by a half step and another whole step (partially in hexa- and pentatonalities); short for mixed, in relation to Mixolydian (traditional tetrachord name: minor)
Mixolyd — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality and pentachord names; indicates correlation to Mixolydian; short for Mixolydian
Mixolydian — a diatonic tonality
MixolydIonian — name of the corresponding pentachord
Na — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality names; indicates a correlation to the natural harmonics series, that the whole or a part of a tonality consists more or less of the initial harmonics in the series; short for natural harmonics
NaReach — subgroup of Reach tonalities with primary and secondary natural harmonics pitches in the lower pentachord and a Reach step in the upper tetrachord
Na tonality — a more or less consecutive segment of the natural harmonics series
NaTri — key syllable used by Tonalibus in exceptional hexa- and pentatonality names; indicates that the lower tetrachord of a hexatonality or the whole pentatonality consists of the initial harmonics in the series, but without second and with the tritone; short for natural harmonics and tritone
Neapolitan scales — two scale patterns or systematic sets of scales, so-called minor and major; both patterns include three consecutive half steps, the first also a Reach step; the first contributed four fully or partially anchored Reach tonalities, the second two clustered Na tonalities to the Tonalibus catalogue
Ōṁ / Aum — the sound of a sacred spiritual symbol; ॐ or ओम् in Sanskrit; the essence of reality and consciousness
Penta- — used like a prefix meaning five
Pentachord — five-tone sequence within a quint; lower portion of an octave
Pentatonality — regular oder extra; tonality with five pitches per octave
Phryg — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality (and tetrachord) names; in the first part of a name it indicates the lower tetrachord consists of an initial half step followed by two consecutive whole steps; indicates correlation to Phrygian; short for Phrygian
PhrygAeolian — name of the corresponding tetrachord
Phrygian — a diatonic tonality; name of the corresponding pentachord; traditional name of a corresponding tetrachord
Pitch — property of sounds that allows their ordering on a frequency-related scale
Pro — key syllable used by Tonalibus mostly in hexa- and pentatonality names; indicates the lower tetrachord consists of the initial natural harmonic pitches in the series, the major second, major third, and quint; Pro heptatonalities further include the tritone and have in most cases no Pro in their name; short for Progressive tonality; name of a corresponding tetrachord
Pro tonality — progressive, without regressive quart, anchored in main discernible overtones (quint, major third, major second) in the lower tetrachord, flexible in upper
Quart — so-called perfect fourth
Quart, progressive — regressive quint or fifth
Quart, regressive — progressive quint or fifth
Quint — so-called perfect fifth
Quint, progressive — regressive quart or fourth
Quint, regressive — progressive quart or fourth
Reach — key syllable used by Tonalibus also in tonality names; in the first part of a name it indicates the lower (or both, the lower and upper), in the last part of a name the upper tetrachord contains a Reach-step in some context, the norm being a half step on either side framing the Reach step (traditional tetrachord name: harmonic); name of a corresponding penta- or tetrachord
Reach, Lolo- — subgroup of Reach tonalities with an initial Reach step followed by two consecutive half steps in the lower tetrachord
ReachNa — subgroup of Reach tonalities with an initial half step creating a Reach step before following primary and secondary natural harmonics pitches in the lower pentachord; name of a corresponding pentachord
Reach, Na- — subgroup of Reach tonalities with primary and secondary natural harmonics pitches in the lower pentachord and a Reach step in the upper tetrachord
Reach step — augmented second — three semitones or half steps in one step
Reach tonality — contains one or more Reach steps (augmented seconds)
ReachUp — subgroup of Reach tonalities with a Reach step framed by half steps pushed up over an initial whole step in the lower pentachord; indicates the lower pentachord consists of an initial whole step followed by a half step, a Reach step, and another half step; name of a corresponding pentachord
ReachUp, Lo- — subgroup of Reach tonalities with an initial or low half step and a Reach step pushed up by a whole step; indicates the lower pentachord consists of a half step followed by a whole step before a Reach step followed by a half step; name of a corresponding pentachord
Reach, Uplo- — subtype of an exceptional Reach tonality with an initial Reach step followed by two consecutive half steps in the upper tetrachord
Reciprocal harmonic — mirror image or reverse harmonic relationship; e.g., the quart (perfect fourth) carrying the octave as primary harmonic or its quint (perfect fifth)
Reg — key syllable used by Tonalibus in names of regressive tonalities; partially anchored on their quart, they lack their quint, the first diverse harmonic pitch in the series; so far there are but few regressive tonalities in the Tonalibus catalogue, most without Reg in their name; short for Regressive tonality
Reg tonality — regressive, without the progressive quint, inverse to Pro tonalities
Scale (or key) — sequence of successive tones at certain intervals; key emphasizes the tonal gender (major/minor) at a particular pitch
Semitone (or halftone step) — minor second; twelve halftone steps or semitones make an octave
Session, mini-concert — small concert session focusing on qualities of sound and harmony
Sound temple, corners of the — four equidistant tones within the octave, three semitones from each other
Spiritualibus — Latin: of or pertaining to breathing, the wind or air; of or pertaining to spirit, spiritual
Step, halftone (or semitone) — minor second; twelve halftone steps or semitones make an octave
Step, Reach — augmented second — three semitones or half steps in one step
Step, whole — major second — two semitones or half steps; six whole steps make an octave
Symphony of Life and Love — title of a CD created and released in 2014
Tetra- — used like a prefix meaning four
Tetrachord — four-tone sequence within a quart; lower or upper in an octave; exceptionally within a quint (lower portion of an octave)
Tetratonality — tonality with four pitches per octave
Tonalibus — Latin: tonality, book of musical rules
Tonalibus exploration courses — aim at deepening one’s understanding and insights about harmony and tonalities, in music and in life
Tonality — relationships between tones, sounds and chords (or also colors); relationship to the fundamental, the tonic; the totality of the properties and qualities of a given key or scale relative to a fundamental
Tonality, Core — contains all four corners of the sound temple
Tonality, fully anchored — with both, the quint and the quart to the fundamental
Tonality, Na — a more or less consecutive segment of the natural harmonics series
Tonality, partially anchored — with either the quint or the quart to the fundamental
Tonality, Pro — progressive, without regressive quart, anchored in main discernible overtones (quint, major third, major second) in lower Tetrachord, flexible in upper
Tonality, Reach — contains one or more Reach steps (augmented seconds)
Tonality, Reg — regressive, without the progressive quint, inverse to Pro tonalities
Trichord — three-tone sequence within a quart; upper in an octave; exceptionally within a quint (lower portion of an octave)
Tritone — between quart and quint; deviation of overtone and equally spaced steps
Ulrico — creator of Tonalibus, author of the Spiritualibus blog, and owner of the Fidibus shop
Up — key syllable used by Tonalibus in tonality names; indicates a shifted up Reach (or other) step or a correlation to the upper tri- or tetrachord; short for upper or lifted up
Uplo — key syllable used by Tonalibus in an exceptional tonality name; indicates the upper tetrachord consists of an initial Reach step followed by two consecutive half steps; refers to the initial Reach step in the lowest possible position in the upper tetrachord right off the quint; short for upper low; name of a corresponding tetrachord
UploReach — subtype of an exceptional Reach tonality with an initial Reach step followed by two consecutive half steps in the upper tetrachord
Whole step — major second — two semitones or half steps; six whole steps make an octave
