ton’ic

E., tonic a (td’-né-ka), 7., To’nika, G., tonique (td-nék), F. 1. The key-note of a key, that on which the scale begins and ends, the tone from which a key takes its name as C. 2. The tonic-chord, the diatonic chord built on the key-note. t.-pedal. Pedal-point on the keynote. t. section. One which closes with a cadence to the tonic of the chief key of the movement. Tonic Sol-fa. A system of teaching ‘singing, inv. by Sarah Ann Glover, of Norwich, and improved by Rev. John Curwen, and his son John Spencer Curwen. It consists, first, in analysis with constant reference to key-relations, or “tones in key’’; the second element is a notation modified from solmisation (q.v.), and consisting of doh for do, ray for re, me for mi, fah for fa, soh for sol, lah for la, te for si. These take the place of notes and are written on one line by their initials, d, r, m, etc., an accent being affixed below or above the letter to indicate an octave lower oc higher as d’ r’. Sharps are sung dé,ré,Vetc., “flats: da, ira/s eter In modulation, bridge-tones are indicated by the new key-value of the tone large with its old key value small as *d. In notation, rhythm is expre ed by time-spaces, the number varying according to the beats or pulses in the bar; a thick bar before a letter marks a strong accent; a colon a weak accent; a dot and a comma mark half and quarter beats, a dash indicates prolongation of tone, a rest is marked by a vacant space.