What does the term diatonic mean?

What does the term diatonic mean?

• A. Within a key signature.
• B. Outside the key.
• C. In parallel keys.
• D. Within a key.

Answer: (D)

Diatonic describes notes that belong to the scale of the current key—the seven pitches that make up that key’s major or natural minor scale. In a given key, these are the tones you’d use to play melodies and build chords without introducing outside tones. For example, in C major the diatonic notes are C, D, E, F, G, A, and B; these form the diatonic set and the diatonic chords I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, and vii°. Any note outside that set, like F♯ in C major or B♭ in C major, would be non-diatonic or chromatic. So diatonic means within a key.

Diatonic describes notes that belong to the scale of the current key—the seven pitches that make up that key’s major or natural minor scale. In a given key, these are the tones you’d use to play melodies and build chords without introducing outside tones. For example, in C major the diatonic notes are C, D, E, F, G, A, and B; these form the diatonic set and the diatonic chords I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, and vii°. Any note outside that set, like F♯ in C major or B♭ in C major, would be non-diatonic or chromatic. So diatonic means within a key.