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atonal

[ay-tohn-l] / eɪˈtoʊn l /


Example Sentences

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Many of these listeners chuckled aloud when Mr. Sun, having led his quartet through a pent-up and mostly atonal original composition, “Hold Music,” explained its inspiration: a 90-minute ordeal on the phone with the IRS.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Eventually, the atonal structure becomes the film’s nature.

From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2026

“There’s this mournful, slightly atonal quality to his compositions,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 24, 2025

For example, dissonant, atonal harmonies convey a sense of unrest.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 21, 2024

As the name implies, atonal music treats all notes and harmonies as equal and in fact tries to avoid melodies and harmonies that will make the piece sound tonal.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones




Vocabulary lists containing atonal


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