Dissonance
Intervals or chords perceived as tense, unstable, and seeking resolution.
Category
harmony
Origin
Latin
Length
161 words · 1 min read
About Dissonance
Dissonance is the quality of sound that creates tension and a sense of incompleteness, driving music forward toward resolution. In Western tonal theory, intervals such as the minor second, major seventh, and tritone are considered dissonant because the frequency ratios of their component notes produce audible beating and roughness.
More harmony terms
Cadence
View all harmonyterms →A harmonic or melodic formula that marks the end of a phrase, section, or piece.
ChordThree or more notes sounded simultaneously
InversionThe process of flipping an interval or rearranging the notes of a chord so a different note is in the bass.
TriadA three-note chord built from stacked thirds
Seventh ChordA four-note chord adding a seventh above the root to a triad
Antonyms
See Also
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v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →