In Music What Is Atonality?

Atonality, in music, is the absence of functional harmony as a primary structural element.

What does atonality in music mean?

Atonality in its broadest sense is music that lacks a tonal center, or key. ... The term is also occasionally used to describe music that is neither tonal nor serial, especially the pre-twelve-tone music of the Second Viennese School, principally Alban Berg, Arnold Schoenberg, and Anton Webern.

Is atonality a melody?

Atonal Melody + Traditional Harmony and Form = Awesome

Once again, it's not a very singable melody, but he took that melody and set it to Romantic-style harmonies. The rich arpeggios and chords in the left hand frame how we hear the notes of the melody.

Alexander Ross

Alexander Ross

Gaming, Esports & Interactive Media Writer

Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.