root note

noun

Meaning

The fundamental pitch upon which a chord is constructed, serving as the primary tonal center.

Examples

In a C major chord, C is the root note.
The guitarist shifted the root note to G to create a different harmonic feel.

Synonyms: tonic, fundamental

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root note

noun

Pronunciation: /ruːt noʊt/

Definition

The fundamental pitch upon which a chord is constructed, serving as the primary tonal center.

Examples

In a C major chord, C is the root note.
The guitarist shifted the root note to G to create a different harmonic feel.
Beginners often struggle to identify the root note when listening to complex jazz progressions.

How to Use root note

root note of (prepositional phrase): identifying the base pitch of a specific chord — "The root note of this triad is F sharp."
play the root note (collocation): performing the fundamental tone on an instrument — "The bass player usually plays the root note on the first beat."

Synonyms of root note

Words with a similar meaning to root note:

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