(music) Of or pertaining to a tetrachord.
Used in a Sentence
enharmonic
Definitions, parts of speech, synonyms, and sentence examples for enharmonic.
Editorial note
Note that different modes of the same scale are only enharmonic in the standard piano tuning (equal temperament).
Examples17
Definitions2
Parts of speech1
Quick take
(music) Of or pertaining to a tetrachord.
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of enharmonic gathered in one view.
(music) Describing two or more identical or almost identical notes that are written differently when in different keys. (Whether they are identical and what the exact equivalences are depends on the tuning used.)
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for enharmonic.
adjective
(music) Of or pertaining to a tetrachord.
adjective
(music) Describing two or more identical or almost identical notes that are written differently when in different keys. (Whether they are identical and what the exact equivalences are depends on the tuning used.)
Example sentences
Note that different modes of the same scale are only enharmonic in the standard piano tuning (equal temperament).
That is the minor key enharmonic (using the same notes) as the 1st Mode, our Major Scale.
There's no black note between B and C, so B sharp would be the enharmonic of C.
I'm a pedant, I know, but I can't deal with this being called B♭ (the enharmonic equivalent for A♯), instead of D♭ (the enharmonic equivalent of C♯).
In equal temperament they're slightly enharmonic, ie adjusted away from ideal harmony in order to allow transposition into different keys.
Of course, then you'd have to explain about enharmonic equivalence and how chords are usually spelled with every other note.
Non-integer ratios are enharmonic, good for percussion and SFX but also quickly tailing off into noise.
In both pythagorean tuning and meantone tuning, there is no enharmonic identity - C sharp does not equal D flat, etc.
E-C is the minor sixth, which as you say is enharmonic with sharp fifth (E-B#).
In the confines of the problem statement, it's all enharmonic ambiguity, and that's the point.
Yup, that's true, though the choice of enharmonic keys will depend on context: e.g.
Guitar wasn’t designed to add warble, it evolved along with other instruments to support enharmonic modulation, which requires allowing a little warble.
Quote examples
However of course the given task of "keys" or pitches -> chords we don't have any information about this, enharmonic equivalents are equivalent.
“Designed to be bought” is enharmonic to “designed to be sold.” For most people an empty belly, not cake, is bread’s alternative.
In the context of an overall chord progression, this “enharmonic ambiguity” normally disappears completely, at least for mainstream jazz, pop, rock, folk, most classical, etc.
The point of my comment was (1) that I was having difficulty labeling the note in question, meaning I couldn't use either name; and (2) that the heuristic "use the enharmonic that doesn't interfere with other nearby notes" doesn't work, because the notes a half-step away in either direction are both in use.
Proper noun examples
Enharmonic equivalents are usually chosen to match the direction of movement.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use enharmonic in a sentence?
Note that different modes of the same scale are only enharmonic in the standard piano tuning (equal temperament).
What does enharmonic mean?
(music) Of or pertaining to a tetrachord.
What part of speech is enharmonic?
enharmonic is commonly used as adjective.