major tone

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "major tone" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe the predominant mood or attitude conveyed in a piece of writing, music, or art. Example: "The major tone of the novel is one of optimism, despite the challenges faced by the characters."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Deutsche Grammophon has fleshed out its collection of the major tone poems with shorter works like the lovely "Rosenkavalier" waltzes and the magnificently bombastic "Festival Prelude," all in a three-CD set for the cost of a single full-price CD.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

For melody the system has the drawback of employing two different sizes of whole tones: C D, F G, and A B are major tones (9 8, or 204 cents), and D E and G A are minor tones (10 9, or 182 cents).

Encyclopedia Britannica

These two steps are repeated until all major tones are estimated.

EURASIP Journal on Audio, Speech, and Music Processing

That short, understated reply represents a major toning down of previous rhetoric.

Science Magazine

There are four major tones in Mandarin Chinese: The first tone is a high, flat tone.

WikiHow

Hearing difficulties included problems with the discrimination of the major music tones, tone structures falling apart, and problems with tuning out noisy surroundings when engaged in conversation.

BMC Nursing

… [T]he White House is preparing a major shift in tone and substance in the hopes of reasserting Obama's leadership abilities heading into the next election.

The New York Times

He supplies no title saying "Five years earlier," or whatever, and arranges no major shift in tone, aside from a slight cranking up of the colors.

The New Yorker

Erwin Baker New York, June 8 , 2008• To the Editor: Re "One Historic Night, Two Americas" (column, June 8): Frank Rich's thoughtful column regarding the recent primaries underscores the major differences of tone between Barack Obama and the two others, Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain.

The New York Times

Mr. Major set the tone right from the start when a group of Algerians took the stage with an old-fashioned Victrola, cranked it up, and put on a record.

The New York Times - Arts

Charles H. Calisher, a virologist and emeritus professor at Colorado State, whom Mr. Quammen also interviewed, said of him: "It's weird — he's an English major," in a tone that suggested that he didn't think particularly highly of that particular academic species.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a piece of writing or art, use "major tone" to succinctly convey the most prominent mood or feeling it evokes. For example, "The major tone of the poem is melancholic."

Common error

Avoid using "major tone" when you actually mean "major scale" in a musical context. A major scale is a specific sequence of notes, while "major tone" describes the overall character or mood.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "major tone" functions primarily as a descriptor, identifying the main quality, mood, or characteristic of something. Ludwig AI provides examples ranging from music to political rhetoric.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

12%

Less common in

Wiki

13%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "major tone" serves as a descriptor, highlighting the predominant quality or atmosphere of something, whether it's a piece of music, a work of literature, or even a political strategy. Ludwig AI's analysis indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct and while not overly common, it finds usage in various contexts, including news, science, and encyclopedic entries. As Ludwig AI indicates the phrase can be used to describe the general characteristics.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

primary tonality

Emphasizes the fundamental key or scale, focusing on the musical aspect more directly.

predominant mood

Shifts the focus from the specific key to the overall emotional feeling conveyed.

overriding sentiment

Highlights the prevailing emotion or feeling present.

chief characteristic

Focuses on the most noticeable attribute or quality.

main atmosphere

Emphasizes the overall feeling or environment created.

principal flavor

Describes the dominant element or taste.

general spirit

Focuses on the overall attitude or feeling conveyed.

dominant quality

Emphasizes the most important or influential feature.

prevailing attitude

Highlights the most common viewpoint or mindset.

significant aspect

Focuses on an important or noteworthy element.

FAQs

How can I use "major tone" in a sentence?

You can use "major tone" to describe the predominant mood or characteristic of something. For example, "The "major tone" of the film was suspenseful".

What is an alternative to the phrase "major tone"?

Alternatives include "predominant mood", "overriding sentiment", or "chief characteristic", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "the tone is major"?

While grammatically correct, it's more common and specific to use "major key" when referring to music. "Major tone" typically describes a prevailing mood or characteristic in a broader sense.

What does "major tone" imply when describing a piece of writing?

When describing writing, "major tone" suggests the primary emotion, attitude, or feeling that the author conveys throughout the work. This could be anything from optimism to melancholy.