Music Term
What is dissonance?
Definition
Dissonance refers to combinations of notes that create tension, instability, or harshness -- intervals or chords that the ear perceives as unresolved and demanding movement.
Dissonance in music -- explained
Dissonance is the opposite of consonance: where consonant combinations feel stable and at rest, dissonant combinations feel tense and in motion. The perception of dissonance is partially physiological (the acoustic beating patterns created by slightly detuned frequencies are processed as unpleasant) and partially cultural (intervals considered dissonant in Medieval Western music, like the tritone, were later accepted as consonant in 20th-century jazz). In tonal music, dissonance functions within a tension-resolution grammar: dissonant chords create expectation of resolution to a consonant chord, driving harmonic motion forward. Without dissonance, tonal music has no harmonic energy. The tritone (the interval of an augmented fourth or diminished fifth, exactly half the octave) was called 'diabolus in musica' (the devil in music) by Medieval theorists and was forbidden in sacred music. Beethoven, Debussy, Stravinsky, and 20th-century composers progressively expanded the range of dissonance considered acceptable. In heavy metal, dissonance is a deliberate aesthetic -- tritones and minor seconds are used for aggression and menace.
Notable examples of dissonance
The Rite of Spring -- Igor Stravinsky
Its premiere in 1913 caused a riot -- the unprecedented harmonic dissonance and rhythmic violence were experienced as violence.
Paranoid Android -- Radiohead
The middle section's dissonant guitar clusters and tritone-laden chord sequence enact lyrical despair through harmony.
Black Sabbath -- Black Sabbath
The opening riff is built on the tritone -- the diabolus in musica -- establishing heavy metal's dissonant aesthetic from its first moment.
Related music terms
Frequently asked questions
- What is dissonance in music?
- Dissonance refers to combinations of notes that create tension, instability, or harshness -- intervals or chords that the ear perceives as unresolved and demanding movement.
- What is an example of dissonance?
- A well-known example is The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky: Its premiere in 1913 caused a riot -- the unprecedented harmonic dissonance and rhythmic violence were experienced as violence.
- How is dissonance used in music?
- Dissonance is the opposite of consonance: where consonant combinations feel stable and at rest, dissonant combinations feel tense and in motion. The perception of dissonance is partially physiological (the acoustic beating patterns created by slightly detuned frequencies are processed as unpleasant) and partially cultural (intervals considered dissonant in Medieval Western music, like the tritone, were later accepted as consonant in 20th-century jazz).
Rate and review albums on Goat Music
Apply what you know. Score every album on a 1-100 scale and build your music taste profile.