Off-key

Off-key
For the record label, see Offkey Recordings. For the jazz standard sometimes known as Off Key, see Desafinado.

Off-key is a term often used to denote musical content that is not at the expected frequency or pitch period, either with respect to some absolute reference frequency, or in a ratiometric sense (i.e. through removal of exactly one degree of freedom, such as the frequency of a keynote), or pitch intervals not well-defined in the ratio of small whole numbers.

The term may also refer to a person or situation being out of step with what is considered normal or appropriate.

Explanation of on-key

The opposite of off-key is on-key or in-key, which suggests that there is a well defined keynote, or reference pitch. This does not necessarily have to be an absolute pitch but rather one that is relative for at least the duration of a song. A song is usually in a certain key, which is usually the note that the song ends on, and is the base frequency around which it resolves to at the end.

The base-frequency is usually called the harmonic or key center. Being on-key presumes that there is a key center frequency around which some portion of notes have well defined intervals to.

Deliberate use off-key content

Examples include the words "Thought He Was a Goner" in the song "And the Cat Came Back" and the words "Yum Yum" in the children's song "Five Green and Speckled Frogs."

See also


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • off-key — {adj.}, {informal} 1. Not proper; queer. * /When George told jokes at the funeral, everyone thought his action was off key./ 2. In a false key. * /John always sings off key./ Compare: OUT OF LINE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • off-key — {adj.}, {informal} 1. Not proper; queer. * /When George told jokes at the funeral, everyone thought his action was off key./ 2. In a false key. * /John always sings off key./ Compare: OUT OF LINE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • off-key — adj music that is off key sounds unpleasant because it is played slightly above or below the correct ↑pitch →in tune ▪ The band sounded slightly off key. >off key adv ▪ Someone upstairs was singing off key …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • off-key — adj. & adv. Deviating from the proper pitch; of a musical note or series of notes; as, an off key note; to sing off key. Syn: false, sour. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • off-key — (adj.) 1920, from OFF (Cf. off) (adv.) + musical sense of KEY (Cf. key) (n.1). Figurative sense is from 1943 …   Etymology dictionary

  • off-key — adjective, adverb music or singing that is off key does not sound good because the notes are slightly wrong …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • off-key — [adj] not harmonious abnormal, anomalous, clinker*, deviant, discordant, dissonant, divergent, inharmonious, irregular, jarring, out of keeping*, out of tune*, sour*, sour note*, unnatural; concept 594 Ant. concordant, harmonious, on key …   New thesaurus

  • off-key — ► ADJECTIVE & ADVERB 1) Music not in the correct key or of the correct pitch. 2) inappropriate …   English terms dictionary

  • off-key — off′ key′ adj. 1) cvb deviating from the correct tone or pitch; out of tune 2) cvb somewhat irregular, abnormal, or incongruous • Etymology: 1925–30 …   From formal English to slang

  • off-key — [ôf′kē′] adj. 1. not on the right note; flat or sharp 2. not quite in accord with what is normal, fitting, etc …   English World dictionary

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