Tonic (music) facts for kids

The tonic note in music is like the "home base" or starting point for a song. Imagine it as the main note that everything else in the music relates to. When a piece of music sounds finished, it often ends on the tonic note or a chord built from it.

Think of it this way: if you're singing a scale, the very first note you sing is the tonic. It's the most important note in that scale.

What is the Tonic?

The tonic is the first note in a musical scale. It's the central note that makes the music feel complete or "at rest." All other notes in a song often lead back to or feel connected to the tonic.

Tonic Chord

Just like there's a tonic note, there's also a tonic chord. This is a group of notes (usually three) that are built using the tonic note as their foundation. This chord also gives a feeling of rest and completion in music.

Naming Scales

Musical scales are named after their tonic note. For example, in a "C major scale," the note C is the tonic. In a "G minor scale," the note G is the tonic.

How We Number It

In music theory, the tonic is always considered the first note. Sometimes it's written as the number 1, or in older music books, you might see it written as the Roman numeral I.