View source for Off-key

{{Other uses|Off Key (disambiguation){{!}}Off Key}}
{{Wiktionary|off-key}}
'''Off-key''' is musical content that is not at the expected [[frequency]] or [[pitch (music)|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. A single note deliberately played or sung off-key can be called an "off-note". It is sometimes used the same way as a [[blue note]] in jazz.<ref>{{Cite Grove |author= |title=Off-note}} {{full citation needed|date=July 2020}}</ref>

==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 [[Harmony|harmonic]] or [[key (music)|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==
In jazz and blues music, certain notes called "[[blue note]]s" are deliberately sung somewhat flat for expressive effect. 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 ==
* [[Melody]]
* [[Tonality]]
* [[Blue note]]
* [[Tonic (music)]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

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[[Category:Musical tuning]]