hexachord: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2+ (Very low frequency, highly specialized)Technical (music theory, historical musicology)
Quick answer
What does “hexachord” mean?
A series of six musical notes with a pattern of tones and semitones.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A series of six musical notes with a pattern of tones and semitones.
1. (Music Theory) Specifically, a six-note segment of the diatonic scale used in medieval and Renaissance music, overlapping to form larger scales (e.g., the Guidonian hexachord on ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la). 2. (Modern Music Theory) Any scale or pitch collection comprising exactly six distinct pitch classes.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Identically technical and academic in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare and specialized in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “hexachord” in a Sentence
[determiner] + hexachord + [prepositional phrase] (e.g., the hexachord on G)The [adjective] hexachord + [verb]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hexachord” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- No verb form.
American English
- No verb form.
adverb
British English
- No adverb form.
American English
- No adverb form.
adjective
British English
- The hexachordal system was fundamental to medieval solmisation.
- He presented a hexachordal analysis of the piece.
American English
- The composer used a hexachordal cell as the basis for the movement.
- Her thesis explores hexachordal combinatoriality in late serial works.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in advanced musicology, historical theory, and post-tonal analysis texts and lectures.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
The primary domain of use.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hexachord”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hexachord”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hexachord”
- Pronouncing it /hɛkˈsækɔːrd/. The stress is on the first syllable: HEX-a-chord.
- Using it to refer to any six-note chord (simultaneous sound). It primarily refers to a scalar sequence.
- Confusing it with 'hexatonic scale', which is a related but not identical concept.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. 'Hexachord' is a broader term for any six-pitch collection, often consecutive. 'Hexatonic' specifically describes a scale with six notes within an octave. All hexatonic scales are hexachords, but not all hexachords (e.g., non-octave spanning segments) are necessarily called hexatonic scales.
It was the foundational pedagogical tool for sight-singing and understanding intervals in Western music from the 11th to the 16th centuries, predating our modern major/minor system.
Yes. In twelve-tone music, the first six notes of a tone row form one hexachord, and the last six notes form its complement. Composers like Schoenberg often structured pieces around the relationships between these hexachords.
No. It is a highly specialized technical term. An average native speaker, even a musician, might not know it unless they have studied music theory in depth.
A series of six musical notes with a pattern of tones and semitones.
Hexachord is usually technical (music theory, historical musicology) in register.
Hexachord: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɛksəkɔːd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɛksəkɔːrd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. The term is purely technical.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'HEXA' (six) + 'CHORD' (like notes in music) = a set of six musical notes. Not to be confused with a guitar chord.
Conceptual Metaphor
A musical building block. The Guidonian hexachord was a foundational unit for constructing the medieval musical universe.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary field of use for the term 'hexachord'?