Guitar Music Theory - Tonic vs Root Note

Guitar Music Theory - Tonic vs Root Note

This lesson is from our series “Guitar Music Theory”. Unlike our other music theory courses, the Guitar Music Theory series includes more “one-off” type lessons which you don’t have to follow in order. These music theory lessons are for anyone searching for answers to a specific music theory question they have and they don’t want to have to watch a whole in-depth music theory course.

In this lesson you’ll learn the difference between a Tonic and a Root Note. In our other music theory course “Music Theory For Guitar” I made a mistake and called something a root note when I should have called it a tonic. So in this lesson I want to clear things up and explain the difference between a tonic and a root note.

Here is the basic difference between a tonic and a root note:
Tonic is the first degree of a scale and root note is the note a chord is built on. Watch the video lesson for a more in-depth explanation.

To really dive into music theory, watch our popular YouTube series “Music Theory For Guitar” (see link below). Music Theory For Guitar also includes a corresponding free eGuide which includes all of the charts/diagrams used in the video lesson explanations.

Over 500 free guitar lessons on the Move Forward Guitar YouTube channel

To learn more about Move Forward Guitar check us out at:

Connect with us on Facebook

[philjames]

Thanks Chad, there's not many folk on YouTube that would even admit to making a mistake, let alone go to all this work to correct it, and clear up the error. Good on you, you're the man!!!
This little glitch makes no difference, your tutorials are still brilliant, and very much appreciated by the likes of myself ...

[annieo.]

What I love about these videos is that Chad doesn’t glaze over details. I’ve been working on music theory for 3 years now on my own online and with an in person instructor and it is so common for instructors to skip details which leads to things not fully making sense. I don’t want to just memorize things, I want to understand them completely and Chad has cleared up many questions for me with these videos and given me lightbulb moment after lightbulb moment. He makes everything fall into place. And, for sure, Chad, every video and in person instructor I’ve had called the tonic the root. Thank you for never missing the details even when it is a correction. Thank you for this wonderful series!!

[frediecat]

Move Forward Guitar YOU ARE A GENIUS SIR i cant still not believe that i found a one to all guitar themes teacher in youtube thank you so much for yre work

[timdwinal]

These music theory videos are some of the best - concepts are clearly explained and you connect the concepts with other concepts. So many times a concept is explained almost as a silo concept which can impede a students understanding. Well done and please continue with this work. Well done!

[ronaik]

Basics are so very important. I scared while learning something on my own, not knowing if I am doing it right. A good tutor is so important. I have subscribed to your channel to follow your tutorials. Thanks, Chad!

[mandolin]

What a wonderful person and a great teacher. 👍👍

[waitinwinter]

An easy way for me to wrap my head around this is to use root when talking about chords, and tonic when talking in relation to the key of the song.

[jerameesikorski]

It would've been easier to ignore it and pretend it didn't happen. Thanks for having the integrity to be honest.

The video is great on it's own as it helps clarify the difference between the two concepts. Thank you.

[rinfal]

Just subscribed; I would have never have even noticed your incidental use of root in lieu of tonic for the 1st note of a scale. Your conscientiousness is a rare attribute. Your E Manuel is a "superb resource" and I look forward to your lessons. Thank you very much for your E Manuel. john

[reefanglers]

It wasn't a fatal mistake, just like with a minor pentatonic scale, we can sometimes mistake the first note we play as the root of the scale. You're doing a great job at teaching, and I hope this doesn't discourage you or anyone from continuing.

[youyankagin]

Well, the word 'root' may not be the traditional name of the first note of a scale but as a word it still works logically (things are built on their respective roots). I think most musicians (including myself) have accidentally mixed up the words tonic and root, with no real damage done! One could logically say that the tonic is the 'root' note of a scale. The all important thing is whether the concept is understood by one's pupils. In England we use crotchets & quavers, in the U.S. quarter and eighth notes, of course. A little variation is fine! Good channel.

[hoons]

I think it is absolutely okay. there are so many examples like that in all subjects.

[stanh]

Thanks Chad. Lots of confusing terminology out there. As you mentioned, there are supposedly educated musicians calling the first note of a scale the root. Correspondingly, there are people blathering about the tonic of a chord when they’re really referring to the root note.

[JesseFragale]

Why do so many scales (google search of any guitar scales) online have “R” implying root instead of tonic. As well, in the context of scales, online and elsewhere, I seem to always have fellow guitarist talk about the route note versus the tonic. Thoughts ?

[philkang]

Just a question as a beginner about the names, why they are called major2, major3, perfect4...?

[mafiashpagety]

90% of people on youtube use the word root!

Best regards!

[bobbimke]

"Tonic and Root are the same note." ==> Just like how, sometimes, crockodies swim in rivers, so crockodiles and rivers are the same thing.

"Tonic" describes the "function" a "pitch class" serves in a scale. "Root" specifies "pitch class" that's the on which to build a chord, implying "voicing", not "function". Describing "scales" and "chords" is two totally different things, but happen to agree for an uninverted chord on scale degree I (roman numberal 1).

[amarthyasai]

Hey thank u so much buddy...ur explanation is great but I still have some confusion regarding tonic because i have read and seen other videos in which they said " the note which is going to rest in particular phase of a song is going to be the tonic". So from this, can i conclude that the tonic which i got from the song is the first note of the scale of that particular song?

Getting a tonic in the song is like getting a scale of that song? Is this true? Pls crct me if not.

[brucealex]

a little question please
you say that the scale degree name start with tonic supertotic median ectt
if i understand it well the tonic must be ionian supertonic-dorian or dominant-must be mixoxylidian right...so what happen when we if we use the mixolydian scale
G A B C D E F G ....SHOULD WE CALL THE the first not g the tonic or the dominant
or if we use the dorian scale..should we call the first note the tonic or the supertonic????
i was calling them the root

[GoldenToothBrush]

Hi there and thank you for the informative vid.
So, am I right in thinking that a tonic triad is a chord that is based on the first note of the scale/key that it's in?