Chromatic (= 'colored' or 'thru the shades')
That which includes notes not belonging to a diatonic scale. [Stainer, John; Barrett, W.A.; A Dictionary of Musical Terms; Novello, Ewer and Co., London, pre-1900]
(color or complexion). The name of one of the modifications of the Greek musical scale. The principal chromatic scale of the Greeks, its chief characteristic is the omnission of the 4th and 7th. [Stainer, John; Barrett, W.A.; A Dictionary of Musical Terms; Novello, Ewer and Co., London, pre-1900]
Ramsay
A name given to the semitonic intervals. [Ramsay, Dougald Carmichel; The Scientific Basis and Build of Music]
The number 3 is the creative power in music, producing fifths, but it is under the control of the Octave prime - the number 2. It is the supreme octave which forms a boundary by making twelve fifths and seven octaves unite in one note. Within this horizon lies the musical system in its threefoldness - major, minor, and chromatic. [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 35]
CHROMATIC - A name given to the semitonic intervals. [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 40]
In the following treatise of our author Nature will be found beckoning us toward the Chromatic in an exceedingly interesting way; and the exhibition of the Chromatic as a system, and an exceedingly important system, of chords and progressions is a monument to the genius of D. C. Ramsay. [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 49]
We have already seen that this new compound chord, the chromatic, like the dominant seventh and subdominant sixth, is a 4-note chord, and, like them, made up of minor thirds - they mostly so, this wholly so; and we have seen that this compound chord embraces the whole octave, cutting it into minor thirds -
And now we shall also see the chromatic chord system cutting the octave into semitones. If we follow this chromatic chord system out, we shall have the octave [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 55]
The chord-scales may be either major or minor, or may be found in a sweetly mingled condition; a piece may be wholly major or wholly minor, but not wholly chromatic. Chromatic chords do not usually succeed each other, but come into diatonic compositions for the purpose of producing certain effects peculiar to them, or by solving difficulties which may arise in composition. They are used as musical condiments to spice or sweeten a passage; but nobody makes pudding all of spice or sugar. The structure, character, and progression of the various chord-scales will be found so amply set forth in several parts of this work that it is not necessary to enlarge further in this place. [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 69]
The intervening chord between the Diatonic and Chromatic systems, B, D, F. - This chord, which has suffered expatriation from the society of perfect chords, is nevertheless as perfect in its own place and way as any. From its peculiar relation to both major and minor, and to both diatonic and chromatic things, it is a specially interesting triad. F, which is the genetic root of all, and distinctively the root of major subdominant, has here come to the top by the prime 2. D, here in the middle, is diatonically the top of the major dominant, and the root of the minor subdominant; and on account of its self-duality, the most interesting note of all; begotten in the great genesis by the prime 3. B, the last-begotten in the diatonic genesis, top of the diatonic minor, middle of the dominant major, and begotten by the prime 5, is here the quasi root of this triad, which in view of all this is a remarkable summation of things. This B, D, F is the mors janua vitae in music, for it is in a manner the death of diatonic chords, being neither a perfect major nor a perfect minor chord; yet it is the birth and life of the chromatic phase of music. In attracting and assimilating to itself the elements by which it becomes a full chromatic chord, it gives the minor dominant the G# which we so often see in use, and never see explained; and it gives the major subdominant a corresponding A?, less frequently used. It is quite clear that this chromatic chord in either its major phase as B, D, F, A?, or its minor phase as G#, B, D, F, is as natural and legitimate in music as anything else; and like the diatonic chords, major and minor, it is one of three, exactly like itself, into which the octave of semitones is perfectly divided. [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 101]
Progression by semitones. It refers to music that contains tones outside the diatonic scale. A c. chord contains one or more notes foreign to the key. A c. scale consists of successive semitones.
Chromatic Chord
A chromatic chord is that which contains a note or notes foreign to diatonic progression. [Stainer, John; Barrett, W.A.; A Dictionary of Musical Terms; Novello, Ewer and Co., London, pre-1900]
Chromatic Harmony
Chromatic harmony is that which is made up of chromatic chords. [Stainer, John; Barrett, W.A.; A Dictionary of Musical Terms; Novello, Ewer and Co., London, pre-1900]
Chromatic Interval
A chromatic interval is that which is augmented or diminished. [Stainer, John; Barrett, W.A.; A Dictionary of Musical Terms; Novello, Ewer and Co., London, pre-1900]
Chromatic Modulation
Chromatic modulation is a passing into an extreme key, by means of chromatic harmony. [Stainer, John; Barrett, W.A.; A Dictionary of Musical Terms; Novello, Ewer and Co., London, pre-1900]
Chromatic Scale
A chromatic scale is one which consists of a succession of semitones. [Stainer, John; Barrett, W.A.; A Dictionary of Musical Terms; Novello, Ewer and Co., London, pre-1900]
Consists of semitones, otherwise in diatonic progression. The Snell Manuscript
See Also
Chord
Diatonic
Diatonic scale
Harmony
Interval
Scale
Tetrachord
Tone