Diatonic refers to a musical scale or collection of pitches comprising five whole steps and two half steps in each octave, forming the basis of major and minor scales commonly used in Western tonal music. The term originates from the Greek διατονικός (diatonikos), meaning 'through tones,' reflecting the stepwise motion between notes. In piano repertoire, diatonic passages emphasize notes within a key’s scale, contrasting with chromaticism, which uses pitches outside the diatonic framework.
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