Consonance and Dissonance
The balance of tension and resolution in music.
Musical Tension
Certain intervals sound tense and unstable, demanding resolution to a more stable sound. This instability is called dissonance.
Resolution
Stable, pleasing intervals are called consonant. Moving from dissonance to consonance creates the satisfying feeling of resolution.
Summary
Understanding consonance and dissonance is key to controlling emotional tension in your compositions.