off-key
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++ˌoff-ˈkey adjective 1 APMmusic that is off-key sounds unpleasant because it is played slightly above or below the correct pitch 〔音乐〕走调的，不和谐的 → in tune The band sounded slightly off-key. 乐队的演奏听起来稍稍走调了。n2 wrong or not suitable for the situation The jokes during the violent action scenes seemed off-key. —off-key adverb Someone upstairs was singing off-key. 楼上有人正在不着调地唱着歌。
Examples from the Corpus
off-key• The lead singer was completely off-key.• Alexia whistled this time, off-key.• He didn't have a good voice but he was never off-key.• Haden sounded just a little off-key about the whole affair.• The woman laughed but in a strangled, off-key kind of way and it struck me that she might be insane.• I skipped through the neighborhood, singing off-key songs.• The recorder came in with an adagio-like slowness and gravity, momentarily wobbled off-key, then recovered.ˌoff-ˈkey adjectiveLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
music is it that off-key because played sounds slightly is Corpus unpleasant
off-key
ˌoff-ˈkey
adjective
music that is off-key sounds unpleasant because it is played slightly above or below the correct pitch ⇨ in tune:
The band sounded slightly off-key.
—off-key adverb:
Someone upstairs was singing off-key.
ˌoff-ˈkey
adjectivemusic that is off-key sounds unpleasant because it is played slightly above or below the correct pitch ⇨ in tune:
—off-key adverb: