Primary tone

In Schenkerian analysis, the primary tone or head tone (German: Kopfton) is the starting tone of the fundamental line. The fundamental line itself originates as an arpeggiation of the tonic chord, filled by passing tones:

The primary tone therefore necessarily is one of the higher tones of the tonic chord, , or .

The fundamental line descends from its primary tone to the tonic, :

...
Wikipedia