This could produce the start of the prelude with air of note (10)
I believe the answer is:
pianoforte
'prelude with air of note' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't see how one could define the other.
'this could produce the start' is the wordplay.
'this could' becomes 'piano' (I've seen this in another clue).
'produce the start' becomes 'forte' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'piano'+'forte'='PIANOFORTE'
'of the' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for pianoforte that I've seen before include "Keyboard instrument" , "Joanna" , "might be grand" .)