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Scale Degree Names |
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| When we play an ascending (up) scale we go through the notes of a key in order from bottom to top. It is common to talk about these pitches as being certain "scale degrees" based on their position in the scale. The first note we play, which is also the name of the key, is the first scale degree, the second note is the second scale degree and so on. Cardinal numbers (one, two, three, etc.) can be used instead of ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.), so the note E can be described as 3 in the key of C. In published texts you often see a carrot - ^ - over numbers used to designate scale degrees. (I have not done that on this site because there is still not a uniform way of making those markings look the same to everyone viewing the site without making them all graphics.) | ||||||||||||||||
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Each of the scale degrees also has a name. The chart below has scale degree numbers next to the appropriate name. These terms can be used to refer to the scale degree (i.e. The melody leaped to the submediant.), the chord built on that scale degree (i.e. The whole four measures were harmonized by a dominant chord.), or the key of that scale degree (i.e. It surprised everyone when the second theme modulated to the key of the mediant.).
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| Notice how all the names refer to the notes relationship to tonic. Dominant refers to the strong 5-1, dominant tonic relationship we hear from a note a P5 above tonic. Sub-dominant is a P5 below tonic. The mediant, which give color to the mode, is a third above tonic. The sub-mediant is a third below tonic. The super-tonic and sub-tonic are a whole step above and below tonic, while leading tone refers the tendency of the note a half step below tonic to want to resolve up, leading us back to tonic. |