Scale Degree Names
As we have seen, the seven steps in a scale are called scale degrees. We can refer to these scale degrees by their numbers (as in "scale degree 1 in G Major" or "the seventh scale degree in D Major") or by their scale degree names. Each scale degree has a specific name that indicates its traditional function within the scale. You have already learned the name for one of these scale degrees: the tonic. Here is the complete list of the seven scale degree names.
| Scale Degree | Scale Degree Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | tonic |
| 2 | supertonic |
| 3 | mediant |
| 4 | subdominant |
| 5 | dominant |
| 6 | submediant |
| 7 | leading tone |
And here are the seven scale degree names as they would relate to a C major scale:
Solfège (French or Solfeggio (Italian)
Another way to refer to the pitches in a scale is to use solfège or solfeggio syllables. These traditional syllables—do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, and ti—correspond to scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 in a diatonic scale. For example, here are the solfège syllables that would be used for a C major scale:
Solfège syllables
Musicians use these syllables along with scale degree names and numbers to refer to specific pitches in a scale, so it is helpful to be familiar with all of these systems. The table below shows the correlation between all three naming systems. We will focus primarily on scale degree names and numbers.
| Scale Degree | Scale Degree Name | Solfège Syllable |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | tonic | do |
| 2 | supertonic | re |
| 3 | mediant | mi |
| 4 | subdominant | fa |
| 5 | dominant | sol |
| 6 | submediant | la |
| 7 | leading tone | ti |
Learn more about Syllables of Solmization.
Scale Degree Functions
The three most important scale degrees are the tonic (scale degree 1 or do), the dominant (scale degree 5 or sol), and the subdominant (scale degree 4 or fa). These three scale degrees constitute the backbone of the scale, and, indeed, the backbone of the whole system of tonality in Western music.
In this tonal system, the tonic is like a center of gravity around which all of the other pitches revolve. The dominant, on scale degree 5, is the second-most-stable scale degree. Despite its relative stability, it tends to be pulled toward the tonic, often resolving to the tonic. Click "Show Me" in the example below to hear how the dominant resolves to the tonic. This dominant-tonic relationship is one of the most important relationships in tonal music.
The subdominant is one step below the dominant (sub = below) and may resolve upwards toward the dominant. It can also function as a "lower dominant," being the same distance below the tonic (five steps below) as the dominant is above it (five steps above).
Each of the seven scale degrees has its own particular function:
| Scale Degree | Name | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | tonic | The most stable scale degree. All of the other scale degrees revolve around it. |
| 2 | supertonic | Located a step above the tonic ( super = above). It tends to resolve down to the tonic. |
| 3 | mediant | Located halfway between the tonic and the dominant. It is relatively stable, but not as stable as either the tonic or the dominant. |
| 4 | subdominant | Located a step below the dominant (sub = below). It may move towards the dominant or function as a "lower dominant." |
| 5 | dominant | A relatively stable scale degree that often resolves directly to the tonic. |
| 6 | submediant | Located halfway between the tonic and the subdominant. It tends to resolve down to the dominant. |
| 7 | leading tone | Located a half step below the tonic. It has a strong upwards pull towards the tonic. |
Click on "Show Me" in the example below to see the scale degree names and functions displayed as the scale is played. Note that since this is a G major scale, the tonic is G, the supertonic is A, the mediant is B, and so on. In other words, scale degree names are associated with particular positions within a scale, not with specific letter names (that is, C is not always the tonic). After the animation is finished, take a moment to click on the notes in the scale or on the piano keys to hear how these scale degree functions work. For example, click on scale degree 7. Can you hear how it wants to resolve up to the tonic? Can you hear how scale degree 2 seems to want to move down to the tonic?
Scale Degrees in Music
Joy to the World
Now that you know the names and functions of the scale degrees, let's look again at Handel's Joy To The World and see how the music gravitates toward the tonic.
The song begins by outlining the C major scale, moving from the tonic above to the tonic below. Notice how the following line "Let earth receive her king" in measures 4-7 gravitates up towards the tonic, moving from the dominant (G) through the submediant (A) and the leading tone (B), which creates a sense of expectation that resolves when the tonic (C) is reached, with the word "king."
The three repetitions of "heav'n and nature sing" at the end of the song gradually gravitate down towards the tonic. The first begins on the mediant (E) in measure 13, the next one begins on the supertonic (D) in measure 15, and the last one finally arrives on the tonic (C) in measure 17. The music then dramatically leaps up an octave and moves down the scale again, ending by landing solidly on C in measure 20, which creates a final sense of arrival on the tonic.
The Sound of Music
The Sound Of Music, a well known song from the musical by the same name, illustrates how the scale degree found at the end of a musical phrase can help to create a sense of expectation or repose.
The first phrase, with the words "The hills are alive with the sound of music," ends on the leading tone (F sharp in the key of G major), creating a sense of expectation—it sounds unresolved. The second phrase ("With songs they have sung for a thousand years) ends on the subdominant, which is somewhat more stable, but continues to sound unresolved.
What happens with the third phrase ("The hills fill my heart with the sound of music")? And why does the final phrase ("My heart wants to sing every song it hears") sound more restful and complete than the previous phrases?
In the worksheets and quiz that follow, you will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of whole and half steps, and scale degree names and their basic functions.