The Ruler
Give the degrees their traditional names
Leading tone is a distance relationship, not every possible seventh degree.
Take the guided lessonReference
Names for the positions in a tonal scale
| Degree | Traditional name | C-major example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | C |
| 2 | Supertonic | D |
| 3 | Mediant | E |
| 4 | Subdominant | F |
| 5 | Dominant | G |
| 6 | Submediant | A |
| 7 | Leading tone | B |
The seventh needs a distance check
A leading tone lies a semitone below the tonic. B is the leading tone to C. In A natural minor, G lies a whole tone below A and is called the subtonic instead.
These names identify positions and relationships. Calling degree 5 dominant does not mean every chord containing that note is automatically a dominant-seventh chord.
Match the pairs
Match the term to the relationship
Tap something on the left, then tap what it pairs with.
Check yourself
What is G in A natural minor?
What to keep
Takeaways
- Use names after you can locate and count the degree.
- Natural minor's seventh is a subtonic, not a leading tone.