So chords do actually get degrees?
In this tutorial, we're going to talk about the degrees of the notes of a major and minor scale and how that influences a chord's role in a song. We'll also discuss primary and secondary chords. So, let's have some fun.
2. Chord degrees
In a previous tutorial, we discussed scale degrees. Each and every note of a major or minor scale, which are also known as diatonic scales, has a degree associated with it, as follows:
Some of you may ask if there is any relationship between these degrees and there is. The tonic degree is the one that helps you resolve any and all musical tension. The leading tone earns its name because whenever you're playing a leading tone chord, the ear somewhat expects the next chord to be a tonic chord.
The supertonic chord has a natural tendency to lead you to a dominant chord. The mediant chord is sometimes used when you want to move from a tonic chord to a dominant chord because it lies just between those two.
The submediant chord can be used to provide a sense of contrast since it will always be of an opposite quality of that of the tonic chord (submediant chords are minor in a major key and major in a minor key).
The subdominant chord can be used as a passing chord that leads to the dominant chord while the dominant chord is used to create a sense of tension that is usually resolved with the help of the tonic chord. This is especially true for dominant seventh chords, but that's another discussion for another day.
When notating degrees, you'll sometimes notice that the major chords are notated with capital roman numbers (I, IV and V for major scales, III, VI and VII for minor scales) and the minor chords are notated with small roman numbers (ii, iii, vi, vii for major scales, i, ii, iv, v for minor scales) if you will. Thank you @Ids Schiere for pointing this out.
3. Primary and secondary chords explained
Now that we know all about chord degrees, it's time to figure out what influence they have on chords. Of the 7 degrees above, 3 of them are of greater importance than the others: the tonic, the subdominant, and the dominant degrees. And the chords which are formed on these degrees are known as primary chords. All the other chords of the diatonic scale are known as secondary chords.
Why are these particular chords more important than the others? It's because they can harmonize any and all notes of the diatonic scale. In other words, you can basically play any note of a diatonic scale on top of these chords.
The rules for defining primary and secondary chords are the same for both major and minor scales. For example, the primary chords of the overused C major scale are C, F, and G, while the primary chords for the equally overused Am scale are Am, Dm and Em.
These primary chords come into play when one is attempting to build a chord progression. More often than not, chord progressions make use of at least one or two of these primary chords, mostly because chord progressions usually being with a tonic chord, in order to establish the key in which the progression is written. Furthermore, the dominant chord is also widely used because it can induce a state of tension in your progression, which is usually resolved by the tonic chord.
That about covers it for this one. In the next tutorial, we are going to conclude the beginner part of chords theory by talking about chord progressions. See you then.
- Topics of discussion
- Chord degrees
- Primary and secondary chords explained
In this tutorial, we're going to talk about the degrees of the notes of a major and minor scale and how that influences a chord's role in a song. We'll also discuss primary and secondary chords. So, let's have some fun.
2. Chord degrees
In a previous tutorial, we discussed scale degrees. Each and every note of a major or minor scale, which are also known as diatonic scales, has a degree associated with it, as follows:
- the first note (or root note if you will) degree is called the tonic
- the second note degree is called the supertonic because it is found just above the tonic note
- the third note degree is called the median because it is the middle note between the tonic and the dominant
- the fourth note degree is called the subdominant because it is found just below the dominant degree
- the fifth note degree is called the dominant and is the second most important note of a scale
- the sixth note is called the submediant and is located midway between the subdominant and the tonic (the one that ends the scale, an octave higher than the first note)
- the seventh note is called the leading tone because it tends to want to lead you to the tonic note
Some of you may ask if there is any relationship between these degrees and there is. The tonic degree is the one that helps you resolve any and all musical tension. The leading tone earns its name because whenever you're playing a leading tone chord, the ear somewhat expects the next chord to be a tonic chord.
The supertonic chord has a natural tendency to lead you to a dominant chord. The mediant chord is sometimes used when you want to move from a tonic chord to a dominant chord because it lies just between those two.
The submediant chord can be used to provide a sense of contrast since it will always be of an opposite quality of that of the tonic chord (submediant chords are minor in a major key and major in a minor key).
The subdominant chord can be used as a passing chord that leads to the dominant chord while the dominant chord is used to create a sense of tension that is usually resolved with the help of the tonic chord. This is especially true for dominant seventh chords, but that's another discussion for another day.
When notating degrees, you'll sometimes notice that the major chords are notated with capital roman numbers (I, IV and V for major scales, III, VI and VII for minor scales) and the minor chords are notated with small roman numbers (ii, iii, vi, vii for major scales, i, ii, iv, v for minor scales) if you will. Thank you @Ids Schiere for pointing this out.
3. Primary and secondary chords explained
Now that we know all about chord degrees, it's time to figure out what influence they have on chords. Of the 7 degrees above, 3 of them are of greater importance than the others: the tonic, the subdominant, and the dominant degrees. And the chords which are formed on these degrees are known as primary chords. All the other chords of the diatonic scale are known as secondary chords.
Why are these particular chords more important than the others? It's because they can harmonize any and all notes of the diatonic scale. In other words, you can basically play any note of a diatonic scale on top of these chords.
The rules for defining primary and secondary chords are the same for both major and minor scales. For example, the primary chords of the overused C major scale are C, F, and G, while the primary chords for the equally overused Am scale are Am, Dm and Em.
These primary chords come into play when one is attempting to build a chord progression. More often than not, chord progressions make use of at least one or two of these primary chords, mostly because chord progressions usually being with a tonic chord, in order to establish the key in which the progression is written. Furthermore, the dominant chord is also widely used because it can induce a state of tension in your progression, which is usually resolved by the tonic chord.
That about covers it for this one. In the next tutorial, we are going to conclude the beginner part of chords theory by talking about chord progressions. See you then.
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