Primary and Secondary Chords
In any given key, all tones and chords are not created equal. Either they’re primary chords or secondary chords. Primary chords occur more often than secondary chords. In fact, most songs can be played JUST WITH PRIMARY CHORDS (caution: they’ll sound pretty basic like most nursery rhymes but the point is it can be done). In any key, the 1st, 4th, and 5th tones are primary. All other tones (2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th) are secondary. The reason the 1st, 4th, and 5th are primary has to do with consonance and stability (they carry less tension than the other tones... they sound very good progressing from one to the other...and the other tones are most likely functioning in a way that leads to one of these primary chords with the “1” being the chief at the top of the hierarchy).
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4 > Primary Chords
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3 > Secondary Chords
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4 > Primary Chords
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3 > Secondary Chords
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SCALE DEGREE NAMES
Each tone of the scale can be identified by a name as well as by a numbered scale degree. The most important scale degrees are the same as those on which the primary chords are built, 1, 4, and 5. The three most important scale degree names are Tonic [I], Sub-Dominant [IV] and Dominant [V].
TONIC [I]
The key note of the scale is called the Tonic. It is the lowest and highest tone of the scale. Since the Tonic is the 1st degree, it is given the Roman numeral [I]. In C Major, C is the Tonic note, or I.
DOMINANT [V] AND SUBDOMINANT [IV]
The tone a fifth above the Tonic is called the Dominant. Since the Dominant is the fifth scale degree, it is given the Roman numeral [V]. In C Major, G is the Dominant note/chord.
The tone a fifth below the Tonic is called the Sub-Dominant. Since the Sub-Dominant is the fourth scale degree, it is given the Roman numeral [IV]. In C Major, F is the Sub-Dominant note/chord. The prefix ‘sub’ means below or under.
MEDIANT [III] AND SUBMEDIANT [VI]
The tone a third degree above the Tonic (midway between the Tonic and the Dominant) is called the Mediant, which means ‘in the middle’ in Latin. Since the Mediant is the third scale degree, it is given the Roman numeral [III]. In C Major, E is the Mediant note/chord.
The tone a third degree below the Tonic (which is midway between the Tonic and the Sub-Dominant) is called the Sub-Mediant. Since the Sub-Mediant is the sixth scale degree, it is given the Roman numeral [VI]. In C Major, A is the Sub-Mediant note/chord.
SUPERTONIC [II] AND LEADING TONE [VII]
The tone a second degree above the Tonic is called the Super-Tonic. Since the Super-Tonic is the second scale degree, it is given the Roman numeral [II]. In C Major, D is the Super-Tonic note/chord. The prefix ‘super’ means above or over.
The tone a second degree below the Tonic is called the Leading Tone, and sometimes called the Sub-Tonic. The former is most often used since the note has a strong tendency to ‘lead’ to the Tonic, as it does in an ascending scale. Since the Leading Tone is the seventh scale degree, it is given the Roman numeral [VII]. In C Major, B is the Leading Tone/chord.
In scale degree order, the name and Roman numeral of each scale tone is:
Each tone of the scale can be identified by a name as well as by a numbered scale degree. The most important scale degrees are the same as those on which the primary chords are built, 1, 4, and 5. The three most important scale degree names are Tonic [I], Sub-Dominant [IV] and Dominant [V].
TONIC [I]
The key note of the scale is called the Tonic. It is the lowest and highest tone of the scale. Since the Tonic is the 1st degree, it is given the Roman numeral [I]. In C Major, C is the Tonic note, or I.
DOMINANT [V] AND SUBDOMINANT [IV]
The tone a fifth above the Tonic is called the Dominant. Since the Dominant is the fifth scale degree, it is given the Roman numeral [V]. In C Major, G is the Dominant note/chord.
The tone a fifth below the Tonic is called the Sub-Dominant. Since the Sub-Dominant is the fourth scale degree, it is given the Roman numeral [IV]. In C Major, F is the Sub-Dominant note/chord. The prefix ‘sub’ means below or under.
MEDIANT [III] AND SUBMEDIANT [VI]
The tone a third degree above the Tonic (midway between the Tonic and the Dominant) is called the Mediant, which means ‘in the middle’ in Latin. Since the Mediant is the third scale degree, it is given the Roman numeral [III]. In C Major, E is the Mediant note/chord.
The tone a third degree below the Tonic (which is midway between the Tonic and the Sub-Dominant) is called the Sub-Mediant. Since the Sub-Mediant is the sixth scale degree, it is given the Roman numeral [VI]. In C Major, A is the Sub-Mediant note/chord.
SUPERTONIC [II] AND LEADING TONE [VII]
The tone a second degree above the Tonic is called the Super-Tonic. Since the Super-Tonic is the second scale degree, it is given the Roman numeral [II]. In C Major, D is the Super-Tonic note/chord. The prefix ‘super’ means above or over.
The tone a second degree below the Tonic is called the Leading Tone, and sometimes called the Sub-Tonic. The former is most often used since the note has a strong tendency to ‘lead’ to the Tonic, as it does in an ascending scale. Since the Leading Tone is the seventh scale degree, it is given the Roman numeral [VII]. In C Major, B is the Leading Tone/chord.
In scale degree order, the name and Roman numeral of each scale tone is: