Music Theory Scale Degrees

Randall GregoryOrchestra TeacherSalem-Keizer Public Schools

Image: Music Clip Art at http://office.microsoft.com (powerpoint)

Objective:You will Learn different ways to name the notes in a scale.

This will help you when you want to compose music using chords based on the names of these notes.

Click through this tutorial as you understand each page.

In this lesson you will learn:

Scale Degree:In music theory, a scale degree or scale step is the name of a particular note of a scale. This is in relation to the starting note of the scale. The scale degrees have both a name and a number.

Source ideas from Wikipedia: Scale DegreesPicture from:http://musictheoryblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/all-12-major-scales.html

Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti

Do1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8(1)

In this lesson you have learned:

Scale Number:It is useful to number these notes with Roman Numerals as follows:

Picture from:http://musictheoryblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/all-12-major-scales.html

I II III IV

V VI

VII I1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8(1)

Notice the 8th scale degree is also Roman Numeral I. This is because it is a “D” just like the the starting note of the scale.

In this lesson you have learned:

The Tonic:The first note (I)of all musical scales is called the Tonic.The tonic functions almost always as the starting point and the ending point.

Source: Piano Play It- Scale Degrees in Musical Scaleshttp://www.piano-play-it.com/musical-scales.htmlPicture from:http://musictheoryblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/all-12-major-scales.html

I II III IV V VI

VII I

Tonic

The DominantThe fifth (V) note of the scale is called the Dominant. Chords based on the dominant note of the scale help point the listener back to the tonic.

Source: Piano Play It- Scale Degrees in Musical Scaleshttp://www.piano-play-it.com/musical-scales.htmlPicture from:http://musictheoryblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/all-12-major-scales.html

I II III IV V VI

VII I

DominantTonic

The SubdominantThe fourth (IV) note of the scale is called the Subdominant. It is a note that is one lower, or below the dominant. Chords based on the subdominant note help point the listener to the dominant, which eventually leads back to the tonic.

I II III IV V VI

VII I

DominantTonic

Subdominant

Picture from:http://musictheoryblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/all-12-major-scales.html

In this lesson you have learned:

Summary:You have learned what a scale degree is and useful ways to name them including:

-Roman Numerals-Music theory names for 3 very special scale degrees: Tonic (I), Subdominant (IV), and Dominant (V).

These scale degree numbers and names will help you when you want to compose music using chords.

The END

Image: http://office.microsoft.com