Scale Degrees
Scale degrees number the notes of a scale from 1 to 7. Each degree has a name that describes its role: the 1st is the "tonic" (home), the 5th is the "dominant" (strongest pull), and the 7th is the "leading tone" (pulls back to home).
The Seven Degrees
| Degree | Name | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | Home base, the key center, maximum stability |
| 2 | Supertonic | One step above the tonic |
| 3 | Mediant | Halfway between tonic and dominant — major (4 semitones) or minor (3 semitones), this note determines major vs. minor quality |
| 4 | Subdominant | Provides gentle harmonic motion |
| 5 | Dominant | The strongest harmonic pull after the tonic |
| 6 | Submediant | The relative minor root in a major key |
| 7 | Leading Tone / Subtonic | A half step below tonic = strong pull home (leading tone). A whole step below = weaker pull (subtonic). |
Why These Names Matter
These names describe real harmonic behavior, not just positions. The "dominant" is called that because chords built on it dominate the harmonic motion of a key. The "leading tone" leads back to the tonic because a half-step distance creates an almost gravitational pull. Understanding these functions lets musicians predict how a chord progression will feel.
When scale degrees are modified, musicians use flat and sharp symbols: "flat 3" means the 3rd lowered by a semitone, "sharp 4" means the 4th raised. This is how modes are described: Dorian is "minor with a natural 6," Lydian is "major with a sharp 4," Mixolydian is "major with a flat 7."
In ChordColor
Scale degrees appear in the KEY row as Roman numerals (I through vii). The app computes which scale degree each note corresponds to, relative to the selected root and scale type, and colors each degree by its interval from the root.