Dominant (music)
Encyclopedia
In music
, the dominant is the fifth
scale degree
of the diatonic scale
, called "dominant" because it is next in importance to the tonic
,
and a dominant chord is any chord built upon that pitch
, using the notes of the same diatonic scale. The dominant function (diatonic function
) has the role of creating instability that requires the tonic
for resolution
.
For example, in the C major scale
(white keys on a piano, starting with C), the dominant is the note G; and the dominant chord
uses the notes G, B, and D.
, the dominant triad
(3-note chord) is a major triad, symbolized by the Roman numeral V, if it is within the major diatonic scale (for example G-B-D in C major). It is, however, a minor triad, denoted v, if it is within the minor diatonic scale (for example G-B-D in C minor). In the minor scale, the dominant triad is often substituted with a major triad, by sharpening the second note, which is a minor third from the dominant note, into a major third, since the major third from the dominant is the leading tone for the minor scale. For instance, in G-B-D, the B is sharpened to B natural (B), since B is the leading tone for the C minor scale.
is a chord built upon the dominant of a major diatonic scale, containing a dominant (major) triad and an additional minor seventh (for example G-B-D-F in C major). It is typically denoted G7.
As defined by the 19th century musicologist Joseph Fétis
the dominante was a seventh chord over the first note of a descending perfect fifth in the basse fondamentale or root progression, the common practice period dominant seventh
he named the dominante tonique.
dominant chord followed by a tonic
chord (the chord of the key of the piece) is denominated as authentic cadence. If the roots
are in the bass
and the tonic is in the highest voice, it is called a perfect authentic cadence.
. Music which modulates (changes key) often modulates into the dominant. Modulation
into the dominant key often creates a sense of increased tension; as opposed to modulation into subdominant (fourth note of the scale), which creates a sense of musical relaxation.
The dominant chord itself is composed of the dominant (sol), the leading-tone
(ti), and the supertonic
(re) scale degrees. According to the rules of tonal resolution
, both the leading-tone and the supertonic primarily resolve to the tonic
. These two tones resolving to the tonic are strengthened by the dominant scale degree, which is a common tone
between the tonic and dominant chords. The dominant may also be considered the result of a transformational operation applied to the tonic that most closely resembles the tonic by some clear-cut criteria such as common tones.
and the Turkish makam
, scales are made up of trichords, tetrachords and pentachords (each called a jins in Arabic
), with the tonic of a maqam being the lowest note of the lower jins and the dominant being that of the upper jins. The dominant of a maqam is not always the fifth, however; for example, in maqams Kurd and Bayati, the dominant is the fourth, and in maqam Saba, the dominant is the minor third. A maqam may have more than one dominant.
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, the dominant is the fifth
Perfect fifth
In classical music from Western culture, a fifth is a musical interval encompassing five staff positions , and the perfect fifth is a fifth spanning seven semitones, or in meantone, four diatonic semitones and three chromatic semitones...
scale degree
Degree (music)
In music theory, a scale degree or scale step is the name of a particular note of a scale in relation to the tonic...
of the diatonic scale
Diatonic scale
In music theory, a diatonic scale is a seven note, octave-repeating musical scale comprising five whole steps and two half steps for each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by either two or three whole steps...
, called "dominant" because it is next in importance to the tonic
Tonic (music)
In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of the diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone. The triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord...
,
and a dominant chord is any chord built upon that pitch
Pitch (music)
Pitch is an auditory perceptual property that allows the ordering of sounds on a frequency-related scale.Pitches are compared as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies,...
, using the notes of the same diatonic scale. The dominant function (diatonic function
Diatonic function
In tonal music theory, a diatonic function is the specific, recognized role of each of the 7 notes and their chords in relation to the diatonic key...
) has the role of creating instability that requires the tonic
Tonic (music)
In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of the diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone. The triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord...
for resolution
Resolution (music)
Resolution in western tonal music theory is the move of a note or chord from dissonance to a consonance .Dissonance, resolution, and suspense can be used to create musical interest...
.
For example, in the C major scale
Major scale
In music theory, the major scale or Ionian scale is one of the diatonic scales. It is made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, ", the "Do" in the parenthesis at...
(white keys on a piano, starting with C), the dominant is the note G; and the dominant chord
Chord (music)
A chord in music is any harmonic set of two–three or more notes that is heard as if sounding simultaneously. These need not actually be played together: arpeggios and broken chords may for many practical and theoretical purposes be understood as chords...
uses the notes G, B, and D.
Triads
In music theoryMusic theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
, the dominant triad
Triad (music)
In music and music theory, a triad is a three-note chord that can be stacked in thirds. Its members, when actually stacked in thirds, from lowest pitched tone to highest, are called:* the Root...
(3-note chord) is a major triad, symbolized by the Roman numeral V, if it is within the major diatonic scale (for example G-B-D in C major). It is, however, a minor triad, denoted v, if it is within the minor diatonic scale (for example G-B-D in C minor). In the minor scale, the dominant triad is often substituted with a major triad, by sharpening the second note, which is a minor third from the dominant note, into a major third, since the major third from the dominant is the leading tone for the minor scale. For instance, in G-B-D, the B is sharpened to B natural (B), since B is the leading tone for the C minor scale.
Seventh chord
A dominant seventh chordDominant seventh chord
In music theory, a dominant seventh chord, or major minor seventh chord,is a chord composed of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh. It can be also viewed as a major triad with an additional minor seventh...
is a chord built upon the dominant of a major diatonic scale, containing a dominant (major) triad and an additional minor seventh (for example G-B-D-F in C major). It is typically denoted G7.
As defined by the 19th century musicologist Joseph Fétis
François-Joseph Fétis
François-Joseph Fétis was a Belgian musicologist, composer, critic and teacher. He was one of the most influential music critics of the 19th century, and his enormous compilation of biographical data in the Biographie universelle des musiciens remains an important source of information today...
the dominante was a seventh chord over the first note of a descending perfect fifth in the basse fondamentale or root progression, the common practice period dominant seventh
Dominant seventh chord
In music theory, a dominant seventh chord, or major minor seventh chord,is a chord composed of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh. It can be also viewed as a major triad with an additional minor seventh...
he named the dominante tonique.
Dominant chord in authentic cadence
A cadentialCadence (music)
In Western musical theory, a cadence is, "a melodic or harmonic configuration that creates a sense of repose or resolution [finality or pause]." A harmonic cadence is a progression of two chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music...
dominant chord followed by a tonic
Tonic (music)
In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of the diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone. The triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord...
chord (the chord of the key of the piece) is denominated as authentic cadence. If the roots
Root (chord)
In music theory, the root of a chord is the note or pitch upon which a triadic chord is built. For example, the root of the major triad C-E-G is C....
are in the bass
Bass note
In music theory, the bass note of a chord or sonority is the lowest note played or notated. If there are multiple voices it is the note played or notated in the lowest voice. While the bass note is often the root or fundamental of the chord, it does not have to be, and sometimes one of the other...
and the tonic is in the highest voice, it is called a perfect authentic cadence.
Dominant key in tonal modulation
"Dominant" also refers to a relationship of musical keys. For example, relative to the key of C major, the key of G major is the dominant keyDominant key
The dominant key in a given musical composition is the key whose tonic is a perfect fifth above the tonic of the main key of the piece. Put another way, the key whose tonic is the dominant scale degree in the main key....
. Music which modulates (changes key) often modulates into the dominant. Modulation
Modulation (music)
In music, modulation is most commonly the act or process of changing from one key to another. This may or may not be accompanied by a change in key signature. Modulations articulate or create the structure or form of many pieces, as well as add interest...
into the dominant key often creates a sense of increased tension; as opposed to modulation into subdominant (fourth note of the scale), which creates a sense of musical relaxation.
The dominant chord itself is composed of the dominant (sol), the leading-tone
Leading-tone
In music theory, a leading-note is a note or pitch which resolves or "leads" to a note one semitone higher or lower, being a lower and upper leading-tone, respectively....
(ti), and the supertonic
Supertonic
In music or music theory, the supertonic is the second degree or note of a diatonic scale, one step above the tonic. In music theory, the supertonic chord is symbolized by the Roman numeral ii in a major scale, indicating that the chord is a minor chord , or ii in a natural minor scale, indicating...
(re) scale degrees. According to the rules of tonal resolution
Resolution (music)
Resolution in western tonal music theory is the move of a note or chord from dissonance to a consonance .Dissonance, resolution, and suspense can be used to create musical interest...
, both the leading-tone and the supertonic primarily resolve to the tonic
Tonic (music)
In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of the diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone. The triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord...
. These two tones resolving to the tonic are strengthened by the dominant scale degree, which is a common tone
Common tone
In music a common tone is a pitch class that is a member of, or common to, a musical scale and a transposition of that scale, as in modulation...
between the tonic and dominant chords. The dominant may also be considered the result of a transformational operation applied to the tonic that most closely resembles the tonic by some clear-cut criteria such as common tones.
In non-Western music
The dominant is an important concept in Middle Eastern music. In the Arabic maqamArabic maqam
Arabic maqām is the system of melodic modes used in traditional Arabic music, which is mainly melodic. The word maqam in Arabic means place, location or rank. The Arabic maqam is a melody type...
and the Turkish makam
Makam
Makam In Turkish classical music, a system of melody types called makam provides a complex set of rules for composing and performance...
, scales are made up of trichords, tetrachords and pentachords (each called a jins in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
), with the tonic of a maqam being the lowest note of the lower jins and the dominant being that of the upper jins. The dominant of a maqam is not always the fifth, however; for example, in maqams Kurd and Bayati, the dominant is the fourth, and in maqam Saba, the dominant is the minor third. A maqam may have more than one dominant.
See also
- Predominant chordPredominant chordIn music theory, a predominant chord is any chord which normally resolves to a dominant chord. Examples of predominant chords are the subdominant , supertonic , Neapolitan sixth and German sixth. Other examples are the submediant , secondary dominant , iv and ii°...
- Secondary dominantSecondary dominantSecondary dominant is an analytical label for a specific harmonic device, prevalent in the tonal idiom of Western music beginning in the common practice period...
- Secondary leading-tone chordSecondary leading-tone chordIn music theory, a secondary leading-tone chord or secondary seventh or secondary diminished seventh, as in seventh scale degree or leading-tone, is a secondary chord but rather than being a dominant it is a leading-tone seventh chord or triad, which are similar in function to dominant chords. Also...
- For use of the term "dominant" as a reciting toneReciting toneIn chant, a reciting tone is a repeated musical pitch around which the other pitches of the chant gravitate, or by extension, the entire melodic formula that centers on one or two such pitches. In Gregorian chant, reciting tones are used for a number of contexts, including the chanting of psalm...
in Gregorian chantGregorian chantGregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
, see church modes. - Nondominant seventh chordNondominant seventh chordIn music theory, a nondominant seventh chord is a chord which is a diatonic chord that is a seventh chord but that does not possess dominant function and thus is not a dominant seventh chord....