Scale degrees are the numbered positions of the notes in a scale: the 1st degree is the tonic, the 2nd is the supertonic, the 3rd is the mediant, the 4th is the subdominant, the 5th is the dominant, the 6th is the submediant and the 7th is the leading note.
What are scale degrees?
Scale degrees are the numbered positions of the notes in a scale, and each degree has a name that describes its function. The 1st degree is the tonic, the home note of the scale. The 2nd is the supertonic, the note above the tonic. The 3rd is the mediant, the note halfway between the tonic and the dominant. The 4th is the subdominant, the note a 5th below the tonic. The 5th is the dominant, the second most important note in the scale. The 6th is the submediant, the note halfway between the subdominant and the tonic. The 7th is the leading note, the note that leads back to the tonic, or the subtonic in the natural minor scale, where it sits a whole tone below the tonic. Scale degrees matter because they are the language musicians use to talk about music without naming specific notes. A chord progression written as I–V–vi–IV works in every key, because the Roman numerals describe scale degrees, not notes, and the same progression in C major is C, G, Am, F, while in G major it is G, D, Em, C. A melody described as 1, 3, 5, 6, 5, 3, 1 works in every key too, because the numbers describe degrees, not pitches. Learning scale degrees means learning to think about music in a way that transfers to every key.
How scale degrees work
Each scale degree has a function, and the functions explain why some notes feel stable and others feel tense. The tonic, the 1st degree, is the most stable note, the home of the scale. The dominant, the 5th degree, is the second most stable, and it pulls toward the tonic, which is why the V–I cadence is the most common movement in music. The mediant, the 3rd degree, decides whether the scale is major or minor, and it is the note that gives the scale its emotional character. The leading note, the 7th degree, is the most tense note, because it sits a semitone below the tonic and leans toward it. The scale degrees also name the chords of a key: the chord built on the 1st degree is the I chord, the chord built on the 5th degree is the V chord, and so on. In C major the I chord is C, the ii chord is Dm, the iii chord is Em, the IV chord is F, the V chord is G, the vi chord is Am, and the vii chord is Bdim. The Roman numerals are uppercase for major chords, lowercase for minor chords, and lowercase with a degree sign for diminished chords, so the numerals tell you the quality of the chord as well as its degree. The key of C major lists the chords by degree, and the C major scale shows the degrees themselves.
Worked example — scale degrees in G major. The G major scale is G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G. The 1st degree, the tonic, is G. The 2nd degree, the supertonic, is A. The 3rd degree, the mediant, is B. The 4th degree, the subdominant, is C. The 5th degree, the dominant, is D. The 6th degree, the submediant, is E. The 7th degree, the leading note, is F#. The chords follow the same numbering: the I chord is G, the ii chord is Am, the iii chord is Bm, the IV chord is C, the V chord is D, the vi chord is Em, and the vii chord is F#dim. The key of G major shows the same degrees and chords, and the scale degree calculator works out the degree of any note.
How to practise scale degrees
Practise scale degrees by naming them as you play, so the numbers become as familiar as the note names.
- Play the C major scale ascending, and say the degree number and name of each note as you play it: 1 tonic, 2 supertonic, 3 mediant, and so on.
- Play a random note from the C major scale and name its degree before you check your answer against the scale degree calculator.
- Play the chords of the key of C major in order, and name the degree of each chord as you play it: I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii.
- Sing the scale degrees of the G major scale in order, from the tonic to the leading note, and name each one as you sing it.
- Use the scale degree calculator to check the degree of any note in any key, until you can work it out without the tool.
Common mistakes
- Confusing the degree number with the interval — The 3rd degree is the third note of the scale, but the interval from the root to the 3rd degree is a major 3rd or a minor 3rd, depending on the scale. The degree number and the interval are related but not identical, so name them separately.
- Forgetting that the 7th degree has two names — In a major scale the 7th degree is the leading note, a semitone below the tonic, while in a natural minor scale it is the subtonic, a whole tone below the tonic. The name depends on the scale, not just the number.
- Thinking scale degrees only matter for theory — Scale degrees are the language of chord progressions, and every chord chart, every Nashville number chart, and every Roman numeral analysis uses them. Learning them is practical, not academic.
Quick reference
This table lists the seven scale degrees with their names, their notes in C major, and their functions, so you can see the whole system in one place. The tonic is the home, the dominant is the second home, the mediant decides major or minor, and the leading note pulls the melody back to the tonic.
| Degree | Name | Note in C major | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Tonic | C | Home note, most stable |
| 2nd | Supertonic | D | Above the tonic |
| 3rd | Mediant | E | Decides major or minor |
| 4th | Subdominant | F | A 5th below the tonic |
| 5th | Dominant | G | Second home, pulls to tonic |
| 6th | Submediant | A | Relative minor root |
| 7th | Leading note | B | Pulls to the tonic |
Memorise the table by playing the C major scale and naming each degree as you play it, and then do the same in G major, where the notes are different but the degree names and functions are identical. When you can name the degree of any note in any key, you can read chord progressions in Roman numerals without translating them into notes first.
Frequently asked questions
What are scale degrees?
Scale degrees are the numbered positions of the notes in a scale, from the 1st degree, the tonic, to the 7th degree, the leading note. Each degree has a name that describes its function, and the numbers are used to describe chord progressions in every key.
What is the tonic?
The tonic is the 1st degree of a scale, the home note that the scale is named after and the note that melodies and chord progressions return to. In the C major scale the tonic is C, and in the G major scale it is G.
What is the dominant?
The dominant is the 5th degree of a scale, the second most important note after the tonic. The dominant chord, the V chord, pulls strongly back to the tonic chord, which is why the V–I cadence is the most common movement in music.
What is the leading note?
The leading note is the 7th degree of a major scale, a semitone below the tonic, which leans toward the tonic and pulls melodies home. In the natural minor scale the 7th degree is a whole tone below the tonic, and it is called the subtonic instead.
Why are chord progressions written in Roman numerals?
Because Roman numerals describe scale degrees, not notes, so the same progression works in every key. I–V–vi–IV is C, G, Am, F in C major and G, D, Em, C in G major, and the numerals let musicians transpose instantly.