Article 5 of 9

The seven notes of major, one by one

Examples use C major. Typical tendencies are listening cues, not composition rules.

1 · tonic C

The tonic gives the key its sense of belonging. C and the C an octave above share the same degree but differ in height. Learn to sing 1 in your head first, then place each question note against that reference.

2 · supertonic D

A whole tone above the tonic; you can often hear it fall 2→1. It can also move to 3 — don't guess just from a habitual downward step.

3 · mediant E

Together with 1 and 5 it forms the tonic triad and is key to major's colour: E in C major, E♭ as the third in C minor. Over the tonic chord, 3 can feel very stable — not every non-tonic note is left hanging.

4 · subdominant F

Over the tonic chord it often leans toward 3 — 4→3 is a semitone. Over the subdominant chord, though, it can be a stable chord root.

5 · dominant G

A perfect fifth above 1 and part of the tonic triad. It can feel supportive; “the dominant note 5” and “the dominant chord built on 5” aren't the same thing.

6 · submediant A

You can often hear it lean 6→5 toward a tonic-chord note. It's also the tonic of the relative minor: centre the same white keys on A and you get A natural minor.

7 · leading tone B

In major, 7 is only a semitone below the 1 above and often tends to resolve upward. Natural minor's ♭7 is a whole tone below 1 and is usually called the subtonic — don't mix up how the two feel.

How to check yourself

Start with a few degrees: hear 1 in your head first, then the question note. It's fine to trace a short path back to a stable note at first; as it becomes familiar, shorten that mental working-out. Practise the same degree in different registers, and finally change key to check you haven't just memorised an absolute pitch.

References: Functional Ear Trainer · Miles.be · Puget Sound · Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom · musictheory.net · Lessons