Degrees of a Diatonic Scale

Each note of a scale is referred to as a degree of the key:

 

 

Degree

Name

 

 

Chords

 

 

C

1st degree

Tonic

I

1

Major

 

 

D

2nd degree

Supertonic

II

2

Minor

 

 

E

3rd degree

Mediant

III

3

Minor

 

 

F

4th degree

Subdominant

IV

4

Maj 7

 

 

G

5th degree

Dominant

V

5

7

 

 

A

6th degree

Submediant

VI

6

Minor

 

 

B

7th degree

Leading

VII

7

Dim

 

 

C

8th degree

Tonic

VIII

8

Major