Scale Degrees

A numbered ladder of the eight scale degrees in C major, with their names, chords and role in a key.

What's inside

• A step-diagram numbering all 8 degrees of the C major scale
• The functional name for each degree — tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, leading note
• The note and triad chord (I, ii, iii...) built on each degree in C
• A one-line description of each degree's job in the key
• Why degrees 1, 4 and 5 matter most for harmonising