Body/Soul/Spirit tonal/total expression

The Magic of Tonic, Subdominant, and Dominant Chords

Infinitude, Sean Yarbroug

6th line: the Role Model Result              6 ___  ___ Spirit

5th line: the Heretic Prince                     5 ___  ___ Soul

4th line: the Opportunist Karma             4 ___  ___ Body

3rd line: the Martyr Motivation              3 ___  ___ Feeling

2nd line: the Hermit Official                  2 ___  ___ Thinking
1st line: the Investigator Outside Cause 1 ___  ___ Sensing

Tonic, subdominant, and dominant are the first, fourth, and fifth degrees in any scale. 

They are the key elements to building a sound/song. 

• The tonic is often referred to as “home”,
• while subdominant moves us to the next note,
• and dominant makes us want to return back home to resolve the sound.
• The dominant leads us back to home.  
• The dominant chord causes tension or stress with a desire to resolve. It almost begs us to return back home. Therefore, the dominant chord leads us back to the tonic, or to home.

Modes, minor & Major

Accord, en harmonie tonale, un accord parfait est un accord de trois notes à l'état fondamental, et dont la quinte est juste.

Chord, in tonal harmony, a perfect chord is a three-note chord in the root state, with a perfect fifth.

1. G major chord I

This step shows the tonic triad chord of the G major scale.

Chord identification

The G major chord I is the G major chord and contains the notes G, B, and D.
This tonic chord's root/starting note is the 1st note (or scale degree) of the G major scale.
The roman numeral for number 1 is 'I' and is used to indicate this is the 1st triad chord in the scale. It is in the upper case to denote that the chord is a major chord.

Chord names for G major chord 1

Chord position	Link	a/b/c notation	Figured bass notation
Root position	G major chord in root position	Ia
1st inversion	G major chord in 1st inversion	Ib	I6
2nd inversion	G major chord in 2nd inversion	Ic	I64

2. G major chord

This step shows the G major triad chord in root position on the piano, treble clef and bass clef.

The G major chord contains 3 notes:  G, B, D.
The chord spelling/formula relative to the G major scale is 1 3 5.

G major chord note names

Note no.	Note interval	Spelling / formula	Note name	#Semitones from root
1	root	1	The 1st note of the G major chord is G	0
2	G-maj-3rd	3	The 2nd note of the G major chord is B	4
3	G-perf-5th	5	The 3rd note of the G major chord is D	7

Middle C (midi note 60) is shown with an orange line under the 2nd note on the piano diagram.
These note names are shown below on the treble clef followed by the bass clef.

The figured bass symbols for this chord in root position are 5/3.

3. G major 1st inversion

This step shows the G major 1st inversion on the piano, treble clef and bass clef.

The G major 1st inversion contains 3 notes: B, D, G.

These note names are shown below on the treble clef followed by the bass clef.

The figured bass symbols for this chord inversion are 6/3, so the chord is said to be in six-three position.

4. G major 2nd inversion

This step shows the G major 2nd inversion on the piano, treble clef and bass clef.

The G major 2nd inversion contains 3 notes: D, G, B.

These note names are shown below on the treble clef followed by the bass clef.

The figured bass symbols for this chord inversion are 6/4, so the chord is said to be in the six-four position.

5. G major scale

This step shows the ascending G major scale on the piano, treble clef and bass clef. It also shows the scale degree chart for all 8 notes.

The G major scale has 1 sharp.
This major scale key is on the Circle of 5ths - G major on the circle of 5ths, which means that it is a commonly used major scale key.

G major scale note names

Note no.	Note interval	Note name
1	tonic	The 1st note of the G major scale is G
2	G-maj-2nd	The 2nd note of the G major scale is A
3	G-maj-3rd	The 3rd note of the G major scale is B
4	G-perf-4th	The 4th note of the G major scale is C
5	G-perf-5th	The 5th note of the G major scale is D
6	G-maj-6th	The 6th note of the G major scale is E
7	G-maj-7th	The 7th note of the G major scale is F#
8	G-perf-8th	The 8th note of the G major scale is G

Middle C (midi note 60) is shown with an orange line under the 2nd note on the piano diagram.
These note names are shown below on the treble clef followed by the bass clef.

The stave diagrams above show the scale notes without a key signature, with the sharp/flat adjustments inserted before each note on the staff.
For the key signature of this scale, showing these symbols grouped correctly next to the bass or treble clef symbol at the beginning, have a look at the G major key signature.

G major scale degrees

Note no.	Degree Name
1	G is the tonic of the G major scale
2	A is the supertonic of the G major scale
3	B is the mediant of the G major scale
4	C is the subdominant of the G major scale
5	D is the dominant of the G major scale
6	E is the submediant of the G major scale
7	F# is the leading tone of the G major scale
8	G is the octave of the G major scale