subdominant

theorysub-DOM-ih-nuntfrom English (from Latin sub, under, and dominant)

The fourth degree of a scale and the chord built on it, creating a sense of departure from the tonic.

In Depth

The subdominant (IV chord) is one of the three primary chords in tonal harmony, alongside the tonic (I) and dominant (V). It creates a feeling of moving away from home without the urgency of the dominant. The plagal [cadence](/term/plagal%20cadence) (IV-I) uses the subdominant for its gentle, hymnlike resolution. In blues, the move from I to IV is one of the most important harmonic events. The subdominant is called sub-dominant not because it is below the dominant but because it is a fifth below the tonic.

Did you know?

The Amen cadence (IV-I) is so called because it is the harmonic progression sung to the word Amen at the end of virtually every Christian hymn.

Related Terms

dominant chord progression harmony

More in Theory

Browse all

notation

The written system of symbols used to represent music on paper or screen.

hemiola

A rhythmic device that creates the effect of shifting between duple and triple meter, typically by grouping six beats as either three groups of two or two groups of three.

coloratura soprano

The highest and most agile type of soprano voice, specializing in rapid vocal ornamentation, trills, and high-register passages.

whole step

An interval of two semitones, equivalent to a tone.

timbre

The unique quality or color of a sound that distinguishes one instrument from another.

accidentals explained

Symbols placed before notes to raise or lower their pitch by a semitone or return them to their natural state

voicings

The specific arrangement and spacing of notes within a chord across the available range.

tie

A curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their durations.

Keep Exploring

dominant→chord progression→harmony→