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Glite Dictionary
subdominant

subdominant

1 8.6
The fourth note of a musical scale, below the fifth note
  • noun
  • /ˌsʌbˈdɒmɪnənt/
  • Specialized
: subdominante
  • The composer skillfully incorporates the subdominant chord to add depth to the harmonic progression.
  • subdominant and dominant

Examples

  • It moves constantly on the tonic and subdominant.

    A Song Is Born (1948)

  • In the key of C major, the song transitions from the tonic to the subdominant in the chorus.

  • Continue to provide pattern instruction using tonic, dominant, and subdominant patterns in major and minor tonalities.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Tonic—Dominant's—Subdominant (I-IV-V)

    Academic text (2004)

  • During the lesson, the teacher explained how to move from the tonic to the subdominant in a major scale.

Synonyms

fourth
vssubdominant
  • Specialized
1 4.4

The musical interval between two notes that are four steps apart

is a specific scale degree located directly below the dominant note

Surface Forms

subdominant singular
subdominants plural

Morphology

subdominant = dominant (transparent) = sub + dominant

Composition is a straightforward prefixation: 'sub-' (below) + 'dominant' (the dominant degree), so the meaning 'below the dominant' is directly derivable.

Etymology

Subdominant comes from sub- 'under', like in subway or submarine, and dominant 'ruling' or 'main', like 'dominate' or a 'boss'. So in music the subdominant is the note just 'under' the dominant and is the fourth position in a scale.