What is the dominant pitch?

What is the dominant pitch?

• A. The fourth scale degree
• B. The fifth scale degree
• C. The seventh scale degree
• D. The first scale degree

Answer: (B)

In tonal music, the dominant is the note that has the strongest pull toward the tonic. It is the fifth scale degree of the key, the pitch a perfect fifth above the tonic (and the basis for the V chord). This note creates tension that naturally resolves to the tonic in a cadence, giving a sense of arrival when it does. For example, in C major the dominant pitch is G, the fifth degree, which underpins the dominant chord built on G (and its extended forms like V7). The other options point to different functions: the fourth scale degree is the subdominant, which tends to lead toward the dominant; the seventh scale degree is the leading tone, which has its own tendency to resolve upward to the tonic; the first scale degree is the tonic itself.

In tonal music, the dominant is the note that has the strongest pull toward the tonic. It is the fifth scale degree of the key, the pitch a perfect fifth above the tonic (and the basis for the V chord). This note creates tension that naturally resolves to the tonic in a cadence, giving a sense of arrival when it does.

For example, in C major the dominant pitch is G, the fifth degree, which underpins the dominant chord built on G (and its extended forms like V7). The other options point to different functions: the fourth scale degree is the subdominant, which tends to lead toward the dominant; the seventh scale degree is the leading tone, which has its own tendency to resolve upward to the tonic; the first scale degree is the tonic itself.