Glossary
Dominant
Glossary
The term dominant refers to “unstable” chords that function within a key to prepare (or tonicize, or resolve to) the next chord, usually the tonic. In major key harmony, the V7 (or V) and the viiº tonicize the tonic (I) chord. In C major, these could be the chords G Dom 7 followed by C Maj, or B dim followed by C Maj.
Secondary dominants (V/V, V/iv, viiº/V, etc.) are chords, usually from a neighboring key, that prepare the next chord, itself a V or viiº chord. For example, in major harmony, the V7/V precedes the V, which precedes the I (tonic) chord. In C major, these could be the chords D Dom 7, G Dom 7, C Maj, for example. (Observe that the notes for D Dom 7 come from the key of G major.)
See also Chords for lists of chord types with “Dominant” in the name, where there are nearly three dozen types, as well as a handful of diminished chord types.
The term dominant refers to “unstable” chords that function within a key to prepare (or tonicize, or resolve to) the next chord, usually the tonic. In major key harmony, the V7 (or V) and the viiº tonicize the tonic (I) chord. In C major, these could be the chords G Dom 7 followed by C Maj, or B dim followed by C Maj.
Secondary dominants (V/V, V/iv, viiº/V, etc.) are chords, usually from a neighboring key, that prepare the next chord, itself a V or viiº chord. For example, in major harmony, the V7/V precedes the V, which precedes the I (tonic) chord. In C major, these could be the chords D Dom 7, G Dom 7, C Maj, for example. (Observe that the notes for D Dom 7 come from the key of G major.)
See also Chords for lists of chord types with “Dominant” in the name, where there are nearly three dozen types, as well as a handful of diminished chord types.