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{{for|scale-step in Schenkerian analysis|scale-step}}

[[File:Scale degree names.png|thumb|right|350px|Scale degree names<ref>Benward & Saker (2003). ''Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I'', p.32-3. Seventh Edition. ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0. "Scale degree names: Each degree of the seven-tone diatonic scale has a name that relates to its function. The major scale and all three forms of the minor scale share these terms."</ref> (C major scale) {{audio|Diatonic scale on C.mid|Play}}).]]
[[File:Scale degree numbers.png|thumb|350px|Scale degree roman numerals.<ref>[[Oswald Jonas|Jonas, Oswald]] (1982). ''Introduction to the Theory of Heinrich Schenker'' (1934: ''Das Wesen des musikalischen Kunstwerks: Eine Einführung in Die Lehre Heinrich Schenkers''), p.22. Trans. John Rothgeb. ISBN 0-582-28227-6. Shown all uppercase.</ref> {{audio|Root position triads from C major scale.mid|Play}}]]

In [[music theory]], a '''scale degree''' is the name given to a particular [[note (music)|note]] of a [[scale (music)|scale]]<ref>Kolb, Tom (2005). ''Music Theory for Guitarists'', p.16. ISBN 0-634-06651-X.</ref> to specify its position relative to the [[Tonic (music)|tonic]] (the main note of the scale). The tonic is considered to be the first degree of the scale, from which each [[octave]] is assumed to begin.

Any musical scale may be thought to have degrees. However, the notion of scale degree is most commonly applied to scales in which a tonic is specified by definition, such as the 7-tone [[diatonic scale]]s (e.g. the [[Major scale|C-major scale]] C–D–E–F–G–A–B, in which C is the tonic). As for the 12-tone chromatic scale, the selection of a first degree is possible in theory, but arbitrary and not meaningful, because typically all the notes of a chromatic scale have the same importance.

The expression '''scale step''' is sometimes used as a synonym of scale degree, but it may also refer, perhaps more properly and less ambiguously, to the distance, or [[Interval (music)|interval]], between two successive scale degrees (see [[Steps and skips]]). Indeed, the terms [[whole step]] and [[half step]] are commonly used as interval names. The number of scale degrees and the distance between them together define a scale.

==Major and minor scales==
{| class="wikitable" align="right" style="width: 50%"
|-
! Degree
! Name
! Meaning
! Note (in C)
|-
| 1st
| Tonic
| Tonal center, note of final resolution
| C
|-
| 2nd
| Supertonic
| One whole step above the tonic
| D
|-
| 3rd
| Mediant
| Midway between tonic and dominant
| E/E{{music|b}}
|-
| 4th
| Subdominant
| <!--Please DO NOT change this to saying that this degree was named for being just below the dominant; this is only something that happens to be true.--> Lower dominant, same interval below tonic dominant is above tonic
| F
|-
| 5th
| Dominant
| 2nd in importance to the tonic
| G
|-
| 6th
| Submediant
| Lower mediant, midway between tonic and subdominant
| A/A{{music|b}}
|-
| 7th
| Leading tone/Subtonic
| Melodically strong affinity for and leads to tonic/One whole step below tonic
| B/B{{music|b}}
|-
| 1st (8th)
| Tonic
| Tonal center, note of final resolution
| C'
|}

The degrees of the traditional [[major scale|major]] and [[minor scale]]s may be identified several ways:
* the first, [[major second|second]], ([[major third|major]] or [[minor third|minor]]) third, [[perfect fourth|fourth]], [[perfect fifth|fifth]], [[major sixth|major]] or [[minor sixth|minor]] sixth, and [[major seventh|major]] or [[minor seventh|minor]] seventh degrees of the scale;
* by Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4 ...), sometimes with carets above them (<math>\hat 1, \hat 2, \hat 3...</math>);
* by [[Roman numeral analysis|Roman numerals]] (I, II, III, IV ...); and
* in English, by the names and [[diatonic function|function]]: [[tonic (music)|tonic]], [[supertonic]], [[mediant]], [[subdominant]], [[dominant (music)|dominant]], [[submediant]], [[leading-tone]] (leading tone in the United States) and tonic again.
: These names are derived from a scheme where the tonic note is the 'center'. Supertonic and subtonic are, respectively, one step above and one step below the tonic; mediant and submediant are each a third above and below the tonic, and dominant and subdominant are a fifth above and below the tonic.

:''Subtonic'' is used when the [[interval (music)|interval]] between it and the tonic in the upper [[octave]] is a [[whole step]]; ''[[leading note]]'' when that interval is a [[semitone|half step]].
* in English, by the ''[[Solfege#Movable_do_solf.C3.A8ge|"moveable Do" Solfege]]'' system, which allows a person to name each scale degree with a single syllable while singing.

==See also==
* [[Tonality]]
* [[Music education]]

==Sources==
{{reflist}}

{{scales}}
{{Degrees}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Degree (Music)}}
[[Category:Scale degrees| ]]