Dominant (music) facts for kids

The dominant in music is a super important note! It's the fifth note you find when you count up a major or minor scale. Imagine you're playing a C major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. The fifth note is G, so G is the dominant note in the key of C. Chords built on this special note are called dominant chords. In the key of C, the dominant chord would be G-B-D.

Just like notes have a dominant, musical keys also have a dominant key. This is the key of the fifth note. So, if you're in the key of C, the key of G is the dominant key. In music theory, the dominant is often written using the Roman numeral "V".

What is a Dominant Note?

A dominant note is the fifth note in any musical scale. Think of it like a special stepping stone in a melody. It creates a feeling of wanting to move back to the main note, called the tonic.

Finding the Dominant Note

To find the dominant note, you just count up five notes from the starting note of your scale.

• In a C major scale (C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C), the dominant note is G.
• In a G major scale (G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G), the dominant note is D.
• In an F major scale (F, G, A, B♭, C, D, E, F), the dominant note is C.

This note is very important because it helps create musical tension and release.

Dominant Chords

A dominant chord is a chord built on the dominant note of a scale. These chords have a strong pull back to the main chord of the key, which is called the tonic chord.

The Dominant Seventh Chord

The most common dominant chord is the dominant seventh chord. This chord has four notes:

• The root (the dominant note itself)
• The third
• The fifth
• The flat seventh

For example, in the key of C, the dominant note is G. A G dominant seventh chord would be G-B-D-F. The "F" note is a flat seventh from G. This chord sounds a bit "unfinished" and makes your ear want to hear the C major chord next.

Why are Dominant Chords Important?

Dominant chords are super important in music because they create movement. They build tension that makes the music feel like it's going somewhere. When a dominant chord is played, it often leads directly to the tonic chord, which feels like "home" or a resolution. This tension and release is a basic part of how music works.

Dominant Keys

Just like notes and chords, entire musical keys can have a dominant relationship. The dominant key is the key built on the dominant note of the original key.

Examples of Dominant Keys

• If you are in the key of C major, the dominant note is G. So, the dominant key is G major.
• If you are in the key of D major, the dominant note is A. So, the dominant key is A major.
• If you are in the key of B♭ major, the dominant note is F. So, the dominant key is F major.

Composers often move to the dominant key in their music to add variety and interest. It's a common way to explore different musical sounds before returning to the main key.

Images for kids

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  Essentially, there are two harmonic directions: toward I and toward V. These primary diatonic triads form the harmonic axis of tonal music.

See also

In Spanish: Dominante (música) para niños