Leading tone

Definition

The leading tone is the seventh scale degree in a major or harmonic minor scale, which has a strong tendency to resolve up to the tonic note, creating a sense of tension and release. This concept is essential for understanding how melodies and harmonies are constructed, as it plays a crucial role in establishing key relationships and emotional impact in music.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. In a major scale, the leading tone is always a half step below the tonic, which creates a strong pull towards it when resolving.
2. In harmonic minor scales, the seventh degree is raised to create a leading tone, enhancing its tendency to resolve to the tonic.
3. The leading tone is fundamental in establishing functional harmony, as it helps create dominant to tonic resolutions.
4. In music theory, leading tones are often represented by the Roman numeral 'vii°' when discussing chord functions.
5. Composers use the leading tone to build tension within a melody or harmony, making its resolution to the tonic feel satisfying.

Review Questions

• How does the leading tone function within major and harmonic minor scales, and why is its resolution important?
  • The leading tone functions as the seventh scale degree in both major and harmonic minor scales. In major scales, it is a half step below the tonic, while in harmonic minor scales, it is raised to create that half-step relationship. This strong pull towards the tonic is crucial for creating tension that resolves into a feeling of completeness, making it vital for establishing key relationships in music.
• Discuss how leading tones contribute to harmonic progressions and the establishment of musical tension.
  • Leading tones contribute significantly to harmonic progressions by creating expectations for resolution. When a leading tone is present, it builds tension within a progression as listeners anticipate its movement to the tonic. This interaction between tension created by the leading tone and its resolution to the tonic enhances emotional engagement and establishes clear tonal centers within a piece.
• Evaluate how composers utilize leading tones within their works to enhance emotional expression and thematic development.
  • Composers effectively utilize leading tones to enhance emotional expression by strategically placing them within melodies and harmonic structures. By creating moments of tension through leading tones before resolving them to the tonic, they evoke feelings of anticipation and release. This technique not only adds depth to thematic development but also shapes the overall narrative arc of a composition, allowing for dynamic contrasts between tension and resolution.

Related terms

Tonic: The first scale degree of a scale, serving as the home base or the most stable note in a key.

Diatonic:

Refers to the notes within a particular scale or key, without altering them with sharps or flats outside of the key signature.

Chromatic: Notes that are outside of the given diatonic scale, often used for color and tension in music.