degree
Let an agent handle scale degrees by name, number, function and use in harmony and analysis, and separate other senses of degree.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent handle scale degrees by name, number, function and use in harmony and analysis, and separate other senses of degree.
In music theory, a position of a note within a scale relative to the tonic, named tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant and leading tone or subtonic, and numbered with Roman or Arabic numerals.
What it is for: Describing melodies and harmony independently of key.
It can be name scale degrees; analyse harmony with Roman numerals; transpose melodies by degree; separate other senses of degree.
Distinguishing features
Relative position in a scale
Named functions
Key-independent
Basis of harmonic analysis
What it looks like
Notes in a scale, often labelled with numbers or names.
How it is recognised
Tonic, dominant, mediant
Scale-degree numbers with carets
Temperature or academic degrees are other senses
Related models
is a kind of - category
is part of - structure
is used in - method
is confused with - another sense
In practice
Families and kinds
tonic
supertonic
mediant
subdominant and dominant
submediant, leading tone and subtonic
Failure modes and hazards
Confusing degree names
Confusing senses
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.degree-attribute
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Degree Which degree.
Names and numbers.
Name
Degree name.
Name
Degree name.
- What is the name and number of this scale degree? definition
- In which key? definition
Function
Harmonic role.
Function
Harmonic function.
- What harmonic function does this degree usually have? definition
- Does it vary by style? boundary
Analysis Roman numerals.
Analysis uses degrees.
Chords
Roman numerals.
Chords
Roman numeral analysis.
- How is this chord labelled in Roman numeral analysis? definition
- What does its quality indicate? definition
Minor
Minor keys.
Minor
Minor-key degrees.
- How do degrees differ in minor keys, such as subtonic versus leading tone? definition
- Which form of minor is used? boundary
Practice Musicians.
Degrees help musicians.
Transpose
Changing key.
Transpose
Transposition.
- How can a melody be transposed using scale degrees? action
- Which notes result? definition
Ear training
Solfege.
Ear training
Ear training.
- How can scale degrees be recognised by ear? action
- Which solfege system is used? provenance
Senses Disambiguation.
Degree has many senses.
Units
Temperature and angle.
Units
Unit sense.
- Is a degree of temperature or angle meant? boundary
- Which entry fits? action
Academic
Qualifications.
Academic
Academic sense.
- Is an academic degree meant? boundary
- Which entry fits? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should each degree be a separate entry?
- How should harmonic functions be linked?
- How should other senses be split off?