Meaning & use
submediant
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Meanings
nouncountablemusictechnical
The sixth note of a major or minor scale, lying midway between the tonic and the subdominant below it.
Grammar: Refers to a scale degree: the submediant of C major is A.
Patterns
- the submediant of something
In C major, the submediant is the note A.
The melody rises to the submediant before returning home.
A student labeled the sixth degree as the submediant.
nouncountablemusictechnical
The chord built on the sixth note of a scale.
Grammar: Often used for the vi chord in a progression.
Patterns
- move to the submediant
The song moves from the tonic to the submediant for a sadder color.
In a deceptive cadence the dominant resolves to the submediant.
The composer used the submediant to avoid a firm ending.
Word forms
| plural | submediants |
|---|
Common combinations
- the submediant chord
- The submediant chord adds a gentle minor color to a major key.
- the submediant of the key
- The submediant of the key is the sixth degree.
- move to the submediant
- The progression moves to the submediant at the bridge.
- the relative minor submediant
- The submediant leads to the relative minor.
- resolve to the submediant
- The dominant resolves to the submediant in a deceptive cadence.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sixth degree
- Sixth degree is a plain number-based way of saying the same thing and is easier for beginners.
- vi chord
- Vi chord uses roman numerals and refers only to the chord and not the note.
- relative minor
- The relative minor starts on the submediant of a major key, but it names a whole key, not just a degree.
Word family
- mediant noun
- the third degree of the scale
- subdominant noun
- the fourth degree of the scale
- tonic noun
- the first degree of the scale
- dominant noun
- the fifth degree of the scale
- supertonic noun
- the second degree of the scale
Commonly confused: submediant or subdominant? submediant or mediant?
submediant vs subdominant
The subdominant is the fourth note of the scale, while the submediant is the sixth.
submediant vs mediant
The mediant is the third note, halfway between tonic and dominant, and is different from the submediant.
Practice
In the key of C major, which note is the submediant?
Choose one answer.
The submediant is the sixth degree, and the sixth note of C major is A. F is the subdominant, G the dominant and B the leading note.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “submediant”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.