Submediant - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
The submediant is the sixth degree of a musical scale, located midway between the tonic and subdominant. It often provides a soft, stable harmony in chord progressions.
Definition:
The sixth note of a diatonic scale or the chord built on this note.
Synonyms:
superdominant, sixth degree, VI chord
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
tonic, dominant
Common Collocations:
submediant chord, submediant key, submediant modulation
Derivatives:
submediants, submediantly
Usage Tips:
Use "submediant" to refer to the sixth scale degree or its chord in music theory contexts.
Common Phrases:
submediant harmony, submediant shift, submediant resolution
Etymology:
From Latin "sub-" (below) + "mediant" (middle), referring to its position below the mediant in the scale.
Examples:
- 1. The submediant adds depth to harmonic progressions.
- 2. In C major, the submediant is A natural.
- 3. The composer used a submediant modulation for contrast.
- 4. Play the submediant chord softly here for effect.