Scale Degree
A note's numbered position in a scale — a relative address
Related
A scale degree is a note's numbered position in a scale: the tonic is 1, supertonic 2, mediant 3 … leading tone 7. It marks relative position, not fixed pitch: degree 1 is C in C major and D in D major.
Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3…) name notes, Roman numerals (I, ii, V…) name chords built on those degrees, with case showing quality. The usual mistake is to confuse degree with note name: a degree says "which step", a note name says "which note"; one is an address, the other a name.
Read deeper → Scale
Sources
- 音级的编号与功能名称，参 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "Scale degree"；本文为原创表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.