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Dominant Function Chord

Definition

The dominant function chord is a chord that creates tension and leads to the tonic chord in a musical piece. It typically contains the leading tone and has a strong sense of resolution when it resolves to the tonic.

Analogy

Think of the dominant function chord as the suspenseful moment in a movie where everything builds up to a climactic scene. Just like how this scene creates anticipation for what's about to happen, the dominant function chord creates tension before resolving to the tonic.

Related terms

Tonic: The tonic is the central or home key of a musical piece. It provides stability and serves as a point of resolution after tension created by chords like the dominant function chord.

Leading Tone: The leading tone is the seventh scale degree that is one half step below the tonic. It has a strong pull towards resolving to the tonic and adds tension and excitement to music.

Subdominant: The subdominant is another important harmonic function in music theory. It refers to chords built on the fourth scale degree, which provide contrast and support for both dominant and tonic functions.