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Tonic-Dominant Progression

Definition

Tonic-dominant progression refers to the movement between the tonic (the first scale degree) and dominant (the fifth scale degree) chords. It is a fundamental harmonic relationship that creates stability and tension within music.

Analogy

Imagine you're on a road trip with your friends. The tonic chord is like starting from home, while the dominant chord is like reaching an exciting destination. The journey between these two chords creates anticipation and excitement, just like driving towards something new.

Related terms

Cadence: A cadence is a melodic or harmonic progression that marks the end of a musical phrase or section. Tonic-dominant progressions often form part of different types of cadences.

Circle of Fifths: The circle of fifths is a visual representation of how keys are related to each other based on their tonal distance. It helps understand the relationship between tonic and dominant chords in different keys.

Dominant Function: In music theory, dominant function refers to how the dominant chord has a strong tendency to resolve back to the tonic chord. It provides stability and closure within musical phrases.