Editing Subdominant

{{Short description|Tonal degree of the diatonic scale}}
{{Image frame|content=<score vorbis="1" lang="lilypond">
{
\override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
\relative c' {
  \clef treble
  \time 7/4 c4 d e \once \override NoteHead.color = #red f g \once \override NoteHead.color = #red a b \time 2/4 \once \override NoteHead.color = #red c2 \bar "||"
  \time 4/4 <f, a c>1 \bar "||"
} }
</score>

<score vorbis="1" lang="lilypond">
{
\override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
\relative c' {
  \clef treble
  \time 7/4 c4 d es \once \override NoteHead.color = #red f g \once \override NoteHead.color = #red aes bes \time 2/4 \once \override NoteHead.color = #red c2 \bar "||"
  \time 4/4 <f, aes c>1 \bar "||"
} }
</score>|width=310|caption=The scale and subdominant triad in C major (top) and C minor (bottom).}}

In [[music]], the '''subdominant''' is the fourth tonal [[degree (music)|degree]] ({{music|scale|4}}) of the [[diatonic scale]]. It is so called because it is the same distance ''below'' the [[tonic (music)|tonic]] as the [[dominant (music)|dominant]] is ''above'' the tonic{{snd}}in other words, the tonic is the dominant of the subdominant.<ref>[[Oswald Jonas|Jonas, Oswald]] (1982). ''Introduction to the Theory of Heinrich Schenker'' (1934: ''Das Wesen des musikalischen Kunstwerks: Eine Einführung in Die Lehre Heinrich Schenkers''), p. 22. Trans. John Rothgeb. {{ISBN|0-582-28227-6}}. "''subdominant'' [literally, ''lower dominant'']" emphasis original.</ref><ref>Benward & Saker (2003). ''Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I'', p. 33. Seventh Edition. {{ISBN|978-0-07-294262-0}}. "The lower dominant."</ref><ref>[[Allen Forte|Forte, Allen]] (1979). ''Tonal Harmony'', p. 9. 3rd edition. Holt, Rinehart, and Wilson. {{ISBN|0-03-020756-8}}. "The triad on IV is called the subdominant because it occupies a position ''below'' the tonic triad analogous to that occupied by the dominant above.</ref> It also happens to be the [[note (music)|note]] one [[Step (music)|step]] below the dominant.<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=subdominant "Subdominant"], ''Dictionary.com''.</ref> In the [[Solfège#Movable do solf%C3%A8ge|movable do solfège]] system, the subdominant note is sung as ''fa''.

The [[Triad (music)|triad]] built on the subdominant note is called the '''subdominant chord'''. In [[Roman numeral analysis]], the subdominant chord is typically symbolized by the Roman numeral "IV" in a major [[Key (music)|key]], indicating that the chord is a [[Major chord|major triad]]. In a minor key, it is symbolized by "iv", indicating that the chord is a [[Minor chord|minor triad]].

{{quote|In very much conventionally [[tonality|tonal music]], harmonic analysis will reveal a broad prevalence of the [[primary triad|primary]] (often triadic) harmonies: tonic, dominant, and subdominant (i.e., I and its chief auxiliaries a 5th removed), and especially the first two of these.|Berry (1976)<ref>[[Wallace Berry|Berry, Wallace]] (1976/1987). ''Structural Functions in Music'', p. 62. {{ISBN|0-486-25384-8}}.</ref>|source=}}

These chords may also appear as [[Seventh chord|seventh chords]]: in major, as IV<sup>M7</sup>, or in minor as iv<sup>7</sup> or sometimes IV<sup>7</sup>:<ref>{{Cite book|title=Tonal Harmony|last1=Kostka|first1=Stefan|author1-link=Stefan Kostka|last2=Payne|first2=Dorothy|date=2004|publisher=McGraw-Hill|isbn=0072852607|edition=5th|location=Boston|page=229|oclc=51613969}}</ref>
<blockquote><score lang="lilypond">
{
\override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
\relative c' {
   \clef treble
   \time 4/4
   \key c \major
   <f a c e>1_\markup { \concat { "IV" \raise #1 \small "M7" } } \bar "||"

   \clef treble
   \time 4/4
   \key c \minor
   <f aes c es>1_\markup { \concat { "iv" \raise #1 \small "7" } }
   <f a c es>^\markup { \tiny { "infrequent" } }_\markup { \concat { "IV" \raise #1 \small "7" } } \bar "||"
} }
</score></blockquote>
A [[Cadence|cadential]] subdominant chord followed by a tonic chord produces the so-called plagal cadence.

As with other chords which often precede the dominant, subdominant chords typically have [[Predominant chord|predominant function]]. In [[Riemannian theory]], it is considered to balance the dominant around the tonic (being as far below the tonic as the dominant is above).

The term ''subdominant'' may also refer to a relationship of musical keys. For example, relative to the key of C major, the key of F major is the subdominant. Music which [[Modulation (music)|modulates]] (changes key) often modulates to the subdominant when the [[leading tone]] is lowered by [[Semitone|half step]] to the [[subtonic]] (B to B{{music|b}} in the key of C). Modulation to the subdominant key often creates a sense of musical relaxation, as opposed to modulation to the dominant (fifth note of the scale), which increases tension.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline}}
{{degrees|state=uncollapsed}}
{{chords}}

[[Category:Diatonic functions]]
[[Category:Scale degrees|4]]