Talk:Dominant (music)

Gregorian chant

 * "In Gregorian chant, each mode has its own dominant, or reciting tone. In most modes this is on the fifth above the final, but in some modes it is a fourth, or even a third, above the final."

I think this terminology is fairly common but widely discouraged as misleading, since the "dominant" of the gc mode does not function at all like that of a major-minor dominant. Hyacinth 20:33, 18 Mar 2005 (UTC)


 * Still, it should appear somewhere. --Wahoofive 20:58, 18 Mar 2005 (UTC)

I agree it must be somewhere. It could either be in this article or somewhere like Dominant (Gregorian chant). Another possibility is to put it at reciting tone, with a link to that page from this page. Dominant, as far as I know, is the term in common use. The dominant, or reciting tone, is the fifth above the tonic for the modes except the Phrygian, where it is the sixth; and the third above the tonic for all plagal modes except the Phrygian, where it is the fourth (if I remember correctly). Cheers, Antandrus 06:06, 2 Apr 2005 (UTC)


 * Though "the choice [dominant] is perhaps unfortunate, for it suggests a relationship to the dominant of tonal harmony," cofinal seems to have another meaning. Sorry all. Hyacinth 10:41, 2 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Merge with Perfect fifth

 * Conversation at Talk:Perfect fifth.

Which title would be kept? In other words, which article should be merged into which? Hyacinth 20:38, 28 March 2006 (UTC)


 * Why merge at all? They are two completely different concepts.  It'd be like merging square with rectangle...a square is a rectangle, just like the dominant function is a perfect fifth.  But a rectangle isn't ALWAYS a square, just as a perfect fifth isn't ALWAYS a dominant function. Leave them as seperate articles.  --Crabbyass 13:40, 6 July 2006 (UTC)


 * The conversation isn't here, it's at Talk:Perfect fifth. Hyacinth (talk) 19:30, 10 July 2008 (UTC)

Requested audio
I have added an image and audio example. Hyacinth (talk) 19:36, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

Introduction/Goal tone
I have never heard the term "goal tone" used before and it's not used subsequently in the article. There is no reference to such a term or concept and it sounds like jargon. I think I understand the point that the author was trying to make--that not all dominants resolve to the tonic. Let's rewrite this. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jaxelrod (talk • contribs) 13:33, 21 May 2010 (UTC)


 * It's not jargon, its everyday speech: a tone that is a goal. Hyacinth (talk) 22:01, 26 April 2012 (UTC)

Proposal to unify the layout of scale-degree pages
WikiProject Music Theory is spearheading a proposal to unify the layout of the scale-degree pages. The discussion can be found here. Since these pages not only include discussion of the scale-degrees, but also occasionally discuss triads and seventh chords built on these scale-degrees, it is important to systemize these pages. This will also curtail the creation of pages for each individual triad and seventh chord, some which may not necessarily contain enough content to be expanded beyond a stub. I invite you to comment on the proposal with thoughts, criticisms, or suggestions. Thanks! — Devin.chaloux (chat) 19:04, 18 March 2012 (UTC)

Vive la Compagnie
The image in this article (specifically the image near the top that has a complete chord progression) is reminiscent of the song "Vive la Compagnie". The top notes of the chords (which can be interpreted as a melody) are similar to the song, only with only one note rather than several notes per 2 beats. Take the top notes of each measure in the image and:

In the first 3 measures, substitute 6 eighth note triplets (2 groups of 3) (Vive la vive la) for the first half note in each measure, and substitute 3 eighth note triplets and a quarter note (Vive l'amour) for the second half note. In the fourth measure, substitute 3 eighth note triplets and a quarter note + eighth note triplet combination for the first half note, and leave the second half note a half note (Vive la compagnie, with the nie syllable being the final half note.) Only one note will need to change, the quarter note triplet in the quarter+eighth triplet combination for the first measure (the com syllable in compagnie) will need to be an A.

(Once again, here is the same image:)



Georgia guy (talk) 14:46, 10 April 2012 (UTC)


 * It is probably reminiscent of lots of pieces, as the article [circle progression] should state. Hyacinth (talk) 21:59, 26 April 2012 (UTC)
 * What other songs is it reminiscent of?? Georgia guy (talk) 22:19, 26 April 2012 (UTC)


 * See circle progression. Hyacinth (talk) 01:11, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

Requested move: "Musical scale" → "Scale (music)"
I have initiated a formal RM action to move Musical scale to Scale (music). Contributions and comments would be very welcome; decisions of this kind could affect the choice of title for many music theory articles.

N oetica Tea? 00:11, 21 June 2012 (UTC)

Merge: Dominant key
Dominant key should be merge into this article as it is a stub and there are no similar articles such as Subdominant key. Hyacinth (talk) 15:53, 22 May 2013 (UTC)
 * Support although the dominant-chord section of this article should be rewritten a bit, starting with a description of what the dominant key is and putting the excellent Rosen quote lower down. &mdash;Wahoofive (talk) 18:51, 22 May 2013 (UTC)


 * Merged. Hyacinth (talk) 23:37, 24 May 2013 (UTC)

Fétis and "dominante tonique"
The idea that Fétis called the common practice period dominant seventh the dominante tonique obviously is wrong: the term is Rameau's (in the Traité d'harmonie, I think) and I doubt that Fétis used it unless in quotations of Rameau. I don't have access to Gjerdingen's translation of Dahlhaus mentioned in Dominant_(music) and I don't find anything of the kind in the German original. If someone had the time and the energy to check this, it would be fine. Hucbald.SaintAmand (talk) 09:14, 8 September 2016 (UTC)