For this tutorial we're going to explore the idea of Secondary Dominants and how they can be used to create tension and release in more harmonically complex and interesting ways. We'll discuss what they are, some of the different ways they can be used, and then show some examples from real music.
What is a Secondary Dominant?
A Secondary Dominant is a Dominant 7th chord that is the dominant of a diatonic chord other than the tonic. Yes I just used the word "dominant" three times. Let's see if we can clarify that a little.You'll remember from last time that in a given key the tonic is the I chord and the dominant is the V chord. In the key of C the tonic is C and the dominant is G. Going from G to C feels like a very satisfying move from tension to release.
We'll call the chord that the secondary dominant lands on the Target Chord. So in the key of C the Target Chord of a G is C. Since a Secondary Dominant is the dominant of a chord other than the tonic, it is the dominant (V chord) from the Target Chord's key.
Let's say that we want to figure out the secondary dominant for the Target Chord Am. In the key of Am the dominant, or V chord, is E. We also said that a secondary dominant is a Dominant 7th chord, so the secondary dominant of Am is E7.
Similarly if our Target Chord is G, the dominant or V chord in the key of G is D, so the secondary dominant of G is D7.
Here is a list of the Secondary Dominants in C Major:
Target Chord | Secondary Dominant | |
V7/ii | Dm | A7 |
V7/iii | Em | B7 |
V7/IV | F | C7* |
V7/V | G | D7 |
V7/iv | Am | E7 |
Make sure you understand how we came up with each Secondary Dominant before moving on.
What does a Secondary Dominant Sound Like?
We've seen that for basic harmonic functions the Dominant chord is the most tense and the Tonic the most relaxed. What a Secondary Dominant does is create tension that relaxes on a new tonic.Listen to the following two examples. In the first example the progression from Em to Am is relatively neutral. We expect it to keep sauntering along.
So why are Secondary Dominants typically Dominant 7th chords? In a dominant 7th chord the 3rd and 7th notes of the chord create an interval of a tritone, which is the interval of greatest unrest. It's the tritone that most wants to resolve into the Target Chord. For example in an E7 chord the 3rd and 7th of the chord make up a tritone (G# and D). The G# wants to resolve up to A and the D wants to resolve down to C# (or in the case of a minor chord, down to C). Listen to this modified progression without the 7th to hear how the E chord still pulls us into the Am but lacks color and is not as strong. We don't get the satisfying resolve down of the D to C.
How Secondary Dominants Are Used
There are a variety of ways you can use Secondary Dominants. They can be passing and primarily used for an interesting color, to build tension, for modulations or even for surprise. Let's look at a few examples to hear how they've been used before.Mozart's Piano Sonata #12 in F
Listen to the first phrase from Mozart's Piano Sonata #12:Although the F7 was merely used for a passing color it made the phrase interesting and unique. Consider how ordinary the phrase would sound if the second measure just stayed on an F major chord:
First listen to the section, then we'll discuss what's happening:
Not only does this moment act as a modulation into the new key of Dm, it also functions as a surprise. C# is not in the key of F, so it sounds foreign and unexpected but also very exciting. Listen to how it pulls us forward into new and unknown territory and keeps our interest as we are off into Dm.
Hey Jude
We can see that Secondary Dominants can be very useful in classical music for making things more interesting and leading us in new directions, but the concepts can just as easily be applied to contemporary styles as well.We already took a pretty in depth look at the harmonic functions of the verses from Hey Jude. Now we'll pay attention to the last few bars of the verse leading into the bridge. Here's the end of the verse (the line "Then you begin to make it better" and the first chord of the bridge:
Here's what it sounds like from the same place if we don't use the Secondary Dominant to lead us into the bridge.
In My Life
Another great Beatles example is In My Life, which uses Secondary Dominants in two different ways.Here are the chords from the first phrase of the verse:
If you're unsure if you're "getting it" yet, consider what it sounds like if the A7 doesn't resolve.
Listen to the chords from the next section, and I'll stop on the Secondary Dominant before it resolves:
So did John Lennon think "I'll set up a secondary dominant of the V chord but then have a deceptive resolution in a IV minor"? I really doubt it. But just because some geniuses simply feel it in their gut, the rest of us can still benefit from understanding how these devices can be used.
Conclusion
I can't stress enough that the concepts in this tutorial need to be heard to be truly understood. Listen to some of your favorite artists and try to notice moments where the chords seem to come from a different angle and pull you into a new place. If you go back and figure out the chords, do you find that you've got a Secondary Dominant?Homework assignment: Leave a comment with an example of a song you've found where a Secondary Dominants is being used. The more examples we can point each other to seek out and listen to the more we can all benefit and really drill the sound of Secondary Dominants into our ears.
No Response to "Secondary Dominants and How to Use Them"
Leave A Reply