Secondary dominant
A dominant seventh chord that resolves not to the tonic but to some other chord in the key, temporarily treating that chord as a home note.
A secondary dominant creates a short-lived feeling of tonicisation: for a moment the listener hears another chord in the progression as the destination, which adds motion without leaving the key. It is written with a slash in roman numeral analysis to show which chord it serves, and it is a staple of jazz standards and of country and pop songs that need a lift before a chorus. Recognition by ear comes from the sudden brightening of the harmony.
Example: In the key of C, a D dominant seventh chord that resolves to G is a secondary dominant, pulling towards the G chord.
See also
Related
- PageDominant seventh
- PageModulation
- PageChord progression
- PageAugmented chord
- PageBlue note
- PageBlues scale
- PageAaron Dessner
- PageAce Frehley