Leading note
The seventh degree of a major or harmonic minor scale, a semitone below the tonic.
Category
keys
Origin
English
Length
193 words · 1 min read
About Leading note
The leading note (or leading tone) is the seventh scale degree when it sits a semitone below the tonic — as it does in major scales and harmonic minor scales. Its defining characteristic is a powerful tendency to resolve upward to the tonic, creating a sense of inevitability and arrival.
More keys terms
Chromatic
View all keysterms →Pertaining to notes outside the prevailing key or diatonic scale.
Relative Major and MinorA pair of keys — one major, one minor — sharing the same key signature
Key SignatureThe set of sharps or flats at the beginning of a staff indicating the key
TonicThe first and most important note of a key, serving as the central point of rest and resolution.
Circle of FifthsA diagram arranging all twelve major and minor keys by ascending perfect fifths, showing their key-signature relationships.
Synonyms
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v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →