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In music
Music

Music is an art form whose media is sound organized in time. Common elements of music are pitch , rhythm , dynamics , and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture ....
 or music theory
Music theory

Music theory is the field of study that deals with how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It identifies patterns that govern composer techniques....
, the supertonic is the second degree
Degree (music)

In music theory, a scale degree is the name of a particular note of a scale in relation to the Tonic . The degrees of the traditional major and minor scales may be identified several ways:...
 or note of a diatonic scale
Diatonic scale

In music theory, a diatonic scale is a seven note musical scale comprising five whole steps and two half steps, in which the half steps are maximally separated....
 (in other words, immediately "above" the tonic
Tonic (music)

The tonic is the first note of a scale in the tonality method of musical composition. The chord #The Triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord ....
). For example, in the C major scale
Major scale

In music theory, the major scale or Ionian mode scale is one of the diatonic scale Musical scales. It is made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher....
 (white keys on a piano, starting on C), the supertonic is the note D; and the supertonic chord
Chord (music)

In music and music theory a chord is a set of two or more different note that sound simultaneously. Most often, in European-influenced music, chords are tertian Sonority that can be constructed as stacks of thirds relative to some underlying musical scale....
 uses the notes D, F, and A. In music theory
Music theory

Music theory is the field of study that deals with how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It identifies patterns that govern composer techniques....
, the supertonic chord is symbolized by the Roman numeral ii if major (for example D-F-A in the C Lydian mode
Lydian mode

Due to historical confusion, Lydian mode can refer to two very different musical modes or diatonic scales....
) or iio if minor (for example D-F-A in C major without any chromatic alteration).

The function of the supertonic chord in a tonal
Tonality

Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchy pitch relationships are based on a Key "center" or Tonic . The term tonalit? originated with Alexandre-?tienne Choron and was borrowed by Fran?ois-Joseph F?tis in 1840 ....
/functional context is to either establish the dominant as a secondary tonic, the supertonic being the dominant of the dominant or V/V, or to progress to the Dominant
Dominant (music)

In music, the dominant is the fifth degree of the Scale . For example, in the C major scale , the dominant is the note G; and the dominant chord uses the notes G, B, and D....
 either as a part of sectional form or part of a chord progression such as the circle of fifths (V/V-V-I, in C: D-G-C).






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In music
Music

Music is an art form whose media is sound organized in time. Common elements of music are pitch , rhythm , dynamics , and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture ....
 or music theory
Music theory

Music theory is the field of study that deals with how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It identifies patterns that govern composer techniques....
, the supertonic is the second degree
Degree (music)

In music theory, a scale degree is the name of a particular note of a scale in relation to the Tonic . The degrees of the traditional major and minor scales may be identified several ways:...
 or note of a diatonic scale
Diatonic scale

In music theory, a diatonic scale is a seven note musical scale comprising five whole steps and two half steps, in which the half steps are maximally separated....
 (in other words, immediately "above" the tonic
Tonic (music)

The tonic is the first note of a scale in the tonality method of musical composition. The chord #The Triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord ....
). For example, in the C major scale
Major scale

In music theory, the major scale or Ionian mode scale is one of the diatonic scale Musical scales. It is made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher....
 (white keys on a piano, starting on C), the supertonic is the note D; and the supertonic chord
Chord (music)

In music and music theory a chord is a set of two or more different note that sound simultaneously. Most often, in European-influenced music, chords are tertian Sonority that can be constructed as stacks of thirds relative to some underlying musical scale....
 uses the notes D, F, and A. In music theory
Music theory

Music theory is the field of study that deals with how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It identifies patterns that govern composer techniques....
, the supertonic chord is symbolized by the Roman numeral ii if major (for example D-F-A in the C Lydian mode
Lydian mode

Due to historical confusion, Lydian mode can refer to two very different musical modes or diatonic scales....
) or iio if minor (for example D-F-A in C major without any chromatic alteration).

The function of the supertonic chord in a tonal
Tonality

Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchy pitch relationships are based on a Key "center" or Tonic . The term tonalit? originated with Alexandre-?tienne Choron and was borrowed by Fran?ois-Joseph F?tis in 1840 ....
/functional context is to either establish the dominant as a secondary tonic, the supertonic being the dominant of the dominant or V/V, or to progress to the Dominant
Dominant (music)

In music, the dominant is the fifth degree of the Scale . For example, in the C major scale , the dominant is the note G; and the dominant chord uses the notes G, B, and D....
 either as a part of sectional form or part of a chord progression such as the circle of fifths (V/V-V-I, in C: D-G-C). When spelled diatonically, the supertonic is a minor triad in a major key, and a diminished triad in a minor key.

"Supertonic" also refers to a relationship of musical keys. For example, relative to the key of C major, the key of D major (or D minor) is the supertonic. Modulation
Modulation (music)

In music, modulation is most commonly the act or process of changing from one key to another. This may or may not be accompanied by a change in key signature....
 (change of key) to the supertonic is relatively common (by far the most common modulation in modern popular music
Popular music

Popular music is music that is accessible to the mainstream and disseminated by one or more of the mass media. It belongs to any of a number of musical genres, and stands in contrast to classical music, which historically was the music of the elite and upper strata of society, and traditional music which was disseminated orally....
), though in classical music
Classical music

Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of Western art history Religious music and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 9th century to present times....
 it is more common to modulate to the dominant
Dominant (music)

In music, the dominant is the fifth degree of the Scale . For example, in the C major scale , the dominant is the note G; and the dominant chord uses the notes G, B, and D....
 or other keys.

In German theory derived from Hugo Riemann
Hugo Riemann

Karl Wilhelm Julius Hugo Riemann was a Germany music theory. He should not be confused with the mathematician Bernhard Riemann.Riemann was born at Grossmehlra, near Sondershausen....
 the supertonic is considered the subdominant parallel
Subdominant parallel

In music theory, the subdominant parallel is terminology used in German theory derived mainly from Hugo Riemann, Sp, in major, and sP, in minor, is the relative key to the subdominant and is thus considered to have or fulfill the function of the subdominant....
: Sp/T in major and sP/T in minor.