In this exercise you will be given a series of chords (cadence) to establish a tonal center. Then a note (or a series of notes) will be played and you will be asked to find the scale degree of the note.

Tip! If you're just starting out, it's better to practice on just a few scale degrees. Starting from Do, Re and Mi is recommended.

Scales and scale degrees

The major scale consist of 7 notes that are built from the following intervals:

tone - tone - semitone - tone - tone - tone - semitone

For example, the C major scale, consists of the following notes:

C D E F G A B

The first note of the scale - also called the tonic - is the "home" note. The note that will feel most "resolves" and at "rest".

Any other note will have a specific "tension" or "sensation" in relation to the tonic note. It might feel as if the note "wants" to resolve to the tonic note.

In this example a group of chords will be played to let your mind feel C as the "root note". Then the note D will be played, listen to its sense of tension, like it wants to resolve down to C.

Play

In the key of D however, D is the tonic, so it assumes a sensation of rest. To avoid confusion between different keys, we use solfege syllables.

Each syllable represents a different degree in the scale.

After getting a correct answer, the app will play a resolution of the note to the tonic, to enforce your memory and sensation of tension and release.

If you're finding it hard to accomplish, try sing the note and resolve it to the nearest tonic, either above or below.