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Leading Tone and Supertonic Scale Degree
FIGURE 49: Melodic Scale Showing Tonal Forces
This also happens when you move down the melodic scale, from scale degree 1 (8) to 7 to 6. Again, your brain senses that you’re padding against the current. Until you reach scale degree 5. Then you sense reversal of the current and paddle downstream until you get home to scale degree 1.
So, in melody, you can get home by either ascending or descending the melodic scale. The most powerful forces for resolution are the melodic intervals 7 – 1 (8), the leading tone (seventh scale degree) moving up to the tonic note, and 2 – I, the supertonic (second scale degree) moving down to the tonic note.
In melody, there are two directions home.
In harmony ... maybe not.