Degrees of the scale and the key of a melody

Seven degrees, seven names

Each note of a scale is a degree, numbered from the tonic as 1. Each degree also has a technical name:

Degree	Name	In C major	In A minor (harmonic)
1	tonic	C	A
2	supertonic	D	B
3	mediant	E	C
4	subdominant	F	D
5	dominant	G	E
6	submediant	A	F
7	leading note	B	G sharp

Tip: the names fit round the tonic. The dominant is 5 above; the subdominant is 5 below (so 4 above). The mediant is halfway up to the dominant; the submediant halfway down to the subdominant. The supertonic is just above the tonic and the leading note just below, leading back up to it.