1.Functional Harmony 2.Circle Of Fifths 3.Cadential Expansion 4.Bassline-Driven Harmony 5.Modal Harmony 6.Modal Interchange 7.Secondary Dominants 8.Pedal Points 9.Common-Tone Harmony 10.Sequence-Based Harmony 11.Parallel Harmony 12.Ostinato-Based Harmony 13.Neo-Riemannian / Parsimonious Harmony 14.Chromatic Mediants 15.Tritone Substitution 16.Negative Harmony 17.Constant Structure Harmony 18.Symmetrical Harmony
Lesson 7

Secondary Dominants

Use V of V, V of ii, and similar moves to create stronger local pull inside a progression.

By the end: You can identify a secondary dominant, name its target chord, and use it to create a brief tonicisation.

A secondary dominant is a dominant chord that temporarily points to a chord other than the main tonic. In C major, A7 points strongly to Dm, the ii chord, because C# acts as a leading tone into D.

The label V/ii means “the dominant of ii.” It borrows a note from outside the key for a moment without changing the overall key centre.

Hear the temporary pull

Try the A7 to Dm move, then notice how the progression returns to the ordinary G7–C cadence.

A useful example is C – A7 – Dm – G7 – C.

Try it

  1. Choose a target chord in your progression, such as Dm.
  2. Build a dominant seventh chord whose root is a perfect fifth above that target.
  3. Place it immediately before the target, then keep the rest of the progression in C major.

Key takeaway

A secondary dominant creates a local moment of direction; the target chord is briefly treated like home, while the main key remains intact.