Originally posted by griphon2
The reason the IV chord is called the subdominant is simply because it's below the dominant.

Below the tonic not the dominant. These terms directly point to there relationship with the tonic. it's called a subdominat because it is 5 degrees below the tonic, like the dominant is 5 degrees above the tonic. Just like the mediant is the 3rd degree above the tonic the submediant (6th degree above the tonic) is the 3rd degree below the tonic. "super-" is given to the chord degree above the tonic. Most of the time it is understood, instead of superdominant, it's just dominant. But the 2nd degree is called the super-tonic. In the minor key the 7th degree above the tonic is called the subtonic, because it is the 2nd degree below the tonic.

[Edited by noticingthemistake on 07-13-2003 at 11:41 PM]