Watch the video lesson below. The salient text follows. 

Tonal Sequence

Dr. Gordon created a tonal sequence that includes all of the pitches of each tonality. The scale degree numbers for the sequence are 56543271. It always ends on the resting tone. In minor tonality, the sequence is MI FA MI RE DO TI SI LA. In minor tonality, the resting tone is LA. Therefore, the tonal sequence ends on LA.

Labeling Harmonic Functions, Minor Tonality

Now that you have echoed patterns at the Aural/Oral level in both major and minor tonalities, and had experience singing the resting tone using solfege, you are ready to label harmonic functions. We will give syllables to the pitches and names to the same patterns you learned at the Aural/Oral level. 

Minor Tonic

Any combination of LA, DO and MI is called a minor tonic pattern. It is often called the “I chord.” (I is the Roman numeral for one.) If you were in the key of D minor, and you were to strum a Dm chord on the ukulele, you would be hearing a combination of LAs and DOs and MIs. 

Minor Dominant

Any combination of MI, RE, TI and SI is called a minor dominant pattern. It is often called the “V chord.” (V is the Roman numeral for five.) If you were in the key of D minor, and you were to strum an A7 chord on the ukulele, you would be hearing a combination of MIs and REs and TIs and SIs.