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 major tonality, the sequence is SO LA SO FA MI RE TI DO. In major tonality, the resting tone is DO. Therefore, the tonal sequence ends on DO.

Labeling Harmonic Functions, Major 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. 

Major Tonic

Any combination of DO, MI and SO is called a major tonic pattern. It is often called the “one chord.” Or even simpler: “1.” If you were in the key of D, and you were to strum a C chord on the ukulele, you would be hearing a combination of DOs, MIs and SOs. This is the tonic function in major.  

Major Dominant

Any combination of SO, FA, RE and TI is called a major dominant pattern. It is often called the “five chord.” Or even simpler: “5.” If you were in the key of C, and you were to strum an G7 chord on the ukulele, you would be hearing a combination of SOs and FAs and REs and TIs. This is the dominant function in major.