Timeline for Do figured bass symbols work with roman numerals?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
11 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2021 at 8:05 | comment | added | user35708 | I understand what you mean. Thanks for explaining and I totally see the difference | |
| Sep 11, 2021 at 17:39 | comment | added | Aaron | @armani Come to think of it, I never said what key the piece was in in the first place. The chord could be IV in G, III in A minor, VI in E minor, V/V in Bb major, .... | |
| Sep 11, 2021 at 17:12 | comment | added | Aaron | @armani What if the piece modulated at some point before the C-E-G? It would no longer be the V chord. | |
| Sep 11, 2021 at 17:09 | comment | added | user35708 | Aaron you would have to look at the bass note.... isnt that the same as a roman numeral... If the key signature is one flat you know it is a V chord because C is V of F. But I get it... maybe it is just easier with the numeral. | |
| Sep 11, 2021 at 17:07 | comment | added | Aaron | @Dekkadeci Roman numerals are supposed to be key agnostic. They describe the function of the chord within the harmonic context. | |
| Sep 11, 2021 at 14:59 | comment | added | Dekkadeci | Figured bass also requires a bassline with notated, fixed notes (e.g. C-G-C-G). Romans numerals don't and are actually key-agnostic (i.e. "I-V-I-V6" tells me nothing about which key the passage is in). | |
| Sep 11, 2021 at 13:16 | comment | added | Aaron | @armani Suppose the notes in the score are C-E-G and the figure is 5-3. All you know is it's a root position chord. What is the harmonic function of that chord? That is, what Roman numeral would otherwise be assigned to that chord? | |
| Sep 11, 2021 at 8:11 | comment | added | user35708 | Thanks Aaron. The difference between looking at the notes and looking at figured bass symbols or roman numerals is not equal to the difference between looking at roman numerals or figured bass. I was asking if the numerals become redundant with the figured bass somehow or are there times where the numerals are really necessary in definining what chord is in the score. | |
| Sep 10, 2021 at 16:15 | comment | added | Aaron | @armani None of it is strictly necessary, including the figures — you can just look at the notes. That's the point of both the Roman numeral and the figures: they allow analysis at a glance rather than having to study the score every time. | |
| Sep 10, 2021 at 14:50 | comment | added | user35708 | Figures also show the function too dont they? The note in the bass and the figured bass symbols give you all you need to see whether it is ii or V or vii... Maybe the roman numerals make it easier but they are not necessary, what do you think? | |
| Sep 10, 2021 at 14:09 | history | answered | Aaron | CC BY-SA 4.0 |