Questions tagged [roman-numerals]

The harmonic analysis of music using Roman Numerals to express the function of harmony.

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What are the capitalized roman numerals in a minor key [duplicate]

I've heard that for major scales, the capital letters are always I, IV, and V. What are they for minor scales?
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1 answer
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How would this chord from "The Chamber of 32 Doors" by Genesis be analyzed?

I'm trying to analyze a song I recently discovered, "The Chamber of 32 Doors" by Genesis. Here is the song link: At 1:02, there is a chord progression with a ...
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Chromatic parallel six-three chords

I am trying to follow Aldwell and Schachter’s analysis of Chopin’s Impromptu, Op. 29. I wanted to learn about chromatic voice leading techniques, but I ended up getting stuck simply with their ...
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Are non-functioning secondary dominants the same as deceptive secondary dominants?

If you have a chord progression like this: V7/V IV I've seen different websites that have different names for this: Non-functioning secondary dominant Deceptive secondary dominant Secondary ...
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2 votes
5 answers
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How to notate a borrowed chord if you're in a key other than major?

If I'm in a major key and I have a progression from the three chord to the six chord borrowed from the parallel minor (modal mixture) I would go: iii bVI But if I was in a natural minor key scale ...
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Why does this chord progression work? I feel like I've heard it before but can't find the pattern

I had this song stuck in my head all day and tried to play by ear the section that starts around 1:40 on the guitar. If I'm not wrong, the chord progression here is the following : |Am / / / |C / / /...
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What is the correct Roman numeral notation for use in modal pieces?

Looking at a lead sheet (Scarborough Fair), it is noted that the key signature is D major. On closer inspection the song appears to be in Dorian mode. I am guessing that the better approach when e.g....
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Minor Key (and other key?) Roman Numeral Analysis

What is the general standard in RNA for the natural minor key, as well as keys that are neither major nor nat. minor? So in studying RNA, I found the major key pretty straightforward: I ii iii IV V ...
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Roman numeral analysis for melody?

This is mainly a notation question. But when analyzing a melody how do you notate melody notes? Is it 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII (or maybe lower case) or do, re, mi, fa, sol, ...
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2 votes
2 answers
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Applying schemata to chords other than I IV V

I have been reading up on Galant schemata (stock melodic phrases) recently and have run into a question regarding their universality. All of the various schemas (Prinner, Pastorale, Fenaroli, etc) ...
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I need help understanding how to assign roman numerals to a key as well as how to do a melodic analysis [closed]

Here is the link to the questions: https://scontent.fybz2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/s2048x2048/76767498_631590154044645_5429312693389492224_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_ohc=...
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Does minor/major affect scale degrees when talking about chords?

Say I'm playing a song in C Minor, and I play the chords Cm, B♭, A♭, G If I was talking about, or analyzing these chords using roman numerals, which way is more correct to refer to them? i, VII, VI,...
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Intro of A Whiter Shade of Pale: is my analysis of chords correct?

I wonder about 2 points in this intro (I can ask them in to different questions if desired) I'm not sure whether I hear this progression correct ... The beginning ...
2 votes
2 answers
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Determining roman numeral notation

I am just starting to learn music theory so if I'm making an obvious mistake, forgive me. Given the chord progression D major B♭ major F major C major, I have assumed that it is in the key of F major ...
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Is there a term for chords where a Roman numeral would be considered meaningless?

I'm trying to go deeper into my study of chromatic harmony. I was reading through the Tonal Harmony textbook, and it says that a "simultaneity" is "a chord for which a traditional Roman numeral label ...
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Rules for naming borrowed chords in Roman numeral analysis

I don't seem to find an extensive resource on how to name out of scale chords in Roman numeral analysis. E.g., let's look at this piece from "All imperfect things" of Michael Nyman: I'm ...
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Is it possible to know the exact chord from the roman numerals

I was taking a look at this chord progression and attempted to play it just using the roman numerals. Seeing the V(G) I played what would be the right most G in the image with the B and D above it so ...
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How to flat and sharp a chord in roman numeral notation?

When you see a flat or a sharp before a roman numeral do you just flat the first note? so in the key of C major: III is: E G# B bIII is: Eb G# B (do I just flatten the first note?) iii is: E G B biii ...
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4 votes
1 answer
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How to write Roman numeral figures for non-chord tones (NCT) and inversions, triads and seventh chords?

What Roman numeral figures distinguish a 2nd inversion dominant triad with a NCT fourth from a root position dominant 7th chord with a NCT fourth? Related to How writing a dominant 7 sus4 chord in ...
3 votes
1 answer
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Can any chord be converted to its roman numeral equivalent?

Just a quick question, but I'm wondering if any type of chord even something complicated Gbmaj13#5/F can be converted to roman numerals? Assuming the key is given.
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4 votes
1 answer
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How writing a dominant 7 sus4 chord in RNA ( Vsus7 chord in the 1st inversion) [duplicate]

Maybe I’ve just a black out. But I wanted to notate a V7sus (inversion 1) writing a dominant 7 without the suspension of the 4th in RNA. No idea ... g,c,d,f => c,d,f,g
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3 answers
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Different harmonic changes implied by a simple descending scale

This is a question that readers may find confusing. It is a bit confusing to me too, but I'll try to explain and illustrate it as best as I can. What are the harmonic functions (in terms of Roman-...
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Using standard Roman numeral analysis how should 7th and 9th qualities be determined?

Example: C: V7 or inversions like C: V6/5 are understood to be dominant-seventh chords and C: V9 a dominant ninth chord with a diatonic, major ninth. I think the basic idea is all the Arabic ...
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What is meant by a M next to a roman numeral?

That is, a I or V followed by an M in the superscript.
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Roman Numeral Treatment of Suspensions

My question today stems from me having difficulty assigning a roman numeral to a chord which either has a suspension (please see below) Or when there is melodic motion in the bass (please see below) ...
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Trouble reading roman numeral notation with flats

I am working my way through an article on transformations in rock harmony, but I am getting stuck trying to read the author's roman numeral analysis. I would really appreciate some help understanding ...
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Are all modes relative to Ionian (major) in Roman numeral analysis?

I saw in this Wikipedia article that there are a lot of flats and sharps in the modal natural chords. And I was wondering if it's because they all refer to Ionian. So in Aeolian the "bIII" chord is ...
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1 vote
2 answers
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Question of putting Roman Numerals on a chord sequence I have

I only have a little knowledge of music theory and was unable to work out how to use roman numerals to denote a chord sequence of one of my old tunes which starts in Fm. I have listed the chord ...
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Chord exceptions in City of New Orleans

Here are the first few chords of "City of New Orleans" as performed by Arlo Guthrie: F# C# F# D#m B F# F# C# F# D#m B F# D#m A#m C# G# If I lay out the chords in a roman numeral chart, starting at ...
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1 answer
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Does flatting or sharping a roman numeral indicate modal mixture?

I'm wondering when I see chords in the form of: bIII, bVI, #v. Does that mean I am borrowing a chord from the parallel key? I am currently thinking that "b" is only used when I am currently in a ...
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7 votes
3 answers
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Does the flat (b) in bIII flatten all the notes?

Say we're talking about C major. In C major the III is E major (a non-diatonic chord) which consists of the pitches: E G# B If we do bIII, does that b mean I should flatten all the notes in the ...
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5 votes
2 answers
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Functional analysis of chorale 'Wie wunderbarlich ist doch diese Strafe' BWV 244/46

I did some analysis of the chorale 'Wie wunderbarlich ist doch diese Strafe' (from Matthew Passion BWV 244 no.46), see below. But how would I analyse the first chord in measure 2? Obviously, it's an E ...
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3 votes
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Using Roman Numeral Notation with Notes in the Bass (not figured bass)

I have a situation where I want to use Roman numerals to express a chord progression. In the jazz Real Book, this would look something like this: (key of A major) A A/G A/F# A/E D I imagine this ...
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4 votes
1 answer
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Roman Numeral Analysis of Tension-Heavy Jazz

So far, I have tried doing Roman numeral analysis mainly on Classical- and Romantic- era music. However, I just took a look at some Miles Davis, and didn't know what to do - there were so many chords ...
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6 votes
3 answers
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Passage has successive F minor and E minor chords. Is this atonal or chromatic?

I am studying this passage from LOTR. The viola, cello, and bass here alternate between chords in F minor and E minor. How would I write the lower 3 parts with Roman numerals? They don't share ...
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2 answers
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Roman numeral anaysis help

Hello, I'm trying to do a roman numeral analysis of this piece, but i could not figure out the first two bars. Especially the third beat of the second bar.
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Origin of Roman Numeral Analysis

Out of curiosity, I was searching for the origin of Roman Numeral analysis and the only online source I could find was this passage in Wikipedia: Gottfried Weber's Versuch einer geordneten Theorie ...
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What does this bold letter preceeded ny a roman numeral indicate? [duplicate]

I'm trying to read this etude by Coste and frequently I find a bold B followed by a roman numeral in the score. What exactly does this indicate? Thanks. Here is the score: http://www.classclef.com/pdf/...
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What is a roman numeral analysis of the chords from Coldplay's "God put a smile upon your face"?

I'm trying to apply Roman numeral analysis to some pop songs and am a little stumped on Coldplay's "God put a smile upon your face". The chords, as I understand them, are: Section A: D♭, E6, E♭7, ...
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Roman Numeral Chords with Slash

This chart has a listing for a chord V/1 and I'm having trouble interpreting this chord, specifically the "/1" part. I think the "/1" part might have one of the following meanings... "the base note ...
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Is C minor i in the key of C minor?

If I write in c minor, is c the VI or the I? Also what about Dominant, tonic and that stuff, are they the same as in Eb major? Otherwise I could only write deceptive cadences in minor keys if I end on ...
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Why is V⁷ a seventh chord, while ii⁷ a minor seventh,

I've been looking at chord progressions on HookTheory. But I'm a bit confused by the relative notation. For example here: https://www.hooktheory.com/trends#node=1.57&key=rel It is possible to ...
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1 answer
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What does this arrow mean in the chord annotations?

What does the arrow (which I've highlighted) mean?
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In the Key of C major what would an F# major chord be?

Roman Numeral Analysis G F# F all major chords
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Eight numerals vs. twelve half-steps

I see a lot to piano tutorials (like Laura Palmer's Theme) that use roman numerals to indicate chord progression. In Laura Palmer's Theme, it's: i - I - III - iv - I - vi - IV - i In the key of C ...
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How to name a b7 chord

Whilst it's usual to name a D major chord (in key C) as V/V - the dominant of the dominant - is it legitimate to call Bb (b7) IV/IV - the subdominant of the subdominant? Another justification is of ...
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Does MusicXML support roman numerals and/or functions?

Does MusicXML support roman numerals and/or functions (such as T for tonic)? I know this can be done via a workaround, namely using lyrics and a special font. But I am talking about dedicated support. ...
3 votes
1 answer
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Software support for roman numerals and functions

I have seen how someone used Musescore, lyrics and a special font to attach roman numerals to a score. I have also seen examples of roman numerals in Sibelius. I have no idea how that was done. I ...
4 votes
1 answer
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What is a "key cell"?

I have recently heard of the concept of a "key cell" as a short modulation (number of bars) that contains a tonal model progression, which can be analyzed in the context of two closely related keys. ...
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Chords notation question [duplicate]

An article about Aeolian harmony on Wikipedia begins as follows: Aeolian harmony is harmony or chord progression created from chords of the Aeolian mode. Commonly known as the "natural minor" ...
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