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Section 5.2
ROMAN NUMERALS
Roman numerals In the roman numeral system, I (or i) means one, and V (or v) means five.
Placing a one to the right of a number adds one to the value. Placing a one
to the left subtracts one. So II = 2, since I + I = 1 + 1 = 2. Similarly, III = 3.
The number IV means 4, since the I is to the left of the V, and 5 1 = 4.
VI means 5 add 1, or 6, and VII means 5+1+1, or 7.
Roman numerals Harmonic analysis uses roman numerals to indicate chords in the music.
and chord quality The numeral indicates the scale degree (scale step) of the root of the chord.
The format of the roman numeral indicates the chord quality, as follows:
major minor w
w
diminished
w b
augmented
Triads: & w
w
w
w
w
w & b b nw
w
w
C major: I ii vii C minor: III+
M7
w
m7 w
w
Mm7 half-dim7
b dim7
& w
w w
w w
w w
w &b b w
w nw
Seventh
chords:
w w w
w w
w
C major: I M7 ii7 V7 vii7 C minor: vii7
Triad roman In major keys, I, IV, and V are major; ii, iii, and vi are minor; and the
numerals in leading tone chord is diminished. Notice how the format of each roman
major keys numeral indicates its chord quality.
M
w w
m m M M m dim
w w w
w w
w w
w w
w
& w
w
w w
w w
w w w
C major: I ii iii IV V vi vii
Seventh chord In major keys, I and IV are major seventh chords; ii, iii, and vi are minor
roman numerals seventh chords; V is a major-minor seventh; and the leading tone seventh is
in major keys half-diminished. Again, study how the format indicates each chord quality.
M7 m7 m7
w
M7
w w
w
Mm7 m7 half-dim7
w
w
& w w
w w
w w
w w
w w
w w
w
w
w w
w w
w w w
w
C major: I M 7 ii7 iii7 IV M 7 V7 vi7 vii7
Chapter 5: Introduction to Harmonic Analysis 63
Triad roman In minor keys, i and iv are minor, III, V, VI are usually major, and the
numerals in supertonic and leading tone triads are diminished. Composers almost
minor keys always wrote in the leading tone accidental (below, B natural) to make the
dominant triad major and the leading tone triad diminished.
b w w w
&b b w
w w
w w
w
w
w
w nw
w w w nw
w w
w w
c minor: i ii III iv V VI vii
Seventh chord In minor keys, i and iv are minor seventh chords; III and VI are major
roman numerals seventh chords; V is a major-minor seventh; the supertonic is half-
in minor keys diminished; and the leading tone seventh is fully-diminished.
b w w w
w w
w
&b b w w w
w w w w w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w w
w w w
w nw nw
c minor: i7 ii7 III M 7 iv7 V7 VI M 7 vii7
Variations in Because scale steps six and seven are sometimes raised in minor (see 2.4),
minor keys there are several less common options for harmonies using those notes.
bb rare! w
bsubtonic:
w b b w
w
b nw b w & bw
b w &b b nw
rare!
& w
w & b w w
c minor: III+ VII v vi7
(goes to III)
Inversion Inversion numbers (see 4.1 and 4.4 for inversions) represent intervals above
numbers the lowest note; 5 means a fifth above the low note, 3 means a third, and so
on. The notes may appear in any octave in any order above the low note,
but always use simple interval numbers (less than 8) for the inversion.
w w
ww ww
position inversion inversion position inversion inversion inversion
? w w
w w
w ? w
w ww
w w
w w
5 w
w w3 w
w w
6 4
6
3
5 =F
C major: V 3 V 63 V 64 V 75 =D V 65 V 64 V 64
w
3 =B 3 3 2
? w w
Use these abbreviations: w
w ? w ww
Count down: 7, 6-5, 4-3, 2
ww
w ww
w
w w w
w w
w w w w w
w
6 4 4
C major: V V6 V4 V7 V 65 V3 V 2 or V
2