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Questions tagged [roman-numerals]

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

In this type of analysis, a key and the Roman Numerals I to IIV are used to display the harmonic function of a passage where the number relates to the scale degree of the harmony.

In a typical Roman Numeral analysis, an uppercase Roman Numeral means the underlying harmony produces a chord that is major while a lowercase Roman Numeral means the underlying harmony produces a chord that is minor. Several other commonly used symbols are o for a diminished chord, + for an augment chord, a ♭, ♮, and ♯ for chords outside the key, and figured bass symbols to notate chord in inversions.

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Roman numeral notation for a suspended chord?

On the Wikipedia entry for Roman numeral analysis, it says that major chords use the upper case numerals (e.g. IV for the F major chord in the C major scale) and lowercase letters for minor chords (e.g. vi for the A minor chord in the C major…
xdl
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Score analysis: Minuet in G Minor BWV Anh 115

The piece modulates from G minor to Bb major between the bars 12-14 but I don't know how to mark these chords as they have B natural in them, which doesn't belong neither to G minor nor Bb major. So, what function does it actually have?
Zafer Cesur
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What is bad about Roman Numeral Analysis?

I have studied Roman numeral analysis in my theory courses, and I think that it's a good way of describing and understanding classical music, especially that of the classical and early romantic periods. I have heard from my colleagues that some…
Jeffrey
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Harmonic analysis of the B section of "Have You Met Miss Jones"

I've been studying the standard Have You Met Miss Jones and I came across a very interesting chord progression in the B section of the piece. The A section is pretty typical and the key it's in is F major, but once you hit the B section, there's 8…
Dom
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Roman numeral chord notation in minor scale?

I need help to understand chord intervals (not single note intervals) explains what the numbers I, IV, vi, III+ usually stand for in major chord theory. But what's it like with a minor scale? What is the convention here? Let's say we describe a…
Baa
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Harmony and roman numeral analysis: how to deal with chromaticism?

I recently started playing piano. While learning and performing new pieces, I found that it helps me a lot to have some certainty of what's going on with the notes, the chords, and the harmony. I decided to learn these as my first 3 pieces:…
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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 der Tonsetzkunst (Theory of Musical Composition)…
Dom
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Analyzing an unfamiliar Roman numeral analysis: Cm/G-G notated as V6/4-5/3?

I was following a question, https://music.stackexchange.com/questions/57733/tips-on-how-to-add-non-diatonic-chords-to-my-music, and one of the answers introduced a chord progression involving different non-diatonic chords, with an audio sample. As I…
Jaafar Jumaa
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I need help to understand chord intervals (not single note intervals)

I understand intervals between notes. Each number of steps between two notes has a particular name. Like this: But some times I see people refering to intervals between chords, not single notes. Like this: I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi and vii. What does…
André Pena
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Before the advent of Roman-numeral analysis, did musicians conceptualize applied/secondary chords as somehow moving towards their temporary tonics?

As discussed in Origin of Roman Numeral Analysis, Roman numerals weren't a widespread analytical tool until at least the 19th century. With this in mind, imagine that you're a musician in 1770; you're accustomed to the figured bass tradition, so you…
Richard
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Which roman numeral should I use for F# diminished chord in the key F Major?

In the key of F major, what roman numeral is the F# A C chord? I know it is a diminished chord. It is going from a F to F#dim to Gm7
kelly
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Alternative Analysis for Non-Functioning Secondary Dominants

I've been reading though my Pocket Music Theory book and in the chapter on secondary dominants there is a concept that confuses me. The book says there can be non-functioning secondary dominants that are secondary dominants that don't resolve. While…
Dom
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What does the roman numeral notation mean for this borrowed chord?

I am working my way through Asturias (Leyenda) in E minor for classical guitar. I believe the arrangement is based on the one by Segovia. I am using this sheet music, and comparing it to the tablature here when I get confused. At the start of the…
Tim Seguine
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Differentiating between II and II7 (secondary dominant V of V)

I'm studying harmony and start to make roman numeral analysis on Bach pieces. I often mistake a II (second degree) for a secondary dominant on the 2nd degree(V7 of V). I guess there are some notes differences : the minor 7th must be present in the…
kurto
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Roman numeral slash notation meaning and function? (V/iii)

When trying to find the function of the B major chord in C major I found that it was listed as a "V/iii" chord in this online calculator. I have never seen this before and don't know what this means and what it suggests about the function. To be…
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