Roman numeral analysis
In music, roman numeral analysis involves the use of roman numerals to represent chords. In the most common day to day use, Roman numerals are used so the musician may understand the progression of chords in a piece. The actual chord names (e.g. C, F, F♯, etc.) are substituted in place of the roman numerals once the key of the piece has been decided. This allows progressions to be easily transposed to any key. In essence, it is a way to abstract the chord structure of a piece.
A brief example can show how this is used in practice: if one takes the 'standard' I IV V twelve bar blues progression in the key of C (where the notes of the scale are C, D, E, F, G, A, B), the 'I' chord (Tonic) is a C; the 'IV' chord (Subdominant) is the fourth degree of the scale which is F (the fourth note in the scale); and similarly the V chord (Dominant) is a G. So similarly, if one were to play a progression in the key of A (A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯) the 'I' chord is A, the 'IV' chord is D, and the 'V' chord is an E. Typically today, uppercase numerals represent major chords while lowercase numerals represent minor chords. Several older textbooks may still use only uppercase numerals (see Alternate Notation below).
More technically, roman numeral analysis is the use of roman numeral symbols in the musical analysis of chords. In music theory related to or derived from the common practice period, arabic numerals with carets are used to designate scale degrees themselves (), whereas in theory related to or derived from jazz or modern popular music uses numbers (1, 2, 3, etc...) to represent scale degrees (See also diatonic function). In both theories, the roman numeral, number, or careted number, refers to a chord built upon that scale degree. For example, I, <math>\hat 1</math>, or 1, all refer to the chord upon the first scale step.
Gottfried Weber's Versuch einer geordneten Theorie der Tonsetzkunst (Theory of Musical Composition) (Mainz, B. Schott, 1817-21) is credited with popularizing the analytical method by which a chord is identified by the Roman numeral of the scale-degree number of its root. However, the practice originated in the works of Abbé Georg Joseph Vogler, whose theoretical works as early as 1776 employed Roman numeral analysis (Grave and Grave, 1988) [1]
Contents |
Common practice numerals
| Roman numeral analysis symbols[2] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Roman Numeral | Triad quality | Example (tonic) |
| Uppercase | Major triad | I |
| Lowercase | Minor triad | i |
| Lowercase o | Diminished triad | io |
| Uppercase + | Augmented triad | I+ |
The current system used today to study and analyze tonal music comes about initially from the work and writings of Rameau’s fundamental bass. The dissemination of Rameau’s concepts could only have come about during the significant waning of the study of harmony for the purpose of the basso continuo and its implied improvisational properties in the later 18th century. The use of Roman numerals in describing fundamentals as “scale degrees in relation to a tonic” was brought about, according to one historian, by John Trydell’s Two Essays on the Theory and Practice of Music, published in Dublin in 1766.[3] However, another source says that Trydell used Arabic numerals for this purpose, and Roman numerals were only later substituted by Georg Joseph Vogler.[4] Alternatives include the functional hybrid Nashville number system[5] and macro analysis.
Jazz and pop numerals
In music theory aimed towards jazz and popular music, all triads are represented by upper case numerals, followed by a symbol to indicate if it is not a major chord (e.g. "-" for minor or "ø" for half-diminished):
E Major:
- E maj7 becomes I maj7
- F♯ -7 becomes II -7
- G♯ -7 becomes III -7
- A maj7 becomes IV maj7
- B7 becomes V7
- C♯ -7 becomes VI -7
- D♯ø7 becomes VIIø7
Major
| Scale degree (major mode) |
Tonic | Supertonic | Mediant | Subdominant | Dominant | Submediant | Leading tone |
| Traditional notation | I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | vii° |
| Alternate notation | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII |
| Chord symbol | I Maj | II min | III min | IV Maj | V Maj | VI min | VII dim |
Minor
| Scale degree (minor mode) |
Tonic | Supertonic | Mediant | Subdominant | Dominant | Submediant | Subtonic | Leading tone |
| Traditional notation | i | ii° | III | iv | v | VI | VII | vii° |
| Alternate notation | I | ii | iii | iv | v | vi | vii | vii |
| Chord symbol | I min | II dim | ♭III Maj | IV min | V min | ♭VI Maj | ♭VII Maj | VII dim |
Performance practice
In performance practice, individual strings of stringed instruments, such as the violin, are often denoted by Roman numerals, with higher numbers denoting lower strings. For example I signifies the E string on the violin and the A string on the viola and cello, these being the highest strings, respectively, on each instrument. Ordinal numbers are used to indicate position and Arabic numbers are used to indicate fingering.
Sources
- ↑ Grave, Floyd Kersey and Margaret G. Grave (1988). In Praise of Harmony: The Teachings of Abbé Georg Joseph Vogler.
- ↑ Bruce Benward & Marilyn Nadine Saker (2003), Music: In Theory and Practice, seventh edition, 2 vols. (Boston: McGraw-Hill) Vol. I, p. 71. ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0.
- ↑ Dahlhaus, Carl. "Harmony." Grove Online Music Dictionary
- ↑ Richard Cohn, "Harmony 6. Practice". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London: Macmillan Publishers, 2001).
- ↑ Gorow, Ron (2002). Hearing and Writing Music: Professional Training for Today's Musician, second edition (Studio City, California: September Publishing, 2002), p. 251. ISBN 0-9629496-7-1.