Lecture Notes: Roman Numerals in Music

Introduction

• Roman numerals in music are used to identify chords and their qualities.
• They allow visual representation of all chords in a key.
• Useful for transferring chord progressions into different keys (transposition).

Understanding the C Major Scale

• C Major Scale: Consists of just the white notes between two C's.
• Chords in C Major are built using only these notes.

Building Chords with Roman Numerals

• Chord 1: Built on C - C Major (uppercase Roman numeral I)
• Chord 2: Built on D - D Minor (lowercase Roman numeral ii)
• Chord 3: Built on E - E Minor (lowercase Roman numeral iii)
• Chord 4: Built on F - F Major (uppercase Roman numeral IV)
• Chord 5: Built on G - G Major (uppercase Roman numeral V)
• Chord 6: Built on A - A Minor (lowercase Roman numeral vi)
• Chord 7: Built on B - B Diminished (Roman numeral vii°, with a small circle indicating diminished)

Characteristics of Chords

• Major chords: Represented by uppercase Roman numerals.
• Minor chords: Represented by lowercase Roman numerals.
• Diminished chords: Uncommon, denoted by a small circle (°).

Practical Application of Roman Numerals

• Example progression in C Major: I-IV-vi-V (C Major - F Major - A Minor - G Major)
• Transposing to E Major:
  • E Major Scale: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#
  • Corresponding chords:
    • I (E Major)
    • IV (A Major)
    • vi (C# Minor)
    • V (B Major)

Key Points

• Chord progressions are not copyrighted.
• Roman numerals facilitate easy transposition into different keys.

Conclusion

• Roman numeral system is a vital tool in music theory for identifying chord qualities and for transposing chord progressions across different keys.