Episode 14 discusses the form Roman Numerals are written to show the natural progression of harmony in diatonic scales.
Episode 14 discusses the form Roman Numerals are written to show the natural progression of harmony in diatonic scales (0:50). Knowledge of scale degrees (2:44) and chord qualities (4:10) can also be used to help further identify chords. Practice with a listening example (5:40).
Question of the day:(7:28) In a diatonic C major scale, what will the chord qualities be labeled with macro analysis?
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Hi and welcome to the APsolute Recap: Music Theory Edition. Today’s episode will recap Diatonic Chords & Roman Numerals
Lets Zoom out:
We’re in Unit 3, Music Fundamentals
Topic 3.2
Our Big idea is pitch
Can’t we all just get along? This episode is all about harmony. Pitches can be grouped in units called chords and labeled with roman numerals.
Lets Zoom in:
Start by dissecting the word Diatonic- the prefix dia means passing through, and tonic refers to the first scale degree. So, if we were to pass through the first scale degree to follow the pitches that naturally fall within the key signature, then you would find the chords listed without any accidentals, also known as the pitches that lie outside of the selected mode.
Diatonic chords can be identified using Roman Numerals-
Upper case roman numerals indicate a major chord, and lower case roman numerals indicate a minor chord.
Diatonic chords written for a major scale with Roman Numerals would be-
I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii°
Another way to look at this would be Major 1, minor 2, minor 3, major 4, major 5, minor 6, diminished 7. For a diatonic natural minor scale: i ii° III iv v VI VII. No need to memorize both of these, just remember that the minor scale can start on the sixth scale degree of a major scale, and have the same order of chord qualities, just labeled with different numbers.
If you see any of these Roman Numerals written differently, for example a Major III chord written in a major mode, then it is not a diatonic chord since it would naturally be a minor iii chord.
Remember the scale degrees? That may seem like ages ago, but we have to bring them back into popularity. Tonic supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, leading tone or subtonic. Leading tone is a minor second away from the tonic, and a subtonic is a major second away from the tonic. A triad chord built on the third scale degree might be called a “mediant triad.” A seventh chord built on the fifth scale degree might be called “dominant seventh chord.”
To become proficient at identifying diatonic chords, you should be able to recognize the scale degree, chord quality, root, and bass. For example, in a piece where there are four sharps in the key signature, you might notice a chord that has pitches F#, D# and B. First, we could identify the chord as B major, because it is a minor third stacked with a major third when the pitches are reconfigured to be in thirds. The chord could be considered as the dominant triad since B is the fifth scale degree in the E major scale, indicated by the key signature. The F# is the bass note, simply because it is listed as the lowest sounding note. B is the root of the chord. This chord is in an inversion, but more on that in Episode 15!
Some chords will need a qualifying symbol, like the ones discussed in Episode 13. Diminished chords with a degree sign, and augmented chords with a plus sign.
Roman Numerals are one way of analyzing chords, but in many examples of music there are also macro analysis symbols. For example if the tonic chord was an A major chord, instead of labeling it with the roman number I, it would be listed with a capital A. The same rules apply for macro analysis: lower case letters indicate minor, upper case for major, degree symbol for diminished, and plus sign for augmented.
My loyal sheep, please remember that you always need to practice the concepts from this course with written and performed music. Let’s practice identifying with Roman Numerals now with performed music.
You will hear six chords total. If you are trying to notate while listening, we will be working in E major, which makes the key signature have four sharps.
(I IV V ii V I)
You should have noticed right away that you could label the first and the last chords with Roman Numeral I. I find it helpful to try to sing the root note with solfege. Listen again to try to pick out the dominant chord this time.
(I IV V ii V I)
Now we can deduce the chords are I, __, V __, V I. Listen for the two remaining chords.
(I IV V ii V I)
The two remaining chords are IV and ii. The complete answer is: I IV V ii V I
To recap……
Diatonic chords are groups of triad pitches from a major or minor scale without alterations of accidentals out of the key signature. These chords can be labeled with Roman Numerals and Macro Analysis symbols. Identify chords aurally and in written notation.
Coming up next on the Apsolute RecAP Music Theory Edition: Chord Inversions
Today’s Question of the day is about Macro Analysis
Question: In a diatonic C major scale, what will the chord qualities be labeled with macro analysis?