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Roman Numeral Harmonic Analysis Cheat Sheet
A printable reference covering scale degrees, Roman numerals, chord quality, inversions, figured bass, cadences, and harmonic function for grades 9-12.
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Roman numeral harmonic analysis shows how chords work inside a key. This cheat sheet helps students label chords, identify inversions, and understand common progressions in tonal music. It is especially useful for analyzing chorales, classical excerpts, pop progressions, and four-part writing. The reference organizes the topic into clear visual cards for quick study and classroom use. The most important ideas are key, scale degree, chord quality, inversion, and harmonic function. Uppercase Roman numerals usually show major chords, lowercase Roman numerals show minor chords, and diminished symbols show diminished chords. Figured bass numbers such as 6, 6/4, 7, 6/5, 4/3, and 4/2 show which chord tone is in the bass. Tonic, predominant, and dominant functions explain why progressions sound stable, moving, or tense.
Key Facts
- In a major key, the diatonic triads are I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, and vii°.
- In a natural minor key, the diatonic triads are i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI, and VII.
- In harmonic minor, scale degree 7 is raised, so the dominant chord is usually V and the leading-tone chord is vii°.
- Uppercase Roman numerals label major chords, lowercase Roman numerals label minor chords, and the symbol ° labels diminished chords.
- Triad inversions are root position with no number, first inversion as 6, and second inversion as 6/4.
- Seventh chord inversions are root position as 7, first inversion as 6/5, second inversion as 4/3, and third inversion as 4/2.
- The basic harmonic functions are tonic for rest, predominant for motion away from tonic, and dominant for tension that resolves to tonic.
- Common cadence patterns include authentic cadence V-I or V-i, half cadence ending on V, plagal cadence IV-I, and deceptive cadence V-vi or V-VI.
Vocabulary
- Roman numeral analysis
- A system that labels chords by their scale degree and function within a key.
- Scale degree
- A numbered note of a scale, such as 1 for tonic, 5 for dominant, and 7 for leading tone.
- Figured bass
- A set of numbers that shows the intervals above the bass note and helps identify chord inversion.
- Inversion
- The position of a chord when a note other than the root is the lowest sounding note.
- Harmonic function
- The role a chord plays in a progression, commonly tonic, predominant, or dominant.
- Cadence
- A harmonic ending or stopping point that creates closure or pause in a musical phrase.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing the bass note with the root is wrong because inversion depends on the bass, while the Roman numeral name depends on the chord root.
- Using uppercase and lowercase randomly is wrong because chord quality must match the actual notes, such as V for major and v for minor.
- Forgetting to raise scale degree 7 in harmonic minor can lead to labeling V as v, even though tonal minor often uses a major dominant chord.
- Labeling every 6/4 chord as a normal tonic chord is wrong because cadential 6/4 chords often function as part of the dominant, such as I6/4 to V.
- Ignoring accidentals outside the key is wrong because altered notes may create secondary dominants, borrowed chords, or changed chord qualities.
Practice Questions
- 1 In C major, identify the Roman numeral for the chord F-A-C.
- 2 In G major, identify the Roman numeral and inversion for the chord B-D-G with B in the bass.
- 3 In A minor using harmonic minor, identify the Roman numeral for the chord E-G#-B-D.
- 4 Explain why the progression ii6-V7-I creates a strong sense of motion toward the tonic.