CHORDS WITHIN KEYS
Once you have learnt all of your chords, the next step is to understand keys and the chords within them. We start with C major (no #’s or b’s).
There are several things worth noting (Refer to the diagram below - Key of C)
KEY OF C
Major Scale: C D E F G A B
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: I ii iii IV V vi viiø or bVII
Harmonic Minor Scale: C D Eb F G Ab B
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: i iiø III iv v or V VI bVII or viiø
Once you have learnt all of your chords, the next step is to understand keys and the chords within them. We start with C major (no #’s or b’s).
There are several things worth noting (Refer to the diagram below - Key of C)
- All of the scale degrees are written in Roman Numerals or 1-7
- A capital letter in Roman Numeral is MAJOR eg I II III IV V VI VII
- A lower case letter in Roman Numeral is MINOR eg i ii iii iv v vi vii
- ø is DIMINISHED eg viiø or iiø
- In a major scale the specific scale degree will always be that specific chord of minor or major eg In a Major Scale, scale degree 1 is ALWAYS a major chord. Scale 4 is always a Major chord. Scale 6 is always an minor chord.
- This applies in a minor scale as well. eg In a minor scale, scale degree 1 is ALWAYS a minor chord. Scale 3 is a Major chord. However scale degree 5 and 7 are interchangeable to minor, major or diminished.
- The seventh note of the scale is interchangeable to be a diminished or bMAJOR chord. This may affect chord 7 in both the major and minor versions of the key.
KEY OF C
Major Scale: C D E F G A B
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: I ii iii IV V vi viiø or bVII
Harmonic Minor Scale: C D Eb F G Ab B
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: i iiø III iv v or V VI bVII or viiø
Check your understanding practise questions based off the key of C (similar questions may be in your quiz and your assessment)
To make this simpler for the moment. First 15 questions are based of the key of C Major scale.
These questions are based off the key of C Minor Scale (C Harmonic Minor)
To make this simpler for the moment. First 15 questions are based of the key of C Major scale.
- In the key of C or any key. How many scale degrees are there?
- List the roman numerals in upper and lower case for a C major scale.
- List the 7 chords in order for the major key.
- Chord ii in C major is.
- Chord V in C major is.
- Chord vi in C major is.
- What roman numeral is the chord C major
- What roman numeral is the chord A minor
- What roman numeral is the chord F major
- What roman numeral is the chord B diminished
- List the chord and scale degree from the roman numeral I
- List the chord and scale degree from the roman numeral iii
- List the chord and scale degree from the roman numeral V
- List the chord and scale degree from the roman numeral vi
- List the chord and scale degree from the roman numeral bVII
These questions are based off the key of C Minor Scale (C Harmonic Minor)
- List the roman numerals in upper and lower case for a C minor scale.
- List the 7 chords in order for the minor key.
- Chord i in C minor is.
- Chord v in C minor is.
- Chord VI in C minor is.
- What roman numeral is the chord C minor
- What roman numeral is the chord F minor
- What roman numeral is the chord B diminished
- List the chord and scale degree from the roman numeral III
- List the chord and scale degree from the roman numeral iv
- List the chord and scale degree from the roman numeral bVII
# (Sharp) KEYS
Key of G
Major Scale: G A B C D E F#
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: I ii iii IV V vi viiø or bVII
Harmonic Minor Scale: G A Bb C D Eb F#
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: i iiø III iv v or V VI bVII or viiø
Major Scale: G A B C D E F#
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: I ii iii IV V vi viiø or bVII
Harmonic Minor Scale: G A Bb C D Eb F#
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: i iiø III iv v or V VI bVII or viiø
Key of D
Major Scale: D E F# G A B C#
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: I ii iii IV V vi viiø or bVII
Harmonic Minor Scale: D E F G A Bb C#
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: i iiø III iv v or V VI bVII or viiø
Key of A
Major Scale: A B C# D E F# G#
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: I ii iii IV V vi viiø or bVII
Harmonic Minor Scale: A B C D E F G#
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: i iiø III iv v or V VI bVII or viiø
Key of E
Major Scale: E F# G# A B C# D#
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: I ii iii IV V vi viiø or bVII
Harmonic Minor Scale: E F# G A B C D#
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: i iiø III iv v or V VI bVII or viiø
More keys : B, F#, C#
b (Flat) Keys
Key of F
Major Scale: F G A Bb C D E
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: I ii iii IV V vi viiø or bVII
Harmonic Minor Scale: F G Ab Bb C Db E
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: i iiø III iv v or V VI bVII or viiø
Key of Bb
Major Scale: Bb C D Eb F G A
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: I ii iii IV V vi viiø or bVII
Harmonic Minor Scale: Bb C Db Eb F Gb A
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: i iiø III iv v or V VI bVII or viiø
Key of Eb
Major Scale: Eb F G Ab Bb C D
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: I ii iii IV V vi viiø or bVII
Harmonic Minor Scale: Eb F Gb Ab Bb Cb D
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: i iiø III iv v or V VI bVII or viiø
Key of Ab
Major Scale: Ab Bb C Db Eb F G
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: I ii iii IV V vi viiø or bVII
Harmonic Minor Scale: Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb G
Scale Degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Roman Numeral: i iiø III iv v or V VI bVII or viiø
More Keys : Db, Gb, Cb