Finding Chord Symbols & Figured Bass

1. Name the notes of the chord. 2. Find the root note of the chord. a. Assume all notes are the root and, using the “Major Scale Sheet”, figure out what the intervals would be from all “root” notes. 3. Above the chord, name the root note (R). If the chord is a 7th chord, indicate this by putting a “7” next to the root note name. (R7). a. If the root note is in the bass (bottom of the chord) then move on to step 4. Otherwise, name the note that IS in the bass (B). b. The chord symbol will simply be “R” if the root is in the bass or “R/B” if a note other than the root is in the bass. In the case of a 7th chord, write “R7/B”. 4. Determine the key signature. Write it under the clef. 5. Determine what Roman Numeral represents the chord name in the key signature given. a. Taking the root note into consideration, what scale degree is the root note of the chord in the key signature that music is in? i. Use the “Major Scale Sheet” to figure this out. b. Once you have discovered the root note’s scale degree in the key signature that the music is written in, change that number into the matching Roman Numeral. 6. If the chord is a triad and the root note is in the bass, then simply write the Roman Numeral (N). If the chord is a seventh chord and the root note is in the bass, then write the Roman Numeral with a 7 following it (N7). If the root note is not in the bass, then determine the generic intervallic relationship between the bottom note and all other notes above it. Then, next to the Roman Numeral, write the generic intervals found from top to bottom. Keep in mind that over time, some figured bass has been omitted.

FIGURED BASS SYMBOLS (N=Roman Numeral)

Chord Type Symbol Used Root Position Triad: N First Inversion Triad: N6 6 Second Inversion Triad: N 4 Root Position Seventh Chord: N7 6 First Inversion Seventh Chord: N 5 4 Second Inversion Seventh Chord: N 3 4 Third Inversion Seventh Chord: N 2