What does the roman numerals stand for?

Hi all,

I see that in some music sheets notation, there are romans numerals on the top of each measure numbered I, II, IV, VI etc etc...

What does it mean and where can i find more info to learn about them?

Rgds,
Kenny

They represent the intervals of the key you're playing in.
In C Major for example, the notes are:
C D E F G A B
In that case C= I, D=II, E=III and so on.

If you switched the key to G Major, then the notes of the scale are:
G A B C D E F#
Then G=1, A=II, B=III

You really would have to know all your scales for them to be useful I think. I don't yet, so I shy away from that sort of notation. :)

It's actually more used to notate chords, based on those notes from the scale. Capitalized means major, normal letters mean minor.

C= I
Dm= ii
Em= iii
F= IV
G= V
Am= vi
Bm5b= vii5b

You can then write down progressions. For example, a bluesbar would look like this:
I-IV-I-I
IV-IV-I-I
V-IV-I-V

You can then play it in every key by replacing the numbers for the chords of the key you're after. So in C:
C-F-C-C
F-F-C-C
G-F-C-G

They can be chords, but they can also be positions. In standard notation for guitar, positions are indicated with Roman numerals.

You can usually tell the difference...

If any Roman numeral is higher than VII, they're for positions.

If any of them have a prefix or suffix, like 1/2VI, III Pos, or CV, it's positions. (The "Pos" stands for position, the 1/2 for a half barre, and the "C" for cejilla - the Spanish term for "little eyebrow", the barre chord).

If any of them are in lower case, (like iii) they're chords. Minor chords are shown in lower case.

I'd think they're more likely to be positions than chords built on scale degrees.

Of course, we use Roman numerals to mean scale degree chords all the time when discussing pieces of music, and we often see them used in theory texts when musical passages are being analysed or explained. But I don't recall ever seeing any published sheet music that used them to actually indicate to a performer which chords to play. Has anyone? Is it common in certain regions?

Some beginner piano methods over here use them, but as fingerings are done with normal numbers that seems less conflicting anyway. I think the 'progressive rock method' uses that as well, but they show the chordnames as well. Outside of practice methods I've never seen it.

Hi all,

OK i understand them now, tnks..

anyway theres no need to shy away from these notation rite? simply find them in tabs and everything's solve? :)

cheers
Kenny

I'd think they're more likely to be positions than chords built on scale degrees.

Of course, we use Roman numerals to mean scale degree chords all the time when discussing pieces of music, and we often see them used in theory texts when musical passages are being analysed or explained. But I don't recall ever seeing any published sheet music that used them to actually indicate to a performer which chords to play. Has anyone? Is it common in certain regions?

I'm sure I've seen a fake book that used this system. The melody line was on a treble clef and the chords were indicated by Roman Numerals above the measures.
So for chord notation, something like what OdNt43 has posted here:
http://forums.guitarnoise.com/viewtopic.php?t=31914