Roman Numerals

Popular notation for chords and progressions

Roman numerals can be used to notate chords and chord progressions independent of a key. You have the option to display roman numerals instead of chord names in a Palette. The Pro edition of Synfire also supports writing chords and progressions as text input in this format.

Syntax

Component Examples
Accidental b
#
Scale Step, Gender Major: I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII
Minor: i ii iii iv v vi vii viii ix x xi xii
Other Interval Structures Diminished: dim, ø, o
Augmented: aug, +
Other: maj7, (add9), 13, m7b5
Bass /b5, /6, /7

Examples

The triad implied by the original expression is replaced with whatever chord name you append after a colon. For simple chord extensions that can be written as a number, the colon is optional.

V

#iii

viø, vio, vi:dim (all equivalent)

iiv°, iiv+, iiv:aug (all equivalent)

bVII/#11

III:maj7

#II6

#ii:m6

i:m7b5/b5

bVII:(7,9,13)/5