W R I T T E N B Y

T I M O T H Y G O N D O L A

2nd Edition

J A Z Z
S T A R T E R
P A C K

The essential
guide for every
jazz learner!

© 2 0 2 4 G O N D O L A M U S I C
Welcome 1

History Of Jazz 2

Fundamentals 3
Jazz fundamentals 3
How to read a lead sheet 4

Jazz Standards By Difficulty 5

Essential Jazz Artists 6

Essential Jazz Discography 7

Jazz Terminology 9

Anatomy Of A Chord Symbol 12

Chord symbols and structure 12
Extensions 14
Slash chords 15
Voicings 16
Polychords 17
Sus chords 18
Add chords 19
Quirks 19
Chord symbol chart 20
Chord symbol keyboard chart 21

Scale Degrees 22

Roman Numerals 25

Gondola Music Resources 27

 1

Welcome

Welcome to Gondola Music!

ABOUT
Gondola Music is a community-driven music
education platform founded by classical and jazz
pianist Timothy Gondola.

Gondola Music is currently developing

transcriptions, courses, music tutorials, the
Music In Motion blog, and theory notes. Our
future plans involve expanding into music
curriculum, software, academia and literature.

The vision of Gondola Music is to unite

musicians, democratize jazz, and bring the world
along a journey of musical enlightenment.

JAZZ STARTER PACK

In this starter pack, I've compiled all that a jazz musician– whether experienced or
brand new– will need to know. You'll find everything from jazz theory to past and
present icons, to the jazz lingo we use at jam sessions.

The lists of preeminent jazz artists and albums are in no way exhaustive; there are
multitudes of significant artists and records that didn't make it onto these pages. It's
up to you to explore and discover them!

To learn about the history of jazz, click here or visit

britannica.com/art/jazz/

To support Gondola Music & Timothy's YouTube channel, consider becoming a patron.
patreon.com/TimothyGondola
 2

The History Of Jazz

Jazz, a quintessentially American art form, emerged from the cultural melting pot of
New Orleans at the turn of the 20th century. It has its roots in the African American
experience, blending African rhythms, blues, ragtime, and European harmonies into a
uniquely expressive form.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, jazz began taking shape in New Orleans' dance halls
and streets. Ragtime's syncopated rhythms and the emotional depth of the blues
crucially influenced the development of jazz. Pioneers like Scott Joplin laid the
groundwork for jazz’s improvisational spirit.

During the 1920s, the Jazz Age, jazz exploded in popularity with big bands and swing
music. Icons like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie transformed jazz
into a sophisticated art form, which mirrored what was happening with the culture at
the time: the cultural liberation of the Roaring Twenties and breaking down racial
barriers.

Jazz has had a deep impact on American society, challenging traditional norms and
promoting social integration. Jazz clubs became spaces where diverse backgrounds
united through music’s creativity and energy.

The 1940s brought bebop, a particular style of improvisation which emphasizes

individual expression and intellectual depth. Musicians like Charlie Parker, Dizzy
Gillespie, and Thelonious Monk pushed jazz’s boundaries with fast tempos, complex
melodies and intricate harmonies.

The 1950s and 1960s saw the rise of cool, modal, and free jazz, with innovators like Miles
Davis and John Coltrane exploring new harmonic and rhythmic territories. Jazz became
a powerful voice for social justice, reflecting the aspirations of the Civil Rights
Movement.

Jazz’s influence extends beyond its genre, impacting rock, funk, gospel, R&B, and hip-
hop, and inspiring musicians globally. Its emphasis on improvisation and collaboration
makes it a universal language of creativity.

Today, jazz continues to evolve, blending contemporary styles and honoring its heritage.
Jazz remains a symbol of our shared history and limitless potential, celebrating
diversity, the enduring quest for freedom in the arts, and each individual’s personal
voice.
 3

Fundamentals 1/2

The Real Book

The Real Book is a collection of lead sheets for jazz tunes (called
standards) widely used by jazz musicians. It contains notated
melodies, chord symbols, and sometimes lyrics for hundreds of
standards, providing a common repertoire and reference point
for jazz players. Originally created by Berklee College of Music
students in the 1970s, it has become an essential resource for
anyone wanting to learn and perform jazz.

Jazz Trio

A jazz trio is made up of three musicians, typically piano, bass,

and drums. A trio can be any other combination however:
[saxophone + bass + drums], [trumpet + piano + bass], etc. The
trio is the foundational jazz ensemble, followed by the jazz
quartet, which will usually feature piano, bass, drums, and a
lead instrument like guitar, saxophone, or trumpet. For jazz
pianists, the trio is the primary ensemble to reproduce the
core elements of jazz music: rhythm (drums), bass (bass), and
harmony (piano).

Jazz Band/Big Band

A jazz big band is a larger ensemble usually comprising 8 to
25 musicians, organized into sections such as saxophones,
trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section (piano, bass,
drums, and sometimes guitar). Big bands were one of the
most common ensembles during the Swing Era (1933-1947).
Today, big bands continue to perform a wide range of jazz
and pop styles.
 4

Fundamentals 2/2

How Do I Read A Lead Sheet?

Song Title.
The composer(s)
and lyricist(s) will
The tempo/style will be credited here.
be indicated here. You
might see bossa nova,
fast swing, uptempo, or The notes on a
medium jazz. lead sheet are the
original melody.
Master this first
Unlike classical scores,
before deviating
lead sheets, because
into improvisation.
they are chord charts,
don’t need to feature a
grand staff. You can
display the chords and Chord symbols tell
melody with just a you what chords to
single staff, almost play. There are
always the treble clef. dozens of ways to
voice a chord
symbol on the
Copyright information. piano. This is where
the jazz happens!

The beauty of a lead sheet is this:

Put some competent jazz musicians together–an American pianist, Japanese bassist, German
drummer, Nigerian saxophonist–and give them all the piece of paper above. Although they may
have never played music together or heard of Autumn Leaves, they will be able to play the song
as a band and create amazing music. A lead sheet is a blueprint that can be interpreted by any
jazz musician regardless of their instrument– bass, guitar, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, etc.

Learning what all the elements of a lead sheet are and how it is meant to be played, is the first
step in arranging jazz music. It takes years of experimentation and practice to truly interpret
and improvise from lead sheets.
 5

50 Jazz Standards By Difficulty

Beginner
All Blues Footprints
All Of Me I’ll Remember April
Autumn Leaves In A Mellow Tone
TIP: Click the names to
Blue Bossa Mr. P.C.
learn about the songs on
Blue Monk Lady Bird
learnjazzstandards.com
But Not For Me Solar
Bye Bye Blackbird So What
C-Jam Blues Summertime
Doxy Take The A Train

Intermediate
All The Things You Are How High The Moon
Alone Together It Could Happen To You
A Night In Tunisia Misty
Cherokee My Funny Valentine
Days Of Wine & Roses On Green Dolphin Street
East Of The Sun Someday My Prince Will Come
Fly Me To The Moon There Will Never Be Another You
Groovin' High tp What Is This Thing Called Love?
Have You Met Miss Jones Yesterdays

Advanced
Alice In Wonderland Donna Lee
Anthropology Giant Steps
Caravan In A Sentimental Mood
Confirmation I Love You
Billie’s Bounce Joy Spring
Body & Soul Oleo
Darn That Dream Round Midnight
 6

Essential Jazz Artists

Miles Davis Chet Baker
t
pe
Dizzy Gillespie Freddie Hubbard
um

Louis Armstrong Roy Hargrove

Tr

Clifford Brown Wynton Marsalis

e
on

Charlie Parker Sonny Rollins

ph

John Coltrane Dexter Gordon

xo

Ornette Coleman Joshua Redman

Sa

Stan Getz Patrick Bartley

Art Tatum Keith Jarrett

o

Bill Evans Chick Corea

an

Red Garland Herbie Hancock

Pi

Oscar Peterson McCoy Tyner

Dave Brubeck Brad Mehldau
Nat King Cole Fred Hersch
Johnny Costa Michel Petrucciani

Charles Mingus Ron Carter

ss

Scott LaFaro Jaco Pastorius

Ba

Ray Brown Charlie Haden

John Patitucci Stanley Clarke
Gary Peacock Christian McBride
s
m
ru

Art Blakey Steve Gadd

D

Elvin Jones Jack DeJohnette

Max Roach Brian Blade

Ella Fitzgerald Billie Holiday

ce

Sarah Vaughan Nat King Cole

oi
V

Frank Sinatra Aziza Mustafa Zadeh

Louis Armstrong Esperanza Spalding
 7

Essential Jazz Discography 1/2

Kind Of Blue
Year: 1959
Artist: Miles Davis

Everybody Digs Bill Evans

Year: 1959
Artist: Dave Brubeck

A Love Supreme
Year: 1964
Artist: John Coltrane

Headhunters
Year: 1973
Artist: Herbie Hancock

Native Dancer
Year: 1975
Artist: Wayne Shorter
 8

Essential Jazz Discography 2/2

Mirror Mirror
Year: 1980
Artist: Joe Henderson

People Time
Year: 1991 (2009 release)
Artist: Stan Gets & Kenny Barron

Esperanza
Year: 2008
Artist: Esperanza Spalding

Liquid Spirit
Year: 2013
Artist: Gregory Porter

The Epic
Year: 2015
Artist: Kamasi Washington
 9

Jazz Terminology 1/3

Blow
To play your instrument (usually refers to a saxophonist/trumpeter blowing their horn).

Cat
A cool musician.

Chart/Chord Chart
The chord progression of a tune written out with chord symbols, either with or without the
melody.

Chops
Technical skills and dexterity on your instrument, usually involving the ability to play very
quickly.

Combo
"Jazz combo" A small jazz group like a trio, quartet, or quintet.

Comping
Playing rhythmic accompanying chords, probably by a member of the rhythm section.

Changes
The chord progression.

Head
May refer either to (1) the beginning of a tune or (2) the entirety of the tune played once.
Jazz and other artists may tap their heads to signify to the other musicians that it is time to
return to the beginning of the tune.

Horn
Stand-in for your instrument, mostly referring to a saxophone or trumpet.

Fake Book
Earlier versions of the Real Book.

Jam
Free-playing music, mostly with other musicians, and usually involving improvisation.
 10

Jazz Terminology 2/3

Lead Sheet
A chord chart which includes the melody.

Lick
A jazz "word" or "phrase" (series of notes) which artists can port to different tunes.

Line
A series of notes comprising a phrase.

Modal
Harmony or notes built on a musical mode.

Pedal
(verb) To repeat a bass note. "Pedal that G for 4 bars."

Playing Out
Playing outside the safe, appropriate notes of a harmony to push the boundaries of
your music.

Pocket
Precise rhythm of a groove. To be "in the pocket" is to be perfectly in/on the beat..

Quartal
Chord shapes or harmonies built with perfect or augmented fourths.

Quote
A melodic or rhythmic reference to another tune within the current tune.

Real Book
A compilation of lead sheets. The Real Book is the "bible" of jazz music.

Rhythm Changes
The chord changes from George Gershwin's I've Got Rhythm. This chord progression
has become so common in jazz composition that jazz artists have named it.

Rhythm Section
The instruments in a jazz group which provide the basis for rhythm and comping:
piano, drums, guitar, bass.
 11

Jazz Terminology 3/3

Scat
A kind of improvisation where the singer vocalizes sounds without words, sometimes imitating
the timbre of other instruments.

Shed
To practice or show your chops.

Shell Voicings
The root, third and seventh chord tones of a seventh chord; the main tones.

Standard
Jazz standard. Another name for a jazz song or tune.

Straight
Referring to eighth or sixteenth notes played with normal, unchanged rhythm.

Swing
Referring to eighth or sixteenth notes played with lilted, triplet-like rhythm.

Tag
Synonym for "repeat," referring to tagging the last few bars of a tune before ending.

Top
The beginning of a tune. To go back to the head means to go back to the top.

Turnaround
A chord progression, often in the circle of 4ths, which bridges one musical section to the next.

Vamp
A small section which gets repeated. Every tag is a vamp, but not every vamp is a tag.

Walk
Describes the motion of a quarter-note bass line.

"You'll Hear It"

A phrase musicians use to say that you should be able to pick up the chord changes by ear.
 12

Anatomy of a chord symbol

Chord symbology is a method of classifying and symbolizing different chord
qualities.
1. The first letter in a chord symbol is always the key of the chord. This is
also referred to as the tonic, the one, the home note, or scale degree one.
2. The next figure in a chord symbol (M, m, dim, aug) refers to the quality of
the triad– is it major, minor, diminished or augmented? “Triads” refer to
three-note chords made up of the 1, 3 and 5 (scale degrees). When the
letter is standalone, this refers to a major triad. So if you see C this means
C major triad. A stands for A major triad.
3. The 7 is the dominant 7, or flat seventh scale degree. Thus, the 7 in C7 is
Bb. “Seventh chords” refers to four-note chords made up of the 1, 3, 5 and
7.
4. Extensions are the 9th, 11th, and 13th scale degrees of a chord. These can
either be natural (e.g. C9), sharp (e.g. F7#11) or flat (e.g. G7b13).

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 13

1) Lowercase m, min or - in a chord symbol all refer to minor.

Minor tends to sound more solemn, sad or angry.

2) Uppercase M, maj or Δ in a chord symbol all refer to major.

Major tends to sound more upbeat.

3) dim, o or o refer to diminished.

Diminished tends to sound sad and lamenting.

4) aug or + refer to augmented.

Augmented tends to sound spooky and jarring.

1 3 5 Spelling (Key of C)

1) Minor ♮1 ♭3 ♮5 C ♭E G

2) Major ♮1 ♮3 ♮5 C E G

3) Diminished ♮1 ♭3 ♭5 C ♭E ♭G

4) Augmented ♮1 ♮3 #5 C E G#

Knowing scale degrees is critical to understanding chord symbols. The 5

(dominant), and extensions can be either flat, natural (unchanged), or sharp. An
11th can only be sharp and not flat, since it would just become the 3 (mediant).

The 7 is actually a half-step down from normal. So when we’re referring to chord
tone 7 in the key of C, we’re actually referring to B♭, the dominant/minor 7,
rather than B. The 7th is the only interval or chord tone that deviates from the
scale degrees.

For simplicity’s sake, I’ve used the key of C for all chord examples and diagrams,
but remember that a chord symbol can be in any key (Am7, Dmaj9, F#-11b9). In
each of these three examples I just gave, the 1 is the first note of that chord (A, D,
F# respectively).

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 14

Extensions for the key of C

♭5 and # 5
The 5 can be flatted or sharped. If the 5 becomes sharp (G natural to G sharp in
the key of C), the chord is called augmented. This is a peculiar harmony which
can sound somewhat spooky. Fun fact: an augmented triad is two major thirds
built upon each other. When the 5 is flatted (G natural to G flat in the key of C),
we don’t have a name for that harmony, the same way we call the sharp 5
augmented. However, if you flat the 5 and the 3 (G to Gb and E to Eb in the key of
C) your new harmony is called diminished.
Common chords with b5 Cm7(b5),
Common chords with #5 Cmaj7(#11,#5),

M7
Because the 7 is the only chord tone which is flat (minor), it can become major
(from Bb to B in the key of C).

♭9 and # 9
Flat and sharp 9 add spice to your regular dominant seven chord. They don’t
work too well with major seven chords and minor seven chords (#9 [D#] is
redundant in a minor seven chord, as it is equivalent to the flat 3 [Eb]).
Common chords with b9 C13(b9),
Common chords with #9 C7(#11,b9),

# 11 Sharp 11 can also be interpreted as II/I, or D/C. Where D’s 3 (F#) is C’s #11.
Common chords with #11 C7(#11,b9),

♭13 The flat 13 adds a fantastic touch to your dominant seven chord.

Common chords with b13 C7(b13,#9),

Note: An extension chord can imply the extensions beneath it. So if you see C13,
you can throw in the 9 and 11 as well, even though they’re not explicitly written.
Inversely, if you see a standard seventh chord symbol (e.g. Bm7, EbΔ7) it’s up to
your creative imagination to spice that chord up with extensions, even though
they’re not marked.

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 15

Slash chords
In your musical journey you will probably stumble upon slash chords. Every
seventh chord can also be represented by a slash chord. For instance, the Cmaj7
drawn below can be considered an E minor triad (Em: E-G-B) over the note C.
This slash chord would be: Em/C. The note underneath the slash is the bass
note, meaning the lowest note of a chord.

Note: 7th chords are not usually written as slash chords, these were just used to demonstrate the
concept.

Just like a regular chord symbol can be played

in many configurations, so can the top chord
of a slash chord. Here you see how the Gmaj7
chord symbol is reconfigured in three forms,
the first being the straightforward one.

You can also use slash chord symbols to represent chord inversions.

Root position 1st inversion 2nd inversion Root position

Sometimes the note underneath the slash represents not the bass note but a
chord (C). In these cases, regardless of the upper inversion, its chord symbol
stays the same (D).

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 16

The bottom chord need not be in standard triad form (C-E-G) as well. As is the
rule, the chord can be configured in any way so long as the root (tonic) is at the
bottom. However, unlike the bottom chord, the top chord of a slash chord does
not need to be in root position (not necessarily root position triad, but meaning
that the root is at the bottom chord like the D/C example chord in the second
measure below– all of the bottom chords listed below are in root position). As
mentioned before, here’s a simpler way of saying this: regardless of the upper
inversion, its chord symbol stays the same.

Final note: there are exceptions to the rule (as if this isn’t complicated enough).
Sometimes the bottom chord does not actually need to be in root position (in
other words, the root (tonic) does not actually need to be at the base of the
bottom chord) in order to be written as such in the chord symbol. For instance,
all of the examples below may be written as Abmaj7, as a matter of
interpretation. They also include extensions.

Voicings
The examples above also demonstrate the vast amount of different voicings you
can use for the same chord symbol. This is where jazz really blossoms. Use your
creativity to configure the notes in different orders, spacings, repeating certain
notes, dropping others, tossing in extensions… This is how we build creative and
luscious jazz chords.

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 17

Polychords
Whereas slash chords only involve upper chords sitting on a lower bass note
(with some exceptions as explained before) polychords involve the stacking of
two chords (or possibly more!). Below are some examples of polychords. Notice
that the bottom chord symbol is not simply the root note as in slash chord, but
an entire chord symbol.

You may also find triple polychords, involving two polychords and one bass note,
as is the case with example 1 and 2. Example 3 demonstrates three full chords, a
veritable triple polychord. In Example 4, the bottom two chords are actually an
inversion of the Eb major triad, so this can technically be considered a double
polychord, where the bottom chord is inverted.

1. F7/F#maj7/G: Polychord over slash chord

2. D2/Bq/F: Polychord over slash chord
3. E/D/C: Triple Polychord
4. F/Eb/Bb: Polychord over inverted chord

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 18

Sus chords
Sus chords are a common and simple way to spruce up your piano chords. “Sus
chord” stands for suspended chord. This is when you suspend (replace) the 3
upwards to the 4, or
downwards to the 2.
Sus chords are either
Sus 2 or Sus 4, and they
are often used to
resolve to the major 3
harmony: Csus2 to C, or Csus4 to C. The Csus4 is a very common sound which
beautifully delays the resolution from the V to the I (V → Isus4 → I). If you come
across a chord symbol that simply shows sus (as in Fsus or Bbsus) this is implied
to be the sus 4.

Sus chord chord symbols

may also include the 7. In
these cases the sus chords
can be rewritten as
extension chord symbols
(Csus9, Csus11). Your musical journey may lead you to the sus13 chord symbol,
which is only possible when the 7 is present. Sus13 chords are commonly written
as slash chords; Csus13 in this case would read as Bbmaj7/C.

You might find cases where the number is spelled before the sus (C4sus instead
of Csus4) which isn’t common but the two spellings are completely synonymous.

More common is sus9, sus11 and sus13 chords, with their synonymous spellings
of 9sus, 11sus and 13sus. The only difference between sus9 and sus2, and sus11
and sus4 is the presence of the 7. When it is present, the suspended note is
designated as an extension.

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 19

Add chords
Add chords are straightforward:
you simply add the appropriate
note: 2, 4 or 6. What
differentiates the add chord from
the sus chord is that the extra note does not replace the 3 (E), but rather
includes it. These chords sound crunchy and savory if well-placed in your music.
There exist add9, add11 and add 13 chords in guitar chord symbology, but when it
comes to piano symbols, you would only see these add extensions preceded by 7
in a chord symbol (for instance: C7add9, C7add11). These add extension chord
symbols are pretty much redundant, since C9 means the same thing as C7add9,
and C11 is synonymous with C7add11.

Quirks

m(M7): Minor-major seventh chords are a minor triad with a

major seventh. These chords sound dark and plaintive. You may
see them find them notated as -Δ (as in C-Δ)

# 5 Sharp five chords are the same as augmented seventh

chords.

5 Certain chords do not contain the three (mediant)– C5, B5, Ab5– etc. These
chords are as simple as they seem, containing only the one (root) and the five
(dominant). So, C5 is a chord which has C and G, but neither E nor any other
note (although you might find the C and/or G present more than once).

♭9 and # 9
Flat 9 chords sound great, and so do sharp nine chords. What if
you combined them? You’d end up with this strikingly salient
harmony. The # 9 (D#) is represented by Eb in the chord to
your right.

Note: At the end of the day, chord symbol notation isn’t one-size-fits-all. You will
likely come across different variations and idiosyncrasies, so treat chord symbols
as a guides to chord harmony rather than unbreakable gospel.

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 20

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 21

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 22

Scale Degrees
In order to understand music theory, chord symbology, and roman numerals you
must know scale degrees. There are seven scale degrees, each corresponding to
one note in the major scale, or the interval (second, third, fourth, etc.)

Oftentimes the scale degree of a chord is mentioned only as the number: “play
the 6 [in that C chord]” or “E minor has a flat 3” or “the augmented triad has a
sharp 5.” To flat a scale degree means to move the note down a half-step, and to
sharp a scale degree means to move the note up a half-step.

The most important scale degree in any chord is the 1 (tonic), the first and
foundation note. The second most important scale degree is the 5 (dominant). If
we add the 3 (mediant), we now have the skeleton for some beautiful chords.
7ths and extensions (explained ahead) are the key to those awesome jazzy
chords. Scale degrees repeat every new octave; so if you’re in the key of C, every
D on the piano will be a 2, every B will be a 7, etc.

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 23

Scale degrees become a little more interesting in the world of jazz theory. We
have what are called extensions. The interval of a 9th (D), up from C, is called the
9th. Likewise, the 11th (F) is called the 11th, and the 13th (A) is called the 13th.
However, in terms of jazz theory, the 10th is considered the 3rd (mediant), and
the 12th is considered the 5th (dominant). This is because when we have a 7th
chord (a triad which has the 1, 3, and 5, with a 7 on top of it) the harmonic quality
changes greatly with an extension.

This harmonic change is directly attributable to the harmonic interplay between

the 7th (leading tone [B], or dominant 7th [Bb]) and the extension. This unique
harmonic change doesn’t really apply when the 7th is absent in your chord; in
which case, your 9th really just sounds like a 2nd (supertonic), and your 13th
sounds no different than a 6th (submediant). As soon as you add that 7th, you get
a very different tonality! One so different that the 9th has to be distinguished
from the 2nd, the 11th from the 4th, and the 13th from the 6th. Experiment with
triads and extensions with and without the 7th, to hear the difference yourself!

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 24

Each scale degree has a name:

● 1st degree – The tonic

● 2nd degree – The supertonic
● 3rd degree – The mediant
● 4th degree – The subdominant
● 5th degree – The dominant
● 6th degree – The submediant
● 7th degree – The leading note (or leading tone)
● 9th degree – Extension
● 11th degree – Extension
● 13th degree – Extension

Scale Degree

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

C C D E F G A B

C#/Db Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C

D D E F# G A B C#

D#/Eb Eb F G Ab Bb C D

E E F# G# A B C# D#

Key F F G A Bb C D E

F#/Gb Gb Ab Bb C Db Eb F

G G A B C D E F#

G#/Ab Ab Bbm Cm Db Eb F Gb

A A B C# D E F# G#

A#/Bb Bb C D Eb F G A

B B C# D# E F# G# A#

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 25

Roman Numeral Analysis In Jazz, Pop, and

Rock
In addition to using standard chord symbols (e.g. Cmaj7, E7, etc.) we also use
Roman Numeral Analysis. Roman numerals have the benefit of helping
musicians easily transpose a piece to any key. As long as you are familiar with
how to play chords in every key, and the scale degrees of each key, you can
quickly play a song in all 12 keys with a Roman numeral chart. This is in contrast
to the standard chord symbol chart, which is only helpful for one key.

Roman numerals are built off scale degrees, the seven tones of a major scale.
Another way to say this is that the Roman numeral notes are diatonic, they
belong to the major scale of the given key. In the key of C, these notes are C (1),
D (2), E (3), F (4), G (5), A (6), B (7).

Using the notes of the home key (in the case of C, all white notes of the C major
scale) we build triads upon the scale tones. Capital case indicates a major triad,
while lower case indicates a minor triad. The lower case with degree sign° means
diminished. This is a triad with a flat 3 and flat 5.

It is important to realize that when someone refers to “the 2 [chord]” in the key
of C, they are referring to a D minor chord in Roman Numeral Analysis.

You’ll notice that Roman numeral symbols themselves can change depending on
the key you’re in. In this case we’re in the key of A minor.

You may also be in a major key like C major, and the composer has decided to
use notes that don’t not correspond to the standard Roman numerals. This is

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normal; the Roman numeral symbols will change capitalization to reflect that
change. For example, if our piece is in the key of C major, a D major chord will be
written as II, instead of lowercase ii.

One can also build 7th chords on the scale tones.

As aforementioned, chords are not limited to their natural quality within the
Roman Numeral system. Each chord can be modified to minor, half-diminished,
fully-diminished, etc.

Tonic (home note) C D E F G A B

Chord symbol (triad) C Dm Em F G Am Bdim

Roman numeral (triad) I ii iii IV V vi vii°

You can also use accidentals (sharp and flats) to deviate from the scale degrees.
In the key of C, a bII (flat 2) would correspond to a Db chord instead of a D
chord. Likewise, the bVI chord would correspond to the Ab rather than A.

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