Harmonic Analysis
Harmonic Analysis simply means understanding how a chord relates to the key and how chords relate to each
other in a piece of music. Each chord you play, each note you sing, every lyric you speak, has a distinct purpose–
and understanding how chords are related will help you in the following ways:
• Y
ou will learn to predict the chords that go with a particular melody. It helps to know what chords
will be most likely found within a key, and how they are most likely to progress from one to another.
• Y
ou’ll learn how non-harmonic tones may be used for color, how to identify the strongest movement
of notes (a process we call ‘voice leading’) and the importance of cadences (places where the music
comes to a stopping or resting point).
• If you understand chord relationships, you can transpose a song to any key you wish to.
• E
xpert improvisation is not mere experimentation; it requires an in-depth understanding of the
supporting harmonic progressions.
• H
armonic Analysis is necessary for anyone who wants to be able to compose reasonable chord
progressions, to understand transitions and modulations (changing to a new key), and it aids us
when studying the great works of previous composers. This is worthy of thinking about: no one who
wishes to become an expert at any craft reaches that goal without giving study and attention to the
artists and methods which have layed a foundation in the past.
In order to do a Harmonic Analysis, we identify each chord in a Major scale with a Roman Numeral, which
represents the position in the scale and the type of chord (Maj, min, Aug, dim). We also identify chord inversions
and the relative relationships of any non-diatonic chords.
• First, find the Key Signature.
• The chord built on the Tonic (or tonal center) of the Key will receive the Roman numeral I.
C Major
EGB
FAC
GBD
ACE
Bm
C
D
Em
F # dim
iii
IV
V
vi
vii
Em
F #m
G
A
ii
iii
IV
V
& www
I
www
ii
G
& w
ww
Am
I
www # www
ii
D
I
GBD ACE
D Major
& # www
www
www
www
Dm
CEG DFA
G Major
www
www
G
C
Em
iii
F
IV
V
ww # www
w
Am
vi
B dim
vii
BDF
www # www
B D Fs C E G D Fs A E G B Fs A C
www # # www
B m C dim
#
w
www # ww www # www
#
vi
vii
D Fs A E G B Fs A Cs G B D A Cs E B D Fs Cs E G
THE PROCESS OF HARMONIC ANALYSIS
For Your Reference
• Once you’ve identified the key, write out the entire scale with letters and any accidentals
• Label the steps of your scale with Roman numerals
KEY OF G
Example:G A B C D EFs
I ii iii IV V vivii°
For the Harmonic Analysis
• Look at the notes which make up the entire first chord on the grand staff (You’ll repeat this for each chord)
• Mentally arrange the chord notes into Root Position (all the notes should stack in 3rds)
• Give the chord a Roman Numeral which reflects both the scale step the chord is based upon and the
chord’s quality (Major, minor, Augmented, diminished)
• Look at the lowest written note (the bass note) to determine whether the chord is in an inversion
If the Root appears in the bass, it’s in Root Position = no suffix is needed (Ex.: I )
If the 3rd of the chord appears in the bass, it’s in 1st inversion = add ‘6’ as a suffix (Ex.: I⁶ )
If the 5th of the chord appears in the bass, it’s in 2nd inversion = add ‘6/4’ as a suffix (Ex.: I⁶4 )
Chords which Contain Accidentals
• If an accidental appears in a Major chord, it may hint that the chord is a Secondary Dominant
• Mentally arrange the chord notes into Root Position (all the notes should stack in 3rds)
• If the Root of the Major chord containing an accidental(s) is a P5 above the Root of the next chord,
then the first chord is described as a V of the ‘targeted’ second chord (Ex.: V/ii )
Non-harmonic tones
• Notes that are not part of a chord are called non-harmonic tones
Ye Servants of God
Example:
#3
& 4 œ
œ
? # 34 œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
I
#
& ˙˙
? # ˙˙
V
# œ
œœ
œ
œ
I^
œœ
œ
œ
˙
˙
˙
œ
œ
œœ
œœ
œœ
œœ
œ
œ
œœ
œœ
V
I
V^
vi
ii^
V
œœ
I^
œœ
œ
œ
V^
œœ
œœ œœ œ
#œ
œ œ
œ œ
˙
vi^
V7/V
˙
˙˙
V
# œœ
œ
œ
V/vi
˙˙
˙
˙
œœ
œ
œ
œ
œœ
œœ
V
I
V^ V$3 /V
œœ
I
œœ
œœ
œœ # œœ
œ
œ
œœ
vi
ii^
vi
œœ
œœ
V/vi
œ
œœ
œœ
# œœ
œœ
œ
œ
œœ
V^5
__________________________________
NAME
Fill in the harmonic analysis below chords (including inversions) as indicated by blanks below the staves.
Watch out for Secondary Dominant chords (hint: look for accidentals).
# 4
& 4 œ
œ
? # 44 œ
œ
.
œœ .
œ.
œ.
____
&
#
œœ
? # œœ
____
____
œœ œœ œœ
œœ œœ œ
œ
# œ
& œ
? # œœ
#
____
œ œ ˙˙
œ œ
œœ œœ ˙˙
____
____
œœ œ
œ
bœ œ
œ œ
œœ
œ
œ
____
œ
œ
œ
œ
____
œ œ
œ #œ
œ œ
œ œ
œœ
œ
œ
____
œœ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œœ
œœ
____
3
____
œœ
œœ
˙˙
3
____
____ ____
œœ
œ
œ
œœ
œœ
˙˙
˙
˙
œœ
œ
œ
œ œ œ œœ
œ #œ œ
œ œ œ œœ
œ œ œ
____ ____
3
3
____
____
& œ œ3 œ œœ œ3œ œœ œ œœ .. œœ œœ œœ .. œœ ˙
? # œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œ .. œœ œœ œœ .. œœ ˙˙
œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ
˙
j œ œj œ .
# œ.
œœ ˙˙
œ œ .. œ œ .
& œ.
œ
œ œJœ ˙
œ
œ
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œ
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œ
œ
œ
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œ
.
nœ œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
?#
œ
J
3
Refrain
3
œœ
œœ
˙˙
____
œœ
œ
œ
œœ
œ
œ
œœ
œœ
œœ
œœ
____
œœ œœ œœ
œœ œœ œœ
œ ˙
œ ˙
œœ ˙
˙
____ ____ ____ ____
œ œ.œ˙
œ
œ
.
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ .. œ œ œ .. œ ˙
œœ œœ œœ # œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œ œœ . œ ˙˙
œ œ œ œ .
3
3
3
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
œ œ œ œœœœ
œ œ œ œœœœ
3
3
3 3
3
3
œœ œœ œœ
œœ
œœ œ
3
˙˙
˙
˙
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˙
˙