Notations used by Dr. B for Music Theory

Intervals

Interval name is composed by a letter for quality followed by a number meaning:

Quality: P Perfect, d diminished, m minor, M Major and A Augmented.
Number: 1 unisson, 2 second, 3 third, 4 fourth, 5 fiveth, 6 sixth, 7 seventh and 8 octave.

-	P1 unisson		-
-	m2 minor 2nd	M2 major 2nd	A2 augmented 2nd
d3 diminished 3rd	m3 minor 3rd	M3 major 3rd	A3 augmented 3rd
d4 diminished 4th	P4 perfect 4th		A4 augmented 4th
d5 diminished 5th	P5 perfect 5th		A5 augmented 5th
d6 diminished 6th	m6 minor 6th	M6 major 6th	A6 augmented 6th
d7 diminished 7th	m7 minor 7th	M7 major 7th	-
d8 diminished octave	P8 octave		A8 augmented octave

Degrees

Degrees are written as Roman numeral.

Chords

There is two way to write chord:

Full name with associated tone (C for C major, Am for A minor).
Degree and signature from a scale point of view (I for major of tonic, vi for minor 6th).
For major chord we use uppercase, for minor or diminished chord we use lowercase.
So triads of major scale are: I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii°.

Score highlights

We use color to highlight:

Red note for leading tone.
Orange note for 4th when resolving down.
Blue note heads = indicate doubling.

We use arrows to highlight:

Red arrow = leading tone resolving to tonic.
Orange arrow = 4th resolving 3th (7th of the chord resolving down).
Black arrow to show movement (or no movement).

%%piano2+2CD Q:1/1=40 [V:C] "C"x | "D7"x | "G7"x | "C"x |] [V:D] "I"x | "V7/V"x | "V7"x | "I"x |] [V:S] e | !blue!!n>(!d | !n>)!d/"@-6,10 7"!o>(!!orange!f/ | "@-4,10 3"!o>)!e |] [V:A] G | ^F | !blue!!n>(!G | !n>)!G |] [V:T] !blue!!n>(!C | !n>)!C | "^3"!r>(!!red!B, | "^1"!r>)!!blue!C |] [V:B] !blue!C, | !blue!D, | !blue!G, | !blue!C, |]

Harmonic functions

T	Tonic : degree I at root position (more stable chord).
T	Tonic : degree I with inversion or another stable degree.
D	Dominant with leading-tone but without the 4th (of the scale).
D	Dominant with tonal tritone, so with leading-tone and the 4th (more tensions).
D²	Secondary Dominant, V7/?, where ? is a degree.
SD	Sub-Dominant.
SD²	Secondary Sub-Dominant.

For examples:

['P1','','I','T'],['M2','m','ii','SD'],['M3','m','iii','d'],['P4','','IV','SD'],['P5','','V','d'],['M6','m','vi','t'],['M7','°','vii°','D']

Harmonisation of C major scale.

['M7','°','ii°/vi','SD2'],['M3','7','V7/vi','D2'],['M6','m','vi','t']

ii°-V-i sequence from degree vi.

['m7','m','ii/VI','SD2'],['m3','7','V7/VI','D2'],['m6','','VI','SD']

ii-V-I sequence from degree VI.

['P1','m','i','T'],['P1/m3','m','i|64','t'],['m2/M3','','bII|6','SD'],['P5','7','V|7','D']

Sequence in minor using neapolitan chord.

Chord signature notation and color

Triads	Seven chords
+5 augmented	M7+5 major with major 7th and augmented 5th
major	M7 major with major 7th 7 major with minor 7th (dominant)
m minor	m7 minor with minor 7th mM7 minor with major 7th
+ diminished	Ø7 half diminished °7 full diminished