Numbering The Chords

Learn how to add chord types when numbering the chords with Roman numerals.


View the full lesson at Numbering The Chords | JustinGuitar

Would I still technically be wrong if I used the Am key for the second example, since they’re relatives?

Am: I - VI - VII - I - III - IV - VI - VMAJ7 - I - III - VI - VMAJ - IV - V - VI - VIII

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Hi @GunnerGoulet … sorry for how long it has taken to make a reply here.

Good question.
Justin - to this point - has only been teaching and referring to major key analysis so this is correctly given as the key of C major in the answer sheet.

That said, calling example 2 in the key of A minor could be good for a few reasons. First, the Am chord makes many appearances, a little more than C chord. Also, there is an E7 - a dominant V is an often used dominant chord in minor keys. Note, you would write V7 not VMaj7 as the latter is for a major 7 chord rather than a dominant 7 chord.
However, without playing and hearing the progression and getting a sense of which chord is ‘home base’ then it remains difficult to be 100% if we are in A minor or C major key.

For now, view the example as within the scope of Justin’s teaching to this point and settle for it being in the key of C major.

Minor key analysis will come later.

Further general note for all keys - if viewed on standard notation, there would be no visual clue on the staves that suggests relative major or minor as both would have the same number of flats or sharps.

I hope that helps.

Cheers :smiley:

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oops. took the second set as G maj key assumption with Am being ii and the rest…. so bvii F ! ok then. Am as the vi of C major is it, as I see with Richards response. All good.

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