Roman Numerals for Amazing Grace Variation 2
Found in: Accompaniment, Arrangements & Variations, Curriculum, Scale & Key Signature
Gail J., Washington
I have a question about the Amazing Grace Variation from book two. How would you write the last line in I IV V format – from the vi, then F/D, F/G, and Fm. You wouldn’t write IV/2nd would you? Is it IV/6th?
Neil Moore
I have a hybrid response that’s technically questionable but, more importantly, functionally workable.
Alternative Tablature for Chords
Seeing the other answers, I agree with Mark and Ian and Laurie!
Mark M., New York
There are several different answers out there for this. I’m not sure anybody out there knows their way around this arena in any truly authoritative way! Given that, I’m tempted to say the best answer to your question is: do whatever you can most easily make sense of.
Ian B., California
If you are trying to “convert” this song into Roman numerals my take is that you would actually need to know more about actual scale degrees. If it’s a major key that would be (I-ii-iii-IV-V-vi-vii*). Then you just convert the letters to numerals like normal. To answer your question more directly, the last line would be
vi – IV/ii – IV/V – IV – iv – I
Traditionally, the lowercase numerals designate minor chords.
In Nashville number system (which is much easier) they just dispense with the Roman numerals. So…
6 – 4/2 – 4/5 – 4 – 4m – 1
I believe Neil gives an overview of a similar approach in AC2, only he disregards the capitalization rules.
Laurie Richards, Nebraska
I believe there is not one standard answer for this. You can do whatever makes sense to you. I would do it this way, others would do it differently I’m quite sure:
vi IV/6 – IV/2 IVm
Robert R., Kansas
Music conventions are much like language conventions, which are always changing to make things easier to communicate. That being said, there is another system where things are a little more clear—The Nashville Number system.
Original discussion started May 12, 2020
