interpretation / Symbolic

Key

A tonic pitch class and mode that give scale degrees and Roman chord functions their context.

Try it

Resolve a progression in a key

Roman numerals describe functions relative to a selected key. Change the key to reinterpret the same numerals, or transpose the resulting MIDI notes by a fixed number of semitones. These are different operations.

KeyRoman progression

Transpose0 st

Key scale · octave-free set

Key

C major

Scale notes

C-D-E-F-G-A-B

Pitch classes

0-2-4-5-7-9-11

Resolved chord symbols (before shift)

Cmaj7 - G7 - Am7 - Fmaj7

C is the tonic; major supplies the scale. Roman numerals resolve to diatonic seventh chords where available. The semitone control moves the resolved notes after that interpretation.

Written forms

Ways to write this concept

Each notation describes the same underlying object. Load a playable example to hear one MIDI realization in the Code Sequencer.

name

Tonic plus mode/scale name

C major
A minor
D dorian

Choose Load beside a convertible example to open its live player. Some catalog formats describe analysis or a display label and have no note realization yet.

Key sequenceA time-ordered map of keys and modulations. It keeps track of where a piece changes tonal center instead of assigning one key to the whole piece.Pitch classOne of the twelve pitches from C to B, independent of octave. Transposition rotates its position around the chromatic circle.ScaleA named pattern of pitch classes organized around a tonic, such as C major or D dorian.Pitch-class spaceA twelve-bin distribution of pitch-class weights. It combines matching pitches across octaves while retaining their counts.Point Set SequenceAn ordered sequence of point-sets that may contain duplicates Functional harmonyA progression described by Roman numerals relative to a key. The key turns each function into a concrete chord; changing keys reinterprets the same progression.

Resolve a progression in a key

Ways to write this concept

name

Concept connections