Glossary of Basic Music Theory Terms and Symbols

Schulich School of Music, McGill University

This brief glossary summarizes some basic music theory terms and concepts, with notes on specific
terminology used at the Schulich School of Music. Many examples below are drawn from Steven
Laitz’s textbook, The Complete Musician, 2nd ed.

Scales/Gammes
(gamme majeure)

T = tone (ton)
S = semitone (demi-ton)
(gamme mineure naturelle)

(gamme mineure harmonique)

(seconde augmentée)

(gamme mineure mélodique)

Solfège
McGill uses two complementary systems of solmization: verbal syllables to identify pitches. Exact
pitches are identified with a fixed-do system of solfège syllables:
C do
D re
E mi
F fa
G sol
A la
B si
These syllables indicate only a note’s letter name, not any associated accidentals.

Scale degrees (degrés de la gamme) are identified with a movable system of scale degree numbers
from one to seven (which is shortened to “sev” for ease of singing). The assignment of syllable
depends on the musical context: C is “one” in the key of C, but “five” in the key of F. Scale degrees
are indicated by a number topped by a caret (^). Scale degrees may also be identified by names:
1� tonic tonique
2� supertonic sus-tonique
3� mediant médiante
�4 subdominant sous-dominante
5� dominant dominante
6� submediant sus-dominante
7� leading tone (when flat, subtonic) sensible (sous-tonique)

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Keys and key signatures/Clés et armures
Labels for major keys: A, A maj. A+
Labels for minor keys: e, e min., e–

Intervals/Intervalles
interval name enharmonic equivalent # semitones
perfect unison: P1 =diminished second: d2 0 unisson juste (=seconde diminuée)
minor second: m2 = augmented unison: A1 1 seconde mineure (=unisson augmentée)
major second: M2 = diminished third: d3 2 seconde majeure (=tierce diminuée
minor third: m3 = augmented second: A2 3 tierce mineure (=seconde augmentée)
major third: M3 = diminished fourth: d4 4 tierce majeure (=quarte diminuée)
perfect fourth: P4 = augmented third (rare): A3 5 quarte juste (=tierce augmentée)
augmented fourth: A4/diminished fifth: d5 6 quarte augmentée/quinte diminuée
perfect fifth: P5 = diminished sixth (rare): d6 7 quinte juste/sixte diminuée
minor sixth: m6 = augmented fifth: A5 8 sixte mineure/quinte augmentée
major sixth: M6 = diminished seventh: d7 9 sixte majeure/septième diminuée
minor seventh: m7 = augmented sixth: A6 10 septième mineure/ sixte augmentée
major seventh: M7 = diminished octave: d8 11 septième majeure/octave diminuée
perfect octave: P8 = augmented seventh: A7 12 octave juste/ septième augmentée

consonant intervals dissonant intervals

perfect: P1, P5, P8 all forms of 2nds, 4ths, and 7ths
imperfect: M3, m3, M6, m6 all augmented and diminished intervals

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Meter/Temps
Common duple meters (mesures à deux temps):
2 2 6 6
simple (binaire): and compound (dérivée/ternaire): and
4 2 8 4

Common triple meters (mesures à trois temps):

3 3 9 9
simple: and compound: and
4 2 8 16

Common quadruple meters (mesures à quatre temps):

4 4 12 12
simple: and compound: and
4 2 8 4

Triads/Triades
accord parfait majeur

accord parfait mineur

accord de quinte diminuée

accord de quinte augmentée

Roman numeral labels for triads/Chiffrage romain des accords

Roman numerals are assigned to triads based on their relationship to the tonic. The format of each
numeral reflects chord quality: major triads use uppercase letters (I, IV, V), minor triads use
lowercase (ii, iii, vi), and diminished triads are lowercase with an added “°” (vii°). Some theorists
also use the notation vii for the diminished triad. The augmented triad is indicated by a “+” (III+).

Seventh chords use upper or lowercase Roman numerals based on the quality of their triad (first
three notes). Some theorists prefer the use of capital Roman numerals for all chords, regardless of
major/minor quality: I, II, III, IV, V, VI VII

Triads in major keys: I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii°

Triads in minor keys: i, ii°, III, iv/IV, v/V, VI, VII/vii°

Minor key pieces often end with a major version of the tonic chord, I (Picardy third) (Tierce de
Picardie).

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Seventh chords/Accords de septième

accord de septième majeure accord de septième mineure accord de septième diminuée

accord de septième mineure
et quinte diminuée

The Mm 7th is also commonly called the “dominant seventh” chord (accord de septième de
dominante). In addition to their names, the half-diminished and diminished seventh chords are
identified by symbols:
diminished seventh: vii°7 half-diminished seventh: ii∅7

Cadences
The most common cadences are assigned abbreviations:
Perfect authentic cadence/cadence parfaite (PAC):
An authentic cadence (from root-position V to root-position tonic) with the soprano ending on 1.
Imperfect authentic cadence/cadence imparfaite (IAC):
An authentic cadence in which the soprano voice ends on the third or the fifth scale degree.
Half cadence/demi-cadence (HC): A cadence which concludes on a root-position dominant.
Deceptive cadence/cadence rompue (DC): The failure to realize an implied authentic cadence by
replacing the final tonic with another harmony (usually vi or VI, but possibly I6).
Plagal cadence/cadence plagale (PC): A confirming cadence, IV or iv to tonic, that usually follows
an authentic cadence. Plagal cadences cannot accomplish harmonic closure by themselves, since the
tonic note is already present in the subdominant chord.

Figured bass symbols/Basse chiffrée

5
Triad in root position (accord fondamental): no symbol or
3
6
Triad in first inversion (premier renversement): 6 or
3
6
Triad in second inversion (deuxième renversement):
4
7
Seventh chord in root position: 7 or 5
3
6
6
Seventh chord in first inversion: or 5
5
3
6
4
Seventh chord in second inversion: or 4
3
3
6
4
Seventh chord in third inversion (troisième renversement): 2 or or 4
2
2
The pitches indicated by figured bass match the key signature unless otherwise indicated. An
accidental (♭♮♯ ) appearing alone affects the third above the bass. Alterations to other scale
degrees are shown by an accidental before the number: for example, ♭6 or ♯4. (Sometimes a
sharped scale degree will be indicated by a slash through the number.) Movement within a single
upper voice is shown by a dash between the notes: 4–3 or 7–6.

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Non-harmonic tones/Notes étrangères
passing tone / note de passage = P
neighbour tone / broderie = N
upper neighbor = UN
lower neighbor = LN
double neighbor = DN
escape tone / échappée = ESC or ECH
incomplete neighbour / broderie incomplète = IN
appoggiatura = APP (can be understood as an incomplete neighbor on an accented beat)
suspension / retard = SUS
anticipation = ANT

Cadential 6/4 (Accord de quarte et sixte cadentiel)

One of the most common uses of the 6/4 chord is to elaborate the dominant in a cadential
progression: over the bass note 5� , the scale degrees 1� and 3� 4� 5� 6� 7� delay the arrival of 7� and 2� . The
progression can be notated in several ways—the two most common in McGill theory courses are:
I46—V 53
V
and

V 6−5 6−5
4−3 or V(4−3 ).

Modulation
Modulations can be notated with two parallel rows of Roman numerals. The pivot chord (indicated
below by a box around the Roman numerals) will be analyzed with different functions in the
original and new key.

Applied dominants (secondary dominants)/Dominantes passagères (dominantes secondaires)

One of the most common forms of chromaticism is the applied dominant: a dominant chord that
leads to the following (non-tonic) chord as if resolving to a tonic. For example, in the key of C, the
applied dominant D major (V/V) leads to G major (V), with the F♯, the applied leading tone,
borrowed from the key of G. Standard labeling for applied dominants is a slash separating the
applied chord from its implied resolution: thus V/ii is the dominant of ii (spoken: “five of two”).
Either V or vii° chords may function as applied dominants: for example, V/V, V/ii, vii°/V, or vii°/ii.

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Another common notation for an applied dominant is a curved arrow: The arrow indicates
that the chord preceding the arrow is to be understood as a dominant leading to the chord to which
the arrow points.

You may also see applied dominant chords indicated by brackets or parentheses, which show that
the chord in parentheses is to be understood in the key of the following chord: [V] ii is the same
progression as V/ii ii.

Applied dominants may be part of larger tonicizations (modulations passagères), often indicated
by brackets, as in this Schumann lied, which tonicizes III and v of the tonic G minor. While this
example does not label pivot chords, note that each new key reinterprets the preceding tonic as a
submediant (vi or VI):

Neapolitan sixth chord/Accord de sixte napolitaine

The Neapolitan sixth chord, N6 or ♭II6, is a major triad built on the flatted second degree:
♭2� 4� ♭6� . It most often appears in first inversion (4� in the bass), and progresses to the dominant.

Augmented sixth chord/Accord de sixte augmentée

The most common augmented sixth chords have been given names for quick reference:
Italian (It+6): ♭6� 1� ♯4�
German (Ger+6): ♭6� 1� ♭3� ♯4�
French (Fr+6): ♭6� 1� 2� ♯4�
6−5
The standard resolution for all augmented sixth chords is to V, often with cadential 4−3 upper-voice
motion.

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Lead sheet notation
Jazz and popular music compositions often indicate chord progressions with lead sheet notation
rather than figured bass or Roman numerals. Lead sheet notation indicates chord root and quality,
but not inversion or harmonic function.
Major triad: B
Minor triad: B– or b
Diminished triad: B°
Augmented triad: B+
Dominant seventh chord (Mm7, e.g. B-D♯-F♯-A): B7
Major seventh chord (MM7, e.g. B-D♯-F♯-A♯): BM7 or BΔ7
Minor seventh chord (mm7, e.g. B-D-F♯-A): b7, B–7, or Bmi7
Half-diminished seventh chord (dm7, e.g. B-D-F-A): B∅7 or B7b5
Diminished seventh chord (dd7, e.g. B-D-F-A♭): B°7
While lead sheet notation usually omits information about chord inversions, the bass note can be
shown as a letter name after the chord symbol separated by a slash: for example, Cm7/G is a C
minor seventh chord with the fifth, G, in the bass.