Chords as roman numerals

You’re welcome! Hopefully analysis support comes soon. You can bet that when it does, it’ll be amazing…

I look forward to it too!

Although I understand the principle behind write/engrave mode separate functions, it’s a task to edit and move around the workaround function symbols texts - by constantly having to switch to engrave mode to move vertically. Moving one text around moves other text/ text groups around due to some magnetic property. Is there a way to disable this? constantly adjusting and moving around the functional symbols: when reconsidering a chord you have to navigate text as to not lose font, having to adjust height for a key change, a secondary dominant, or trying to label the new key with normal text. This is of course very pertinent in my current chorale studies but does apply elsewhere.

This fluid process for Roman Numerals and its corresponding text input values in SIbelius is about one main thing I like about it. Not enough to keep me there, as there is plenty to love about Dorico - But a nice, easy, fluid functional symbol system seen as part of the writing process, beyond strictly for analysis in my perspective. Would love to see this pushed forward in Dorico.
For those looking for options on this topic: I have made minor adjustments to Opus Roman Chords font (attached) to be able to put in diminished and half diminished symbols (0(zero) or shift-0) more easily in Windows. You use the numbers and shift-number to indicate inversions. I used a trial of FontLab 7 to make the adjustment. I have also attached a keymap for those interested. *(Edit: I realized later this is possible in Finale Numerics text with k and j)

So currently, there is the option of using Dan’s roman numeral project + (Finale Numerics) , the adjustment of the Nashville symbols mentioned previously, and installing the opus roman chords font adjustment. Enough workaround options to functional symbols to keep us content for now :nerd:


OpusRomanChordsStd.zip (12.3 KB)

I know this is an old thread, but is there still no way to easily input roman numerals insrtead of chord letters?

The easiest way is to use the MusAnalysis font developed by @dan_kreider

it’s cool someone made a font. But, its a bit of a bummer this is not included in Dorico itself on version 5. It’s not like it’s a fringe concept. Thanks for the tip!

If you are really short of cash, you can get it for free (but it’s definitely worth more than the suggested $10)

Oh yeah, but I would want to pay for someones work as I’m sure it took some time to do. I just think it’s an oversight to not have to included in Dorico yet. But, it is a young program.

I share the frustration. Not because I don’t want to buy MusAnalysis or similar (which I have done and use all the time), but in teaching my beginning music theory students. They’re struggling enough just to identify intervals and chords, and I don’t feel like I can reasonably ask them to learn a font hack, no matter how brilliant of a hack it is!

It is not a hack. I can almost guarantee your students have download far more than novel fonts!

It is 100% a hack, and while I’m sure they have downloaded a font or six, this one requires learning a completely separate syntax. It’s beyond what I’m willing to teach them when they’re still struggling to put the sharp sign to the left of the notehead. EDIT to add: And of course even the hack/workaround isn’t possible on iPad.

It’s probably a little unfair to call MusAnalysis “100% a hack”. Of course it’s not an integrated feature designed into the software, but as font-based approaches to solve the problem go, it’s pretty elegant.

We do plan to add Roman numeral features to Dorico in due course, as you know, David, but it’s a matter of time and priorities.

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I’d like to put in a feature request related to this. If anyone knows a way to make this work, I’d appreciate it.

What I’d like to do is show regular chord symbols with Roman numerals (or Nashville chord numbers) above the chord symbols. This would be great for educational applications, when teaching students to transpose. My preference would be Roman numerals, as this is what is most often used in educational settings.

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There seems to be some provision made for Nashville Style Chords.

I’d like the same. For my improv class we usually cover a few challenging tunes each week, plus an easier one we play through the keys. For example, yesterday we played “What a Difference a Day Made” which I brought in notated like this:

Notation is in the key the vocalist wanted it in for the melody, then we just went up in 1/2 steps every chorus so the students could play off the roman numerals in whatever key we were in. It would be very cool if you could somehow specify a different notation style and size for a capo line, so I don’t have to fiddle with creating the Roman numeral line and more complicated suffixes as text.

Yes, @Derrek , I am aware of this feature. I’m asking to show Roman numerals above standard chord names. I know that I can show Nashville chords, but I would want to show both, not either/or.

Surely this is yet another use case for @dan_kreider’s excellent MusAnalysis font? If you enter it as lyric (above) it will appear under your chord symbols, but maybe we cannot everything we want!