> Notation

When writing triads in terms of their position on a major or harmonic minor scale, the following
convention has been adopted:

                        Uppercase roman numerals indicate Major Triads (I, IV, V, VI)

                        Lowercase roman numerals indicate Minor Triads (i, ii, iii, iv, vi)

                        indicates diminution of the 5^th  in Minor Triads (ii, vii)

                        + indicates augmentation of the 5^th  in Major Triads (III+)

In the case of a Quadriads, when the 7^th as well as the 5^th is diminished, some confusion can
arise as to which chord member the symbol refers to. For this reason the symbol is used
to indicate that the 5^th  is diminished while the 7^th is not diminished, and the symbol is used
to indicate that both the 5^th and 7^th are  diminished. See Interval Name Chart for a definition of
diminished intervals.

Be aware that when using uppercase/lowercase chord descriptions in conjunction with Arabic
numerals to specify the inversion, the Roman numeral no longer refers to the bass note in
Figured Bass notation , but to a chord function in Figured Function notation. (see Chords (basic)).
Hence, we should distinguish two usages:

Figured Bass notation:      

  =  first inversion of a I  or  i  type chord (which is build up from scale degree III   or III )

    =  first inversion of a or    type chord (which is built up from scale degree II )

   =  second inversion of a or type chord (which is built up from scale degree VI  or VI )

Figured Function notation:

       =  first inversion of a  I  type chord (which is build up from scale degree III )

       =  first inversion of a  i  type chord (which is build up from scale degree III )

 =  first inversion of a type chord (which is built up from scale degree II)

  =  first inversion of a   type chord (which is built up from scale degree II)

      =  second inversion of a or type chord (which is built up from scale degree VI )

  =  second inversion of a  type chord (which is built up from scale degree VI)

From this comparison, we can see that the Figured Function notation contains more information
about the chords (i.e. being major, minor, diminished or augmented) whereas in the Figured Bass
notation, this information would only arise from knowledge of the underlying scale being either
major or harmonic minor.

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