Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom

Following are the figured bass inversion symbols most commonly used for triads and seventh chords. (Remember that figured bass numbers represent intervals above the bass note within the key signature.)

Unlike original figured bass notation in the Baroque era, in music theory courses, figured bass inversion symbols are placed after Roman numerals.

Compare figured bass symbols to the modified slash notation we have been using in previous chapters.

Because the figures \(\left.\text{}^{6}_{5}\right.\), \(\left.\text{}^{4}_{3}\right.\), and \(\left.\text{}^{4}_{2}\right.\) are only used for seventh chords, the “7” is omitted when labeling inverted seventh chords.

Notice that it is essential with seventh chords to include symbols like “M” (for a major seventh chord) and \(\left.\text{}^{\circ}{}\right.\) and \(\left.\text{}^ø{}\right.\) before the figured bass numbers and after the Roman numeral.