The first label

When writing Roman numerals, we need to be always aware in which key we are currently analysing. In the DCML standard, we define

• a piece’s global key as a note name, e.g. Ab (major) or f# (minor);

• a (change of) local key as a Roman numeral.

Every change of key is succeeded by a dot and followed by a harmony label.

Global key

The global key needs to be indicated in the first label. The first label should be attached to the first note and followed by the first harmony:

Annotated beginning of Beethoven’s piano sonata no. 1

Throughout the annotation standard, uppercase stands for major and lowercase stands for minor. Depending on which mode you’re annotating in, the distance of scale degrees 3, 6, and 7 from the tonic changes:

• in major, the root distances of iii III vi VI vii VII are major intervals;

• in minor, the root distances of iii III vi VI vii VII are minor intervals.

Dorian and phrygian mode are annotated in minor, and lydian and mixolydian in major.

Annotated beginning of the Sarabande from BWV 813 in C dorian

Write the first label into corelli_op01n01a.mscx

First label of Corelli op. 1/1 in F major

Write the first label into corelli_op01n04b.mscx

First label of Corelli op. 1/4 in a minor

Write the first label into frescobaldi_12.16.mscx

First label of Frescobaldi op. 12/16 in e phrygian

Write the first label into gastoldi_baletto_a5_10.mscx

First label of Gastoldi Baletti a 5, no. 10 in G mixolydian

Local key

Change of local key will be introduced at a later point. You may proceed with the next section of the tutorial.