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Title: Harmonies by bass scale degree
Author: Kris Shaffer
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Date:
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Common harmonies for diatonic chords (most passing chords omitted)

Bass scale degreeFunctional bassFigured bassRoman numeral
doT1I
S14/2II

| re | S2 | | II |
| | D2(p) | 6/4/(3) | V |
| | | 6/(5) | VII |

| mi/me | T3 | 6 | I |
| | | | III |

| fa | S4 | | IV |
| | | 6/(5) | II |
| | D4 | 4/2 | V |

| sol | D5 | (7) | V |
| | | 6/4 | Cad. or V |
| | T5(p) | 6/4 | I (pass.) |

| la/le | S6 | 6 | IV |
| | Tx6 | | VI |

| te | D7 | | (b)VII |
| | | 6 | V |

| ti | D7 | 6/(5) | V |

Common harmonies for chromatically altered chords

N.B.: For expediency’s sake, a sharp sign below means raised—whether it is sharp, natural, or double-sharp depends on the key. Likewise, a flat sign (“b”) means lowered—whether it is flat, natural, or double-flat depends on the key.

Bass scale degreeFunctional bassFunc. bass layer 2Figured bassRoman numeral
do[S1]D4/V(#)4/2V/V
[T1]D5/IV(7)V/IV

| di | [T+1] | D7/II | 6/(5) | V/II |
| | | | (7) | VII/II |

| re | [S2] | D5/V | (7) | V/V |

| ri | [D+2] | D7/III | 6/(5) | V/III |

| mi (in minor) | [T+3] | D7/IV | 6/(5) | V/IV |

| fa | [S4] | N. | b6 | N. |

| fi | [S+4] | D7/V | 6/(5) | V/V |

| si | [D+5] | D7/VI | 6/(5) | V/VI |

| le | [S6] | It. | #6 | It. +6 |
| | | Fr. | #6/4/3 | Fr. +6 |
| | | Ger. | #6/5 | Ger. +6 |

| te | [T–7] | D4/IV | (#)4/2 | I |

Combined chart

N.B.: For expediency’s sake, a sharp sign below means raised—whether it is sharp, natural, or double-sharp depends on the key. Likewise, a flat sign (“b”) means lowered—whether it is flat, natural, or double-flat depends on the key.

Bass scale degreeFunctional bassFunc. bass layer 2Figured bassRoman numeral
doT1I
S14/2II
[S1]D4/V(#)4/2V/V
[T1]D5/IV(7)V/IV

| di | [T+1] | D7/II | 6/(5) | V/II |
| | | | (7) | VII/II |

| re | S2 | | | II |
| | D2(p) | | 6/4/(3) | V |
| | | | 6/(5) | VII |
| | [S2] | D5/V | (7) | V/V |

| ri | [D+2] | D7/III | 6/(5) | V/III |

| mi/me | T3 | | 6 | I |
| | | | | III |

| mi (in minor) | [T+3] | D7/IV | 6/(5) | V/IV |

| fa | S4 | | | IV |
| | | | 6/(5) | II |
| | D4 | | 4/2 | V |
| | [S4] | N. | b6 | N. |

| fi | [S+4] | D7/V | 6/(5) | V/V |

| sol | D5 | | (7) | V |
| | | | 6/4 | Cad. or V |
| | T5(p) | | 6/4 | I (pass.) |

| si | [D+5] | D7/VI | 6/(5) | V/VI |

| la/le | S6 | | 6 | IV |
| | Tx6 | | | VI |

| la (in minor) | [S6] | | 6 | IV |

| le | [S6] | It. | #6 | It. +6 |
| | | Fr. | #6/4/3 | Fr. +6 |
| | | Ger. | #6/5 | Ger. +6 |

| te | D7 | | | (b)VII |
| | | | 6 | V |
| | [T–7] | D4/IV | (#)4/2 | I |

| ti | D7 | | 6/(5) | V |