Some piano students have difficulty grasping the theory concept of chord symbols. This can definitely tricky, especially if students are younger and not super familiar with Roman numbers. While learning chord symbols might feel like you are swimming in a math class full of mysterious numbers when you come to music lessons, understanding chord relationships can pave the way for students to later transpose and improvise music much more easily in multiple keys!
Scale Degrees
The first step is understanding that scale notes are numbered, similar to counting your steps as you walk up a ladder. These numbers are called scale degrees. They are often written using Roman numbers. You can build a triad (3 note chord) on top of every note of the scale. This example shows C Major because the bottom note of the #1 chord (aka I) is C.
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