"VII ? probably never written on a chart, would be indicated by V7 instead, I imagine. "

In the context, VII & V7 are very different things to a trained musician - VII would be the majot chord based on the relative 7th, very different notes from V7, and while it would be unusual in 'Folk & Trad' music, it is not unusual in some styles of music..

"It is surely complicating the issue unnecesarily to notate the chords to indicate major or minor unless the chord required varies from the normal triads generated by the root note of the chord in that particular scale."

You are right Murray. That IS exactly what the whole system relies on.

I, V7, etc is Major, Im, Vm7, etc is minor in the system I was formally trained in. But I HAVE seen printed music that works on different assumptions, whether I could quickly turn up an example from library is another question....

But

"I   is always major
II is always minor
III is always minor
IV is always major
V   is always major
VI is always minor"

is not correct - Major scales contain only Major triads - Minor scales contain only Minor triads. If the one contained the other, why would there be two different scales?


Robin