Published:
2023-03-10
Updated:
2025-10-21

Learning Ukulele with Curt

Template: Song Title Goes Here ;-)

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "TEMPLATE".

Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: ULHA-YB-TEMPLATE

Main Category: Harmonic-Analysis Main Instrument: Any

Subjects: Chords

2025-10-21

Template: Song Title Goes Here ;-)

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "TEMPLATE".

Template: Song Title Goes Here ;-) is in the The Daily Ukulele 365 Songs for Better Living book.

Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.

Ukulele Chords

Ab7 Abdim Abdim7 A B C G G7

These and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.

C Tuning Chords

In the Daily Ukulele series of book the chords are actually listing in their order of appearance. And, are always the basic open position chords when possible.

Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval

  • Template: Song Title Goes Here ;-) is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of F . The original is in the Key of A , Tempo: 138 bpm
  • Start on Root ↓ ↑ m3. Original in the Key of C, Tempo 121 bmp.
  • C Tuning, Low or High G

Intervals Legend: Root=note that begins a scale of the starting key; C is C, D is D, Am is A, Em is E, etc… m=minor; M=Major; P=Perfect; D=Diminished; A=Augmented. • is up/ascending; is down/descending;

Harmonic Analysis (HA) Worksheet

Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet

Grid Columns

Various columns are possible. What every is available with tailwindcss.

1.

C6/9
Dm7
Em7
||: C
B7
Em :||
I

VII7
(V of III)

II

C: C Ionian

B mix-b2 b6 : B C D# E F# G A B`

4 Col Grid with 2nd Ending

2.

C
Dm
Em
F
I
II
III
IV

5 Col Grid with disabled chord

C
C
Dm
Em
F
I
II
III
IV

8 col grid with two chords in some measures

C
A7
Em
F7
E7
Am
I

VI7
(V of II)

III
IV7

VII7
(V of III)

VI

Borrowed Dominant does not resolve to It's perceived I as a Secondary Dominant would.

Callout: tailwind grid

Any number of grid cols are possible. Cols 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 are built-in to tailwindcss.

Callout: tailwind grid

Callout: No heading.

D.S. al Coda

To Coda

D.S. al Coda

C
Dm
Em
F
I
II
III
IV

Coda

C
Dm
Em
F
I
II
III
IV

D.S. al Fine

D.S. al Fine

C
Dm
Em
F
I
II
III
IV

Fine

D.S. al Fine

C
Dm
Em
F
I
II
III
IV

Busy Chord-Per-Beat <x-RMA.grid >

Lots of Re-harmonization and alternate chord changes in the next line.

Lots of Alternate Changes

Eb7
Db7
Cmaj7
Em7
C6/9
Em7
Eb7
Dm7
Db7
C
Em
C
III
bIII7
II
bII7
I
III
I

Option for a single chord a beat — Inline or re-harm above.

Fine

Basic 12 Bar Blues

C7
C7
C7
C7
C
C
C
C
I
I
I
I
I7
I7
I7
I7

C: C Blues

C Blues : C E♭ F G B♭ C` - Can be used over the entire progression fo the C7, F7, and G7 chords.

F7
F7
C7
C7
F
F
C
C
IV
IV
I
I
IV7
IV7
I7
I7
G7
G7
C7
C7
G
G
C
C
V
V
I
I
V7
V7
I7
I7

Major or Seventh Chords in the Blues?

A major blues the I IV and V chords can be major or seventh chords or their direct substitutes.

Quick Four (IV)

C7
F7
C7
C7
I7
IV7
I7
I7

C: C Blues

C Blues : C E♭ F G B♭ C` - Can be used over the entire progression fo the C7, F7, and G7 chords.

F7
F7
C7
C7
IV7
IV7
I7
I7
G7
F7
C7
F7
C7
G7
V7
IV7
I7
IV7
I7
V7

The Harmonic Analysis (HA)

A Harmonic Analysis (RMA/HA) and its worksheet are intended to show the function of the chords, the harmonic principles used, the keys and tonalities the song explores. And, can be used for scale selections and chord and scale substitutions.

NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet. Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fine, D.S., D.C., and codas has been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book.

Sections, Verse, Chorus, 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks …

The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as indicated in the Yellow Book. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.

If turnback chords are not indicated for these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet, recommended chord(s) will be indicated in parentheses or as an alternate harmony in Red . Typically the last measures or turnbacks will be a chord that resolves to and harmonically leads you to the next section or turning you back to the same section. Typically a V or direct substitution of that next chord.

Reference Key

This is the key of the source leadsheet.

  • Template: Song Title Goes Here ;-) is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of F . The original is in the Key of A , Tempo: 138 bpm

Harmonic Principles Used:

These are the harmonic principles used in Template: Song Title Goes Here ;-).

Nashville Number System (NNS)

Nashville Numbering System always uses four bars/measures per line, no bar lines, and default is each number of the number of beats per bar/measure based on the time signature. If multiple chords in same bar then they are underlined. It can be as simple as converting the Roman Numerals above to Arabic numbers.

At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with Arabic numbers. e.g., I becomes 1 , II becomes 2 , etc. The only exception is the bVII7 chord becomes 7 as this borrowed chord from the Mixolydian tonality is so common and the VII (half-diminished seventh) in a major chord is so rare (actually never). And, you could go as far as saying all the modes are numbered: I II III IV V VI VII — just as in the major scale. So calling it a 7 is not that far out.

Check the definitive book Nashville Number System

Scale Selection

Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed, scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical or horizontal choices. And, really, only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.

Scale Abbreviation Legend

Traditional Scale Names: Maj: Major, Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Pent: Major Pentatonic

Scale Mode Names: Ion: Ionian, Dor: Dorian, Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian, Aeol: Aeolian, Loc: Locrian

Scale Abbreviation Legend

Traditional Scales: Maj: Major (Ionian), Nat Min: Natural Minor, Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Har Min: Harmonic Minor

Contemporary Scales: Minor Pent: Minor Pentatonic, Pent: Major Pentatonic, Blues

Scale/Mode Names: Ion: Ionian (Major), Dor: Dorian (Minor), Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian (Dominant), Aeol: Aeolian (Natural Minor), Loc: Locrian

Altered Scales: Mix+4: Mixolydian Plus 4 / Lydian Dominant, Mix-2-6: Mixolydian flat 2, flat 6

Checkout the Lesson Series: Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book. And the QuickStart Series of Scale and Arpeggio books.

RMA book cover QS1UKES book cover

Performance Notes

A worksheet is often, really not needed with such a simple Full Diatonic chord progression.

A Simple I , IV , V chord progression. The Tonic , Subdominant and Dominant , the Primary chords of the major key.

In a short amount of time you'll come recognize these simple chord progressions, just by the chord grids listed at the top of the leadsheet (page). And, hearing where the chords are naturally changing.

Scale Choices

For a Full Diatonic chord progression the first choice scale is the Major scale in the key of the progression. A subset of the Major scale is the Major Pentatonic – the Major scale with no 4th or 6th scale degrees.