TIP: More useful symbols such as Ⅴ⁷ and ⅶ°⁶

Hello everyone,

I received positive feedback for using certain Unicode characters for my figured bass / inversions notation, so I think it is a good idea to share it in this thread. For a detailed list of other musical symbols, go HERE.

Roman Numerals:

Roman numerals have dedicated Unicode. Some fonts include special glyphs for these such as Linux Libertine, so that they connect (no space in between the Ⅱ for instance). Reddit’s default font (Verdana) does not, but it does output in serif (III vs. Ⅲ).

Ⅰ Ⅱ Ⅲ Ⅳ Ⅴ Ⅵ Ⅶ and ⅰ ⅱ ⅲ ⅳ ⅴ ⅵ ⅶ

Figured bass / inversions

You can use subscripts and superscripts to create (short-hand) figured bass / inversions.

C dominant seven = C⁷; Dm in first inversion in key of C = ⅱ⁶.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to stack them, but placing them next to each other is nevertheless quite elegant:

Dm⁷ in first inversion in key of C = ⅱ⁶₅, ⅱ[⁶₅], or ⅱ(⁶₅)

Degree sign and subscript o for diminished intervals:

ⅶ°⁶ | Ⅴₒ⁷

You can describe voice leading by using super-/subscript minus signs (⁻ and ₋):

ⅱ⁷⁻⁶ | Ⅴ₄₋₃

Plus signs are also available (⁺ and ₊):

Ⅴ₊⁷ | It.⁺⁶

And parentheses as well (⁽⁾ and ₍₎):

Ⅴ⁷⁽⁺⁹⁾ | Ⅴ⁷₍₋₅₎

And letters (however, output is not consistent and not every character is available):

Ⅳᵐᵃʲ⁷ | Ⅳᴹᴰ

List of figured bass / inversions

triads: ⁶ ⁶₃ ⁶₄

sevenths: ⁷ ⁶₅ ⁴₃ ⁴₂ ₂

Superscripts: ⁰ ¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹, and ⁺ ⁻ ⁽⁾ °, ᵐᵃʲ⁷, ᴹᴰ ᴰᴹ

Subscripts: ₀ ₁ ₂ ₃ ₄ ₅ ₆ ₇ ₈ ₉, and ₊ ₋ ₍₎ ₒ

half-diminished: ø (there is no sub-/superscript version)

Letters

Super: ᴬ ᴮ ꟲ ᴰ ᴱ ꟳ ᴳ ᴴ ᴵ ᴶ ᴷ ᴸ ᴹ ᴺ ᴼ ᴾ ꟴ ᴿ ᵀ ᵁ ⱽ ᵂ

Super: ᵃ ᵇ ᶜ ᵈ ᵉ ᶠ ᵍ ʰ ⁱ ʲ ᵏ ˡ ᵐ ⁿ ᵒ ᵖ 𐞥 ʳ ˢ ᵗ ᵘ ᵛ ʷ ˣ ʸ ᶻ

Sub: ₐ ₑ ₕ ᵢ ⱼ ₖ ₗ ₘ ₙ ₒ ₚ ᵣ ₛ ₜ ᵤ ᵥ ₓ

Already on main page

Major-7 / Delta: Δ (no sub-/superscript version)

From double-flat, to double-sharp 𝄫, ♭, ♮, ♯, 𝄪 (only in superscript)

I hope that’s helpful!