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473:, with E bass) is written as 1/3; G/B is written as 5/7; Am/G (an inversion of Am7) is written as 6m/5; F/G (F major with G bass) is 4/5. Just as with simple chords, the numbers refer to scale degrees; specifically, the scale degree number used for the bass note is that of the note's position in the tonic's scale (as opposed to, for example, that of its position in the scale of the chord being played). In the key of B
585: 1 means a minor 2 chord for two beats, then a 5 chord for two beats, then a 1 chord for four beats. If the measure is not evenly divided, beats can be indicated by dots or hash marks over the chord numbers. Three dots over a given chord would tell the musician to play that chord for three beats. Alternatively,
133:
The
Nashville numbering system provided us the shorthand that we needed so that we could depend on our ears rather than a written arrangement. It took far less time to jot the chords, and once you had the chart written, it applied to any key. The beauty of the system is that we don't have to read. We
404:
major, and G minor chords would appear as 6-. (As stated earlier, the NNS was designed in part for musicians who lack formal music training. The concepts of i iv V , or borrowing a leading tone from the parallel major keys are foreign to most untrained musicians. Instead of 1- 4- 5 they would rather
311:
The key may be specified at the top of the written chord chart or given orally by the bandleader, record producer, or lead singer. The numbers do not change when transposing the composition into another key. They are relative to the new Tonic. The only required knowledge is the major scale for the
581:
underlining the desired chord numbers. (Some charts use parentheses or a box for this.) If two numbers are underlined, it is assumed that the chord values are even. In 4/4 time, that would mean the first chord would be played for two beats, and the second chord would be played for two beats.
580:
dot underneath, indicates that the chord should be immediately choked or stopped. The "push" symbol ("<" and ">" are both used) syncopates the indicated chord, moving its attack back one-eighth note to the preceding "and". A sequence of several chords in a single measure is notated by
706:
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Minor chords are noted with a dash after the number or a lowercase m; in the key of D, 1 is D major, and 4- or 4m would be G minor. Often in the NNS, songs in minor keys will be written in the 6- of the relative major key... if the song was in G minor, the key would be listed as
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121:
The
Nashville Number System is a trick that musicians use to figure out chord progressions on the fly. It is an easy tool to use if you understand how music works. It has been around for about four hundred years, but sometime during the past fifty years , Nashville got the
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155:
structures can be explained using numbers, and chord changes can be communicated mid-song by holding up the corresponding number of fingers. The system is flexible and can be embellished to include more information (such as chord color or to denote a bass note in an
180:
575:
NNS charts also use unique rhythmic symbols, and variations in practice exist. A diamond shape around a number indicates that the chord should be held out or allowed to ring as a whole note. Conversely, the marcato symbol ^ over the number, or a
160:). The system makes it easy for bandleaders, the record producer, or the lead vocalist to change the key of songs when recording in the studio or playing live since the new key has to be stated before the song is started. The
938:
980:– a chart with (auto-playing) audio explanation and playthrough by Jimi Whitelaw, Chip Hardy, Rod Lewis, and Tim Grogan of Nashville Demo Studio. Shows standard musical notation such as
952:– information on rhythm notation is included in the Flash-based "Nashville Number System Quiz and Rhythm Tutorial". It also includes a separate Flash-based ear training quiz.
321:
represents a four-bar phrase in which the band would play a C major chord (one bar), an F major chord (one bar), a C major chord (one bar), and a G major chord (one bar).
958:: "Ok.. it's a standard 12 bar in "G" but add a 2 on the bridge ...kick it off from the 5 ... hit the 4 on the way down, and then into the 1 ... watch me for the 2"
441:
Other chord qualities such as major sevenths, suspended chords, and dominant sevenths use familiar symbols: 4 5 5 1 would stand for F G G C in the key of C, or E
964:
by Trevor de Clercq – This book includes a detailed overview of the
Nashville Number System as well as complete charts for 200 acclaimed country songs.
500:
875:
The
Nashville Number System is very much like the Roman numeral notation system, except it uses regular numbers...instead of Roman numerals.
1021:
405:
see 6- 2- 3. However, this can lead to some instances of very confusing changes, at which point letters should be substituted.)
898:
868:
941:– a "gig bag book" by Nashville musician Jonathan Riggs that introduces the basic concepts of the Nashville Number System
312:
given key. Unless otherwise noted, all numbers represent major chords, and each chord should be played for one measure.
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195:, which uses "Dó Ré Mi Fá Sol Lá Sí" to represent the seven scale degrees of the Major scale. It is also similar to
68:
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39:
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since the 1700s. The
Nashville Number System was compiled and published in a book by Chas. Williams in 1988.
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The
Nashville Number System can be used by anyone, including someone with only a rudimentary background in
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don't get locked into an arrangement that we may feel is not as good as one we can improvise.
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is built. It was developed by Neal
Matthews Jr. in the late 1950s as a simplified system for
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Here is an example of how two four-bar phrases can be formed to create a section of a song.
989:
586:
172:
8:
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199:; however, the NNS instead uses Arabic numerals to represent each of the scale degrees.
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A number by itself (without any other notation) is assumed to represent a major chord.
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Accidentals modifying a scale degree are usually written to the left of the number.
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members can then use their knowledge of harmony to perform the song in a new key.
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and chords with other altered bass notes are notated analogously to regular
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Song
Charting Made Easy: a Play-along Guide to the Nashville Number System
967:
1041:
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by Jim Riley, with a preview including charts and play-along music tracks
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466:
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915:
Stuff! Good Guitar
Players Should Know: An A-Z Guide to Getting Better
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827:
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The
Nashville Number System (also referred to as NNS) is similar to
993:
577:
485:/D, 5/7 stands for F/A, 6m/5 stands for Gm/F, and 4/5 stands for E
999:
522:- (it takes four characters to write "maj7" as opposed to one, "
890:
The how and the Tao of Folk Guitar: Volume One: Getting Started
432:
3. In the key of A major, an F major triad would be notated as
501:
Chord names and symbols (popular music) § Chord quality
315:
So in the key of C, the Nashville Number System notation:
202:
In the key of C, the numbers would correspond as follows:
408:If a chord root is not in the scale, the symbols
167:
1080:
101:to use in the studio and further developed by
1015:
996:dots used in a Nashville Number System chart.
113:systems traditionally used to transcribe a
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860:The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory
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420:can be added. In the key of C major, an E
69:Learn how and when to remove this message
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852:
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469:notation. In the key of C, C/E (C major
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32:This article includes a list of general
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798:Chord chart § Nashville notation
386:or an F major chord in the key of G.
374:major chord in the key of C, or an A
205:C=1, D=2, E=3, F=4, G=5, A=6, B=7.
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13:
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38:it lacks sufficient corresponding
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950:Learn the Nashville Number System
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893:. Funkyseagull.com. p. 54.
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702:and, for comparison, the score
615:and, for comparison, the score
962:The Nashville Number Fake Book
907:
880:
819:
807:Nashville tuning (high strung)
459:. A means "add 2" or "add 9".
168:Scale degrees and major chords
1:
828:"The Nashville Number System"
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211:Nashville numerical notation
7:
968:The Nashville Number System
791:
600:by Creamer and Layton 1918
380:major chord in the key of B
368:7 ("flat 7") represents a B
10:
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887:Costello, Patrick (2003).
696:Play realization on guitar
609:Play realization on guitar
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498:
426:triad would be notated as
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832:nashvillenumbersystem.com
296:, the numbers would be B
863:. Penguin. p. 243.
857:Miller, Michael (2005).
656:5 . 2 . 5 .
548:diminished major seventh
16:Method of chord notation
1063:Nashville Number System
913:Marshall, Wolf (2008).
571:Rhythm and articulation
566:augmented major seventh
558:augmented minor seventh
540:half diminished seventh
336:Played in the key of G
263:Common musical notation
83:Nashville Number System
53:more precise citations.
1068:Roman numeral analysis
355:G C D C G G D D
349:C F G F C C G G
343:1 4 5 4 1 1 5 5
333:Played in the key of C
197:roman numeral analysis
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89:music by denoting the
945:Interactive NNS chart
917:, p.70. Hal Leonard.
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970:– Site for the book
193:(movable-do) Solfège
803:Nashville E9 tuning
598:"After You've Gone"
308:=4, F=5, G=6, A=7.
237:So-Fa names/Solfège
105:. It resembles the
690:Chorus, mm.24-43 (
535:diminished seventh
479:, 1/3 stands for B
318:1 4 1 5
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139:The Jordanaires'
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87:transcribing
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837:January 21,
771:6- . 2 .
762:2- . 6 .
684:1 . 1 .
681:2 . 5 .
664:2 . 5 .
661:1 . . .
467:slash chord
93:on which a
51:introducing
1083:Categories
1058:Lead sheet
1053:Jazz chord
813:References
678:1 . 6 .
530:diminished
499:See also:
390:Chord type
34:references
647:3 . 6° 3
583:2- 5
520:major 7th
59:June 2014
994:staccato
792:See also
785:1 . . .
642:2 . 5 .
639:1 . . .
636:2 . 5 .
633:1 . . .
578:staccato
505:− = m =
488:♭
482:♭
476:♭
456:♭
450:♭
444:♭
435:♭
429:♭
423:♭
417:♯
411:♭
401:♭
383:♭
377:♭
371:♭
365:♭
305:♭
299:♭
293:♭
137:—
125:—
593:Example
353:Verse)
347:Verse)
341:Verse)
122:credit.
47:improve
992:, and
921:
897:
867:
36:, but
538:= =
507:minor
447:F F B
95:chord
919:ISBN
895:ISBN
865:ISBN
839:2023
805:and
708:Play
621:Play
556:m =
491:/F.
182:Play
109:and
81:The
714:):
627:):
438:6.
414:or
330:NNS
258:Sí
252:Sol
1085::
988:,
984:,
873:.
847:^
830:.
564:=
551:=
546:=
533:=
528:=
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510:=
284:B
255:Lá
249:Fá
246:Mi
243:Ré
240:Dó
232:7
151:.
1023:e
1016:t
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925:.
903:.
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562:Δ
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281:A
278:G
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272:E
269:D
266:C
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223:4
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