Nashville Number system

[Bill Mecca]

I've heard this term but have never gotten a real explanation... can anyone describe it?

[Morry]

Are you talking about laying out the chords in studio charts?

[Big Jim]

Look up Nashville Numbering system on the Internet. I seems to try to explain it, but I really don't understand it either. I've been playing Sax and Bass for about 35 years. I play by numbers sometimes. ie. 4 is 4 flats or Ab. etc.. I am not sure very many musicians today used the Nashville Number System. Mostly I've found that chord names work good for most. Best of Luck,
Big Jim

[sessionsax]

I have to deal with the Nashville numbering system all the time. I do sessionwork here in Nashville.

The system is pretty logical. All you are doing is applying numbers to the chord progression -- much in the same way as you do in music theory.

It is based on the positions of the
notes of musical scales. For example, the scale of C is:


C D E F G A B C


Here is that scale with the position numbers of the notes:


1 2 3 4 5 6 7
C D E F G A B


you can leave the last note ("C") off because it is simply the
first note repeated and is already numbered '1.' Using these numbers,
if you knew the chords to a song in the Key of C, you can easily
change them to the numbers: The Chord of C would be 1, D would be 2,
E would be 3, etc. G7 can be written 57 with the numbers. Fm would
be 4m. Bb7 would be 7b7, and so on.

Hope this helps

There is also a book on the topic

http://www.musicbooksplus.com/books/hl370.htm

[Bill Mecca]

thanks, just curious after hearing the term used and not really sure what it meant. close to what I thought (gee I must not be that dumb after all) :dazed:

[morgan]

I thought it was this:

New arrival:
"Hello! I have come to Nashville! I can play guitar! I can play in all twelve keys. I can play rhythm so good the floor itself dances. I can play a lead so hot the guitar catches on fire! I can play behind my back. I can sing so beautifully the very sky will weep."

Nashville resident:
"Ah, yes, very good -- take a number for service please. Here is your tag. Your number is 490584".

Nashville agent/producer (loudly):
NOW SERVING number thirty-seven! Thirty-seven, please step forward!

For New York numbering, substitute New York and Saxophone as necessary.

[Morry]

It's just to allow the musicians to instantly transpose to another key if needed. A II-V7-I (or 2-57-1) is the same progression no matter what note of the scale you attribute to the root (I). I think we southerners are just a little slow, so they decided not to use roman numerals. :-)

[jazzbluescat]

I learned the system up in Boston, waaaaay back in '63.
I thought it was a, like, universal system; now it's Nashville, eh?
Tsk, tsk, hoity toity. Them Nashvillians are such innovators. :lol:

[Frank D]

Does the Nashville system apply to both kinds of music, i.e. Country AND Western?

(Sorry, I just love that one.)

[sessionsax]

Hey guys, back off on Nashville. We have quite a few talented saxophonist hanging out around here.

Check out

Mark Douthit
Kirk Whalum
Dennis Solee
Don Aliquo
Sam Levine

and can I humbly add myself.

Theres is a lot going on here besides country.

We may not have as many saxophonists per capita as NY, but for me, thats a good thing. It gives me way more opportunities.

[sessionsax]

Add to that list Jeff Coffin of bela fleck fame

and if you have never heard grammy nominated Jeff Kirk, you are missing out.

[Jeff Foster]

ROTFLMAO at morgan.

[jazzbluescat]

.....We have quite a few talented saxophonist hanging out around here....


No doubt.
But, don't they all have to sound like either Ace Cannon or Boots Randolf?
Them advant guardians. :lol:

[Tom ed]

I thought that the Nashville system also applied to chords where you used numbers instead of notes. A major 7 chord would be 1,3,5,7 and a ninth chord would be 1,3,5,b7,9. I have always found this to be the easiest way to remember chords. Nashville is one of my favorite trips, its just up the road a little way and there is always some interesting music goin on.

[Riff]

Modern day figured bass.

ii V7 I
2 57 1

It's all the same to me.
We've got nothing on Bach.

How do they show inversions?

Does V4,2 = 57/4 or something like that?

[sessionsax]

jazzredcat -- I personally have never been asked to sound like Boots or Ace. I hear plently of "can you do this like Sanborn" and once in a while I hear "can you do the Kenny G thing on that gold clarinet" -- which is all part of the business. Generally though you are pretty free.

Its true that there aren't as many Jazz gigs here -- but there are some really good clubs that will let you express that side of your playing.

Most of my work comes from the Christian scene which is basically all R&B.

But there are several exceptional Jazz players here -- its just not where the work is at.

Check out the players I mentioned -- and tell me if they sound like Boots to you :)

[morgan]

Modern day figured bass.
We've got nothing on Bach.
How do they show inversions?


Ah, somebody else noticed !

Jazz notation usually shows an inversion by naming the bass note, so
G7 (second inversion) is often notated
G7/D

As for numeric notation, I'd be curious too.
V7/5 ??
57/5

That "name the bass note" scheme usually misses the point anyway... for example, in this case if
G7/D
resolves to
D7
then it wasn't really a functional G chord in the first place, but more of a suspension, so why call it a G7 atall?


And what happens to all these numeric schemes when you have a few rudimentary key changes like in How High the Moon or something? Is that a "three" chord or is it a "two of two" or a "two of the new temporary key"?

[jazzbluescat]

..."can you do this like Sanborn" and once in a while I hear "can you do the Kenny G thing on that gold clarinet" -- which is all part of the business. Generally though you are....

Yeah, I guess that I'm a bit out of date. :?
....it's the same all over. People and places change with time, yet still remain the same, so to speak; you know.
I mean no slight against Nashville musicians.
My original statement about the Nashville # system was to simply state that they didn't "invent this wheel," IMO; and, I just got carried away....

...And what happens to all these numeric schemes when you have a few rudimentary key changes like in How High the Moon or something? Is that a "three" chord or is it a "two of two" or a "two of the new temporary key"?

I routinely think of this. It really shoots the heck out of my points of reference "system." :shock:

[sessionsax]

jazzredcat -- no slight taken. I appreciate your input on the forum -- and a ocassional jab is good for anybody. Take a listen to the players I listed. I do think that you might be surprised at the abilities of these players :D

[GHawk]

sessionsax,

Do you know Doug Moffett? If you do, is he still in Nashville? A PLAYER.

[1saxman]

Jazzredcat; The system started in Nashville 'way before 1963. More like the '50s. But, like you say, it's really nothing new, just a real handy way of silently signaling the next change to a player who came in on the session without a chance to learn the song. This system became the musical language of hectic Nashville sessions and is still very evident. Many Country songs can be so signalled with the fingers of one hand, so it was a natural for this environment. I've worked many gigs with Country piano player/singers who use this method when they start a song live that nobody knows. He hollers the key, and you just go from there.

[sessionsax]

GHawk,

I haven't met Doug on a gig, but I have heard through the grapevine that he is the real thing. I would love to have a chance to chat a bit with him.

I have met Sam Levine and Mark Douthit, they both are tremendous players -- each with their own strengths.

Jeff Kirk was actually my sax instructor when I was in college at Belmont.

I have only been working the session scene for the last 2 years in Nashville -- most of the guys on my list have been here 20 years or longer. Mark and Sam basically have the session scene wrapped up.

Its a tough scene here, but I have been blessed by making some good contacts and the work is slowly starting to roll in.

Maybe I will get to meet him on a gig somewhere. I hear that he is still around.

[rlowenote]

Sessionsax,

I personally prefer the Nashville number system, since I don't have to re-write all the chords on a sheet when we decide to change key. As a guitar player, all one has to do is slide a capo. But any instrument without a fretboard has to go through other changes, and some keys are a lot harder than others depending on the instrument.

But when a key change occurs in the middle of a song (modulation), do you just mark the change and continue with the numbers as normal (1,4,57) of the new key?

I've also heard that some musicians will sometimes signal the key by using various amounts of fingers pointed up or down. Two fingers up meaning 2 Sharps, one finger down equals 1 flat. Is that method used primarily in jam sessions? Sounds like a good method to me, especially when there's a lot of background noise going on.

Ralph

[paulwl]

I thought it was this:

New arrival:
"Hello! I have come to Nashville! I can play guitar! I can play in all twelve keys. I can play rhythm so good the floor itself dances. I can play a lead so hot the guitar catches on fire! I can play behind my back. I can sing so beautifully the very sky will weep."

Nashville resident:
"Ah, yes, very good -- take a number for service please. Here is your tag. Your number is 490584".

Nashville agent/producer (loudly):
NOW SERVING number thirty-seven! Thirty-seven, please step forward!

For New York numbering, substitute New York and Saxophone as necessary.

And they're calling number 3,766,264, and your number is zero. :?