Nashville Number system/chord tones question

[RockinBones]

Hi (sorry for posting two separate threads but I forgot to ask this!). With the Nashville Number System, I gather (from Rockabilybass.com) each chord in a key is major, m7, m7b5, etc dependent on its number.

But is that always the case with chords within a key? Is the B chord in the key of E typically played as a dominant 7th, or is that purely for songs where you're using the NNS, and that's sort of its whole purpose - ie it gives a fairly standard set of chord tones for each chord for use in any key?

If I were playing any standard I, IV, V progression, would the V tend to be a dominant 7th? Or only when using the NNS?

Thanks for any help.

[Jeremy Darrow]

The chords types are a result of the scale from with they are derived. A V chord (or V7) is that way because when you build a chord starting on the 5th degree of a major scale ("B" in the key of "E" Major, for example) the result is a dominant 7th chord ( B D# F# A). The ii chord will be a minor 7th chord (F# A C# E) and so on.

In my experience with the number system, you can usually assume that a "6" chord (not to be confused with a vi chord) as it appears on a number chart is minor, but a "2" could go either way, it will usually be indicated in the chart in some way. I think of the number system as a shorthand, rather than a system of notation. There are guys here with much more experience with the number system who may have a different opinion.

I hope that helps.

[RockinBones]

Thanks for the reply!

Sadly that just shows more gaps in my knowledge. What would be the difference between a NNS 6 chord and a vi chord that I might come across elsewhere?

Also, if I built a chord based on 1st, 3rd 5th and 7th from F#, I wouldn't automatically produce a minor chord, Is go to Bb as the 3rd - what tells me to make that a minor 3rd? Is it because Bb isn't one of the notes in the scale of E, so you'd use B?

Sorry if I'm missing the point all over the place! Really value the help!

[Jeremy Darrow]

Originally Posted by RockinBones

Thanks for the reply!

Sadly that just shows more gaps in my knowledge. What would be the difference between a NNS 6 chord and a vi chord that I might come across elsewhere?

Also, if I built a chord based on 1st, 3rd 5th and 7th from F#, I wouldn't automatically produce a minor chord, Is go to Bb as the 3rd - what tells me to make that a minor 3rd? Is it because Bb isn't one of the notes in the scale of E, so you'd use B?

Sorry if I'm missing the point all over the place! Really value the help!

The vi symbol, being lowercase, automatically indicates minor. The numeral 6 in a number chart might suggest that the chord is minor, but doesn't tell you automatically. If you build a chord from F# in the key of E major, you will absolutely build a minor every time. There is no Bb in the key of E and there is no B in an F# minor 7th chord. Chords are built from every other note in the ascending scale from their root. So, to build a chord from F# in the key of E, your notes would be F#, skip G#, A natural, skip B, C#, skip D#, E. Because a minor third (three half steps) occurs between F# and A, you know that the chord is probably some kind of minor chord.

[RockinBones]

Sorry, I typed B instead of A in my question, which made it make even less sense. Fortunately your answer makes perfect sense. Much appreciated.