Nashville Numbers System - do you use it?

[MCS4]

I've never used it. Just happens that most of my playing has been in situations where I do not find notation of any kind to be worth the time (for example, original hard rock/metal) or where it isn't needed because other types of notation are already available (for example, church groups working off of sheet music or chord charts).

 

[LowendG]

All day every day. Like it’s my job or something haha! I include a lot of info-especially kick patterns and key bass lines or licks.

Nice! This has more detail than I've been doing, but I look at this, and I actually understand it

 

[eniac]

[...]Some pretty big differences - some are quite bare bones while some resemble hieroglyphics!

I'll go further and say that some are downright illegible and would need to be rewritten to actually be usable by the average number system player. IMO Chas's charts are the best by far.

 

[Calebmundy]

Nice! This has more detail than I've been doing, but I look at this, and I actually understand it

Here are a thousand or two more to look through: Dropbox - Music Charts En Masse - Simplify your life

 

[Calebmundy]

I'll go further and say that some are downright illegible and would need to be rewritten to actually be usable by the average number system player. IMO Chas's charts are the best by far.

Guilty…

 

[r_bnks]

No

 

[LowendG]

Here are a thousand or two more to look through: Dropbox - Music Charts En Masse - Simplify your life

Wow, gonna have some fun with this--thanks!

 

[eniac]

Here's an example of one of mine, from years ago.

https://paraphase.net/bass_charts/surrounded-upperroom-shortened-bass-chart-credit-obfuscated.pdf

 

[eniac]

Guilty…

Eh, that's not so bad, Caleb. I could get through that after maybe a couple of questions answered.

 

[darwin-bass]

Yes!

I play in church worship bands. Last week I showed up to rehearsal having prepared to play the song in C (as indicated in the music) but turns out they do it in A. NNS saved my bacon and I switched to the new key with zero issues.

A year ago, we did a song in D. Leader decided last minute that we'd do it as an instrumental prelude but in G so it would mesh with the song that came after. Didn't matter. It was still a 1 6m 4 5 progression for me.

NNS makes things much easier when talking with the band about chords when not all instruments are in the same key (guitar using a capo, keys using the transpose button, bass is detuned). Nobody cares, we just talk chord numbers.

 

[darwin-bass]

Here's an example of one of mine, from years ago.

https://paraphase.net/bass_charts/surrounded-upperroom-shortened-bass-chart-credit-obfuscated.pdf

Are the diamonds to indicate whole notes by chance?

 

[tb-player]

I came up on standard notation. It's still the best way to read a song. But the number system opened up a lot of musical avenues for me. It's like shorthand... so much easier to scratch out on the fly.

 

[darwin-bass]

All day every day. Like it’s my job or something haha! I include a lot of info-especially kick patterns and key bass lines or licks.

I assume the dashes are "minor" so 6- is 6m is vi?

 

[LowendG]

Eh, that's not so bad, Caleb. I could get through that after maybe a couple of questions answered.

It looked intimidating to me, but I just ran through it twice having never heard this song before and did pretty well (which surprised me to say the least). Good stuff.

 

[Calebmundy]

I assume the dashes are "minor" so 6- is 6m is vi?

Correct!

 

[eniac]

Are the diamonds to indicate whole notes by chance?

An easy way to remember what a diamond is: "I bought my girlfriend a diamond ring". So, let a "diamonded" note or chord ring out (sustain) for the indicated time. A diamond can also go above a number.

 

[logdrum]

Notation with chord like the RealBook seems easier and then just transpose it on the fly, which I do easily because I play Bb and Eb instruments. Even if I was not and just did everything in concert pitch, notation and transpose seems easier.

 

[Calebmundy]

@darwin-bass dashes and diamonds are very standard, but as a whole the system is far less standardized than.. well… “standard” notation haha. So be wary when trying to define the system for yourself.

 

[PhillipHolbrook]

I once played with a singer who would experiment with changing keys from time to time, so I started writing out very rudimentary numbers charts(really just the chords and overall arrangement). Even though I'd largely memorized the tunes, it was a good exercise. Recently got a copy of The Nashville Number System by Chas Williams and man, there's so much more that one can do with this approach than my bare-bones charts.
Just curious how many players use this for themselves as opposed to writing regular chord charts out. Also, do you ever get handed a numbers chart as opposed to a regular chord chart? Is it just a Nashville thing?

I use it exclusively.

 

[Koog]

Yes. It is one part of the adventure I actually understand pretty well. It is helpful in overcoming some of my many musical deficiencies.

Koog