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Nashville Number System

The Nashville Number System is a method of transcribing music by denoting the scale degree
on which a chord is built. It was developed by Neal Matthews in the late 1950s as a simplified
system for The Jordanaires to use in the studio and further developed by Charlie McCoy.[1] It
resembles the Roman numeral[2] and figured bass systems traditionally used to transcribe a chord
progression since as early as the 1700s. The Nashville Number System was compiled and
published in a book by Chas Williams in 1988.

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
[approximately 1953-2003] Nashville got the credit.

— Patrick Costello[3]

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 don't get locked into an arrangement that we
may feel is not as good as one we can improvise.

— The Jordanaires' Neal Matthews Jr.[4]

The Nashville Number System can be used by someone with only a rudimentary background in
music theory.[2] Improvisation 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 inverted chord). The system makes it easy for bandleaders, record producer or lead
vocalist to change the key of songs when recording in the studio or playing live, since the new key
just has to be stated before the song is started. The rhythm section members can then use their
knowledge of harmony to perform the song in a new key.

Contents
Scale degrees and major chords
Chord type
Chord qualities
Rhythm and articulation
Example
See also
References
External links

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Nashville Number System - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville_Number_System

Scale degrees and major chords

The Nashville Number System, (also referred to as NNS) is
similar to (movable-do) Solfège, which uses "Do Ré Mi Fa Sol
La Si" to represent the seven scale degrees of the Major scale. C=1, D=2, E=3... Play 
It is also similar to roman numeral analysis; however, the NNS
instead uses Arabic numerals to represent each of the scale
degrees.

In the key of C, the numbers would correspond as follows:

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

Nashville numerical notation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

So-Fa names/Solfège Do Ré Mi Fa So La Si
Common musical notation C D E F G A B

In the key of B♭, the numbers would be B♭=1, C=2, D=3, E♭=4, F=5, G=6, A=7.

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 simply relative to the new root note. The only knowledge required is to
know the major scale for the given key. Unless otherwise notated, all numbers represent major
chords, and each chord should be played for one measure.

So in the key of C, the Nashville Number System notation:

1 4 1 5

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).

Here is an example of how two four bar phrases can be formed to create a section of a song.

NNS Played in key of C Played in key of G

Verse) Verse) Verse)

1 4 5 4 C F G F G C D C
1 1 5 5 C C G G G G D D

Accidentals modifying a scale degree are usually written to the left of the number. ♭7 ("flat 7")
represents a B♭ major chord in the key of C, or an A♭ major chord in the key of B♭, or an F major
chord in the key of G.

Chord type
A number by itself represents the enharmonic triad (music) on the scale degree:

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