Drummers - Nashville Number System Explained!

[@Jason-vn5xj]

I've struggled to get this since I first saw it in Modern Drummer years ago. You made this so accessible in a few minutes; I understand it better now than I ever have. Wish I knew this 20 years ago, but I just never figured it out. Would have saved me a lot of hassle. Thanks, dude.

[@matto483]

I've ben working on "whipping my ear into shape" for 20 years. This guy NAILS how to teach. Wonderful stuff dude.

[@WAITINGFORJUNEOFFICIAL]

Hello! This is Kevin from Waiting for June!!!! Your stuff is awesome!

[@Fitzliputzli23]

"Play awsome right here" is the most useful one!

[@PeterCleff]

I had never heard that epic Hunter Heyes song with the neat anticipation before this video! What a cool song! Thank's fir having it in the description! These videos are absolutely brilliant! Hope you are well!

[@wrexhill9206]

Dudes...I got a steel player ive jammed with who said you cant make it anywhere in Nashville without knowing the number system so thanks for that crash course incase I end up in Nashville or anywhere were its needed....know just to be honest my next step is really getting chords and numbers together probly gonna take a quick few lessons on piano I know a little but not enough to be confident in someone who wants to be a smartass and I want to make them look like their being a smartass for no reason...thanks for the crash course wish I could just sit with someone that knows this stuff and just CRAM the knowledge but I wrote it all down will be studying every chance I get....THANK YOU!

[@radioidaho]

This should have way more views, best explainer on this I’ve seen.

[@ClamsAnonymous]

Jeez man there are so many videos about the Nashville number system that are complete overkill. This one was straight to the point and easy to understand...which is kind of the whole point of the Nashville number system to begin with. Good stuff!

[@judeacob9949]

I've been struggling to find this content, I didn't know what the symbols mean above the Nashville number system, this here my good friend is the answer for it Really glad i found your tutorial, amazing content, amazing teaching skill, great job

[@progression_decibel]

Dude, this is epic. Thanks for making this easy to digest in a short video.

[@jonathancazales1243]

Dude what?

[@wongsanggar]

Wow great! Really useful harry! Thanks for clear up my mind for this Nashville man system 😁

[@syno9211]

Watched a good lot of your videos and you have the best drum videos that I have come across so fare on KZbin I love how u add so much humor but your playing and how you explain is amazing. More videos please

[@malonedrum]

The app you are using beginning at 2:06 in the video, is that "paper" as well? If not, could you please let me know what that app is?

[@VictorLoMusic]

yep please let us know Harry, it seems like a useful app :D

[@harrymiree]

+Mike Malone Speedy Harry here, answering your question a year and half later: (fast forwarded to your question) kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGHFg5tojNxknqcm20s

[@jimfuller5309]

I would love to learn more about this..It's as clear as mud right now, lol. It totaly makes sense. I have to learn many new songs and spend hours. This is much easier. I love your vids BTW..Keep em coming. I'm new to the dudeness!

[@JayStiqs]

I just found you DUDE! Definite subscribe! Engaging content too. Thumbs up! ^0^

[@adoseofdylan]

I watched this video about 2 years ago and didn’t understand a word of it. Fast forward after two semesters of music theory and I can confidently understand this whole video :)

[@Drumistry]

wow! this is really helpful. thank you so much for sharing :D

[@brucescoville9928]

Harry, I've just watched a few of your videos and I feel like I've just made a really good new friend who is willing to share his hard learned experiences in order to help ME!! WOW! You really make me feel special! This video was way more than I would have dared to ask for! Oh Yeah, your twist on humor is refreshing and I think also addictive.... (uh ohhh). Best of Luck to You and keep 'em coming!! God Bless You. Bruce

[@nate6692]

A drummer tosses out the best, most complete explanation of the Nashville Number System I've ever seen. Go figure.

[@joelee8917]

Cool video. Nashville Number System is one of the most helpful things a musician can learn. Especially when playing with different singers who change song keys. Cool idea on the double underline. I never thought of that. I usually put slashes above the numbers in split bars to indicate where they fall. Double underline is much faster.

[@jonathanforeman9194]

Thanks so much man! This is really helpful!

[@thisismaxpower]

This is a great video! Thanks Harry

[@derrikferguson3219]

That was rockin awesome sweet!

[@CarlosBojorquez]

dude..... THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i should have gotten into this a long time ago... i know i know i know.. bad.. but better late than never right??? thanks a million for this!

[@2112woods]

Great video!!! Thank you for making it elementary so the slow peeps like myself can figure it out. Thanks again man!!!!

[@jeremyabbott713]

I'm still just as clueless to the number system after watching this as before. I'm a drummer with absolutely NO concept of chords or anything else EXCEPT drums. I'm having to learn songs on the fly here in good ol' Nashville and the only technique I've been using is listening to them each like 1000 times, stressing and questioning my existence, getting mad, then sad, then listening to them each again about 1000 times while playing along, then showing up to rehearsal (or gig) somehow nailing it. There's got to be an easier way.

[@asgdrums]

hey man. in my own experience, the amount of work it takes to learn chord numbers is minimal compared to the benefits you'll reap. it's a pretty essential skill to have for the modern drummer imo and you wont regret the 30 minutes a day for two weeks it takes to learn. especially since you listen to music A LOT as a musician.

[@zairaivanna2271]

Here man kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioevlI2cpJx7fLM. It helps me to learn songs like when im rushing. It helps to play it fairly good but without details. If you are like me, I helps to have the structure of the song clear before getting into the specifics.

[@JoseMorales-jn5qw]

yeh I don't get this either. for example at 2:28 I count 4 chord changes but the beat stays exactly the same. I have always memorized songs and entire sets. usually the only notes I write on my set list page are things like... Bass starts, guitars starts, hi hats count, 3 count, I start,.. things like that if I'm new to a set list. my main issue is memorizing names of songs , not the actual music. but ill try to work on figuring this out as I expand my knowledge. I guess this is more for sessions players trying to learn so many songs on the fly as the op mentioned?

[@matthewhoward4284]

Nice! It's a laymen's version of the Roman Numeral system for theory analysis. It could be simplified even further. All you have to do is instead of trying to find chords, you simply count your measures. X designating one measure. Then overlay all the extra information.

[@saxorexic]

Fabulous primer!

[@BrianTCarter]

Awesome. Dude!

[@paulberg19]

Dudes, Thanks for dumbing it down for us mere mortals. Unless I'm the only one without this knowledge, in which case, thanks for brining it down to my level. Quick question: could you PLEASE break down Grey Street by whose name we cannot speak? Intro and syncopation into verse. High hat sticking alludes me. Thanks in advance, DMB challenged in MN.

[@harrymiree]

Dude. Step 1, play. Drumming Grey Street by Dave Matthews Band [Harry Miree] Step 2 [pending], 'splain.

[@brandoncollins4125]

Love this video! What is your opinion of the shorthand notation used in Tommy Igoe’s book “Groove Essentials?”

[@StaceyLamontSydnor]

Great video and thank you!

[@navboi12]

Harry, I want whatever you're on!

[@premiumblend100]

Dude. I was sent this when saying yes to a show with a guy from Nashville..... its hyrogliphics to me. Even after watching this. I want to learn it but I guess I need more in depth face to face with someone who knows this stuff. By the way I must not of sucked.... I've gotten callback after callback but I feel like I need to learn this stuff.

[@alitis58]

what was the name of that app Harry suggested at 1m44s ? Not sure I heard it right. Someone know?

[@buckyfields9254]

Great stuff!! Thanks!

[@cnrbsmth]

As a musician from Europe, I'm curious, does absolutely everyone in Nashville use the number system? Or are there people that write out charts with traditional staff and chord names? (that look like a real book for example) Two things that make me ask this: what if there is a single note line you have to write out in order to memorise it, or what if the changes are quite jazzy and modulate a lot? I think I will try my next gig with number charts just to see what it's like.

[@delvallefuentes2772]

How do you remember what each number is for each key? It takes me a bit to get it down. How can I be quicker?

[@jimrileymusic]

Delvalle Fuentes it's all about function. The 1 is the Root The 4 is the sub dominant The 5 is the dominant. Don't worry about what key you are in. When I write charts that is literally the last thing that I figure out. Sing "here comes the bride, all dressed in white" Here is the 1 Comes the bride is the 4 Dressed is the 5 In EVERY KEY!! :-)

[@tonioene2262]

@@jimrileymusic I agree with you, but that's not a good example. Here is 5. Comes is 1. Dressed is 2.

[@chipbirdiestone8815]

ok I managed to figure out the part where you turned on the I pad......

[@aaronterry7612]

So how would I use this if I don’t know chords or notes?

[@AntParedes]

Hi Harry. Great video. I am a drummer too, and I wonder about your opinion about learning the harmony of the song. How important is it to you to get the harmony of a song down? Say the progression is I-VI-II-V , but really if the same groove happens for four measures, what does it matter to you if its I-VI-II-V, or I-IV-V-I. Both progressions are four bars. I'm not trying to say knowing harmony is bad, I'm just curious about the importance you might place on it. Again, great video!

[@harrymiree]

+Ant Paredes Dude this is a great question. One reason you might prefer chords over bars: If you look away from the chart in a 16 bar solo because you noticed a hot chick dancing in the crowd, who's to say what bar you're on when you look back all those unknown bars later? Being able to hear the current chord you're playing helps you drastically narrow down your position in the chart. TL,DR: Beware of potential mates who will try to destroy your music career; fight them with chord knowledge

[@jimrileymusic]

Ant Paredes I feel it's super important. If you can recognize the chords as you're reading the chart you can actually stop counting bars and start listening to the changes as they go by. In addition I'm going to set up the bridge much differently if it's going to b7 choirs than I would a 5 chord. Why? Because the b7 change is much more dramatic and as a drummer I want to be able to set it up that way.

[@etinsley]

What is the application you're using to create the charts Harry?

[@christanehrhart8824]

quarter note = belief?

[@guitarbrenda]

Very good Dude

[@erikondrums]

Dude! I FINALLY get it now! Thanks alot! Sweden thanks you!

[@harrymiree]

Alright Erik! The powers is now yours to make it... The Sweden Number System! Thanks for rocking dude.

[@tkalward4196]

Geez, Thank You. I'm moving to Nashville now ..

[@AGBWBREH]

My ipad also has 13% battery

[@ashtondain4119]

Yo man can u tell me more bout the Nashville System as a drummer

[@4LetterName]

Dudetastic!

[@lobbyrobby]

Dudes. I have 1 question about this. What?

[@rainrainwebdesign]

Amazing system and a great presentation ... but why do you bother writing in the actual numbers of the chords ... I was just using 'X' for all the chords - my simplified system works just as well as your one with the chord numbers and I don't have to bother working them out ... I mean so whether it's a 1 4 5 4 or a 1 5 4 5 I put it down as an X X X X - am I missing something have I managed to improve your system ... somehow I doubt it ;-)

[@guitarstuffs1236]

I love the “tempo = DDTW” for TSB :) only true of the studio version though haha live is much faster

[@Jason424777]

Nice work! Might you have a template saved for what you made in Pages?

[@harrymiree]

+Jason White Yes sir dude. Fast forwarded to the breakdown here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGHFg5tojNxknqcm20s

[@joelmccoy1989]

"Play Awesome Here"

[@uniquesquared]

I don't know why I care, but was that the Atlanta airport you were walking through? Looked familiar.

[@KevinAlexander_Drums]

What is the app called

[@yanxi02]

Hi, can you tell me all of the nashville symbol?

[@drummer542]

Can you do "I Remember Clifford"?

[@jgdevoe]

I simply don’t know enough about music to really get this. I know it makes sense to the more advanced player though. Being a beginner at a retirement age it probably isn’t going to happen.

[@andrebernal1632]

Kool

[@zacpilled]

//you would not believe your eyes//

[@joshuacarrico7236]

Bro thanks!

[@chrisbreese1542]

Wow thanks, Dude!

[@TheShakyArtist]

I've never understood why this is called "The Nashville Number System". It's music theory. Been around forever. Unless someone living in Nashville created this back in the 1800s, it's just music theory, notated the same way. ???

[@nathanielpersohn600]

Dude. Word.

[@arguy2021]

Cool video. I only have 1 singular complaint. You suggested IOS apps only whereas I'm watching this video on an Android device. Otherwise, good stuff! Hi Mom!

[@bkell645]

Huh?

[@Poc.w]

I love you and I miss you so much

[@babayaga1767]

you left out actually listening to the whole of the band to give you nuance

[@Rockin_Ross]

Let’s sum up this video shall we: “What?”

[@madvlasters2836]

oh my god!!!! You listen to NOFX!!!! sweet it's so hard to find other mainstream fans

[@JulianFernandez]

Killer!

[@corycardenas767]

What if you still don't get because you talked so fast?😂👊🥳🕺

[@rustypistols]

Oh this guy got jokes lol

[@oldrageface8706]

I became a drummer because I don't care about keys, now you tell me that bitch caught up with me nonetheless, while I try to learn how to write my DRUM part??

[@SmellyBones]

Me: Ew, Nashville. Definitely not relevant to my interests. *clicks anyway to keep from going back to these 50 pop and country songs I'm trying to learn, but it's taking forever because I keep getting distracted by youtube because I have no system. (had)

[@jargolikardeenan]

bro this shit soo complicated

[@bouncingdude]

I'm a drummer and not a piano player who knows what numbers to assign to what chords. This renders itself a useless method to many.

[@ledhed5717]

drumchartbuilder.com is another good site to use.

[@carlostorres1171]

CHARGE YOUR IPAD! ;)