Master THE NUMBERS SYSTEM (in under 10 minutes!)

I'll keep this super short as I'm writing this from the middle of a studio session (with the one and only Gary Willis... WHOOP!)... so let's get to it...
You can practice your scales... practice your arpeggios... but if you don't understand THIS none of that will matter as you won't understand how and why EVERYTHING is connected...
And once you start to understand this system it's ALL gonna start making sense.
Intrigued?!...
I hope so ;)
It's all about the numbers system... and I'm going to show you how to understand it and apply it to your bass playing - in less than 10 minutes!
As always, see you in the shed!
Scott :)
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[@assetdigital6575]

I swear this guy is one of James McAvoy's characters in Split.

[@EphemeralProductions]

He always reminded me of James a lot! Lol

[@ixa-3140]

Bro that's what I always said lmfao

[@LouciousDark]

Strangely, I finally saw Split the other day and now I'm seeing people make reference to it EVERYWHERE. 🤔

[@costiers]

So funny😆

[@wingspannproductions2150]

😂😂😂

[@LifeforceZee]

I am still confused but i wanna learn so bad omg . I play by ear well but i NEED to master THIS cause i NEED IT

[@harmono8766]

This has some pre-requisites. You need to know what a minor, major and 7th is, what makes up a chord. What a scale is. Do you know this stuff?

[@natskis]

I would recommend you watch some music theory videos on youtube. e.g. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZauhYKDndWsaNk Then how chords work kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4qTYp1_pNejm6M Things will slowly creep in and make more and more sense. Rewatch them if as you get more the 2nd and 3rd times as you learn more. There's so much good stuff on youtube

[@bassfacechannels251]

natskis thanks helped a lot

[@graemerobertson5160]

But you don't need it! Scotty has vastly over rated the importance of what is essentially a very limited chord sequence categorisation tool.

[@MikeLaRock88]

You should be pretty good by now. Unless you gave up

[@bassplayinfool]

I use the full number system, wherein in the key of C, C is I, but D is ii, unless you're asking for a borrowed major chord, in which case you would mark it as you have above, with an upper case II. It adds much more depth to the numbers and allows for faster chart/form comprehension.

[@fiskerawsome9680]

this is proberbly the first ever 9:58 long video ever

[@beaustjohn2342]

I just love your lessons Scott! really easy to communicate with other players as well with this system!.

[@f1948s]

Excellent lesson Scott. This is what bass players really need to know. Sure wish you had a monthly subscription for the bass academy instead of just the yearly rate .

[@graemerobertson5160]

I never heard of it until recently and I think this glorified chord categorisation system is a total waste of time. What does it help you do???

[@bearmdfl2186]

@@graemerobertson5160 It helps you Transpose song btw than using chords. And I know lots of musician that uses these number system instead of saying C-G-a-F they say 1-5-6-4 so if the singer would want to transpose you could transpose it easier.

[@graemerobertson5160]

@@bearmdfl2186 It doesn't help me transpose at all. I learned to do that by understanding how to shift root notes. In North East England hardly anyone has heard of it, let alone uses it. The amount of effort you have to put into understanding it far outweighs just quoting the names of the chords. And it falls down if the chords don't fit the C major scale.

[@bearmdfl2186]

@@graemerobertson5160 if it does not fall down in the key then you can always use (b, #) for example 7b-6-1 or 6#-6-1 plus you could also use (7, dim, sus, etc.)

[@graemerobertson5160]

@@bearmdfl2186 I don't know what you mean if it does not fall down? If it doesn't fall down then it is just majors and minors and the 7th . If it does fall down why bother with it? How would you categorise I am the Walrus by the Beatles by this system?

[@mackmilne8155]

I had just spent the past 3 or so weeks learning this stuff. And now you make a video to help learn it easier. Lol

[@TheGrandMother]

So after watching maaany youtube videos trying to learn theory in a way that makes sense… you win. And as a grandmother it takes me a bit longer to understand the information and digest it so thanks for the lessons. Been playing around a year now with intent of learning the “language of sound” and applying it to bass practice, and guitar and keys also but primarily bass. It’s lovely being able to learn from others and have that opportunity accessible all over the globe. Cheers!

[@devinebass]

Thanks for checking out the vid! 🙌🏻

[@kevinlander46]

Wow Greg so glad i came across this video have been trying to understand this system out of a book and just could not get it but Now!, have got it and understand the basic concept of it. and can now build on that, onwards and upwards now many thanks great job.

[@kevinlander46]

Please help ! Greg at 6minutes 40 seconds you say in the key of D, picking numbers for your 2nd line you say 6 4 6 A7 but for your 3rd space 2nd line you write E7 should that not be B7 if i am wrong please accept my apologies?

[@ernieflanaganstingraybassm1463]

You are so correct about the difference between the Nashville number system and the number system......

[@1906DIce]

This was one of your best lessons Scott! It really simplifies it into a bite size portion. Tks!

[@erlinggarcia3035]

I'm getting my reading and Number system master. Thank you scott.

[@ironmaiden5658]

Thank you mate. I just got myself my very first Bass. Well, I dont actually pick it up for another 2 days. I learnt to play the Piano many years ago and this tutorial you just made hit a home run in my mind. Sensational work mate. Cheers.

[@RasherQuivers]

I just finished watching all of your "Ask Scott" videos. I really enjoyed watching them. I noticed that you haven't done an "Ask Scott" video in some time. Could you bring "Ask Scott" back, maybe on a monthly or bimonthly basis? I really like hearing the questions and concerns that other bass players have. Your answers in those videos have answered a lot of the question that I have had myself. Thank you for all you do.

[@boystone]

I play harmonica, chromatic and diatonic, this video has been a revelation! Thank you!

[@LS-ti1rz]

That off the top of your head example you did around time marker 7:53 and ending on 8:00 was seriously beautiful. I can't believe you did that on the spur of the moment. That sounded great with the root and with the chords. I would love to hear you take that and combine both root notes and some chords to make a piece of music. That truly was better than 90 % of the crap that's on Top 40 radio....

[@SimonWrigley]

Thank you so much, this really makes sense, great to see this being taught in such a fun way, someone who loves it! there lies a musical freedom when you go past the mathematical sound barrier, and knowing your stuff helps to become fluent. Thanks for your great tutorials, I'm a guitarist, who loves the bass of my acoustic guitar, and your videos have helped rekindle the bass in my playing. Knowing that there is more always inspires. Anyways thanks again!

[@Bass.Player]

I remember sitting in with a lot of different bands at benefits and so forth when the lead guitar player or the keyboard player would yell across the stage the number sequence and the count. Knowing the type on music being played I could do the song having never heard it. Other information was given such the intro. So it would go something like :"It's a 1-4-5 in A with a turn around intro". (Nashville)

[@donhtb1]

Amazing thanks Scott

[@nicholaspetergagg7769]

what a wonderful teacher you are

[@mariedega6514]

THANKS SCOTT!!!!!!

[@26enero1983]

Hi Scott, this class in a word “AWSOME” i never thougth is that easy, tanks for share, this is great!!! God bless you...

[@573ronnie]

First time I was ever able to fully understand the number system!! Thanks Scott!

[@clueless3398]

This is the video that just made my life a lot better. Thanks for the good stuff.

[@MrDrewbies]

That E string saddle is haunting me

[@PaPa-xe6kq]

Drew Mac i

[@davidtobias4511]

My G string does the same thing. It’s not worth fixing in my case though

[@craig1530]

Amazing video...after 2 1/2 yrs of study....this finally makes since...u the best Scott ;)

[@keshavsainath4535]

Amazing lesson. Really crisp and precise. Loved the examples.:)

[@careymuhammad]

I understand. Excellent explanation.

[@devinebass]

Awesome dude! 👊🏻

[@pimcramer2569]

Musicians logic: "the scales, the chords, it all ties into the number system" .... Let's use notation based on letters! ... Let's use 8 letters because we have 11 notes!

[@j-man72b72]

Some of the letters can be other letters some of the time.

[@foljs5858]

'Let's use 8 letters because we have 11 notes!' well, e.g. Eb if also D# so makes use to use 8 letters... also doesn't mathematicians (and pretty much everyone) use 10 digits (0-9) despite having infinite numbers?

[@arroyo3910]

@@foljs5858 i mean you can't really compare the natural number series to 12 tone equal temperament since the latter is finite and cyclical and the former is the complete opposite

[@d.l.loonabide9981]

It's seven letter names against twelve notes. A very stupid system but it's the system we have. As humans, we're always committed to maximum suffering.

[@jowildcat40]

​@@d.l.loonabide9981 No pain, no gain. 🥲

[@garretproctor5407]

I really am enjoying your teachings and I've learned alot keep the good work.

[@shanghaimaath]

Mind blowing thing for beginners like me, man !

[@TheSardonicAgnostic]

That "All of me." was fantastic Scott. 😂❤

[@angelitoambrosio3703]

thank you so much SBL

[@carmelofernandez9020]

You are amazing an angel of this planet....thanks for all

[@km4463]

This was very helpful! Thank you!

[@devinebass]

Cheers, good to hear that you found this useful!!

[@davecarrick2194]

I knew about this but I can see more value now. Great way of presenting it

[@FerSpada]

So many people triying to explain this but only you did it right.

[@PastorKaspar]

Great lesson! Chord classification helps too. 4th - iii 3rd - vi 2nd - IV, ii, (+6s) 1st - V, vii Root - I Start any where an work backwards to root.

[@bassplayinfool]

Jason M. Kaspar I'm not sure what this is, but the idea is fascination to me. Can you expound any more on this idea?

[@harmono8766]

@@bassplayinfool this is music theory. It's a guide to resolving chord progressions. For example if you started a progression on the iii you can go just about anywhere from there and it sounds right, but the 2nd and 1st chords usually want to resolve to the root. I've never seen this, but I have seen flow charts. The music theory is great for playing a song you have never heard before, not just composing. For example if I hear someone play a V chord, I can almost predict that it will either resolve to the root chord, or go to the IV chord. If someone plays a iii chord, I might think that it's either going to the next chord up, the IV, or the root chord, or to the 6 based on just knowing the theory, and listening to how other songs go. The melody sometimes guides you to where the next chord is.

[@bassplayinfool]

@@harmono8766 Ahhhh, it's a one of those chordal resolution flow charts. Gotcha. I totally see it now. Reminds me slightly of the harmonic planetary system that Randy Halberstadt lays out in "Metaphors for the Musician."

[@rolandrichards39]

Thanks for making it easy on us that learned by ear. I totally get it now! Cheers Scott 👍😎🍻

[@hersheldwiggins665]

Awesome the way he breaks it down!

[@moreblankets]

Thank you so much, Scott.

[@TheSeanSnider]

This is incredibly helpful and useful. This has answered so many questions I've had in the past. Thanks a lot! Love it.

[@gblewz]

Bless you for explaining this, and breaking it down. Been trying to find a vid on the numbering system like forever.

[@ctenmusiq1333]

This is how I always try to teach people! Haha you just explained it so much better! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

[@klousealbers7300]

You seem like you know what you’re talking about lol. When he shows us the 1-6-2-5 in the key of C and starts playing it do we use C, A minor, D minor, and G as root notes and play a pattern using 1-6-2-6 based off of that? Using the major scale ?

[@sbpsychology1109]

Great stuff - enthusiastically and clearly taught. Thanks

[@VailJohnson]

it's simpler than this; here in nashville, we always write the chord value after the number as you would when using the letter. 2m7, 5-, etc., etc....

[@harmono8766]

He's doing the same exact thing here, but writing out the letters so that you can figure it out. For example. if you say play "2m7" without the context of the key you are in it means nothing. So if you are in the key of C you would play Dm7 if you play the 2m7. He's showing you how to translate 2m7 to an actual chord name in any given key. The top of the chart is the numbers, then the next row is the chord value for those numbers, then he's writing a chord progression based on the numbers. He probably should have written out "IIm7=Dm7". The Roman numerals are used to avoid confusing chord roots with the actual notes of the chord, ie. a Cmaj7 chord has the 7 indicating the chord value, so they write roman numerals for the chord. Also I prefer lower case for the minor chords.

[@klousealbers7300]

You seem like you know what you’re talking about lol. When he shows us the 1-6-2-5 in the key of C and starts playing it do we use C, A minor, D minor, and G as root notes and play a pattern using 1-6-2-6 based off of that?

[@MsAppassionata]

Thank you for explaining this.

[@grzesiekk1599]

Scott, you just discovered music for me. This is awsom!!!!

[@robertgriego5903]

Awesome video! Thanks

[@awa-248]

Woow..... Super Technique... Hats off this guy... 🙏🙏🙏💃💃💃🎸🎸🎸

[@danielwinlandfarm7633]

SCOTT! Thank You!!!

[@jordanlong3639]

Very cool Scott! Thank you

[@philipdavidson-uq1bu]

This lesson was great and very informative thanks very much

[@treylem3]

Excellent content. Thanks Scott !

[@manly1974]

Those chords can also be played all major: Commander Cody's Down to Seeds and Stems (major scale chords) AC/DC's Live Wire (minor scale chords) Eddie Floyd's Knock on Wood (minor and relative major scale chords)

[@BeansMaskSheen]

Good Lesson for any instrument! Thanks!

[@MrPrincepop]

Great lesson Scott! This is why I'm subscribed.

[@2testtest2]

Now I'm tempted to make a computer program that generates random cord progressions according to this system, just to see what it it sounds like.

[@mangalegends]

neistridlar Go for it!

[@TheHealthyPlumber]

I appreciate this video my dude. I’ve been playing bass for over 30 years and I consider myself an intuitive player. I am musically illiterate. When I play, people assume I know theory based on my skill level. I don’t consider myself to be one that plays music, but rather allows music to move through me. Someone I know really wants me to learn theory so I can understand what I already do naturally. I play music for expression not as a career. My concern is will learning theory suck the life out of the reason why I play in the first place

[@corytrevor9180]

That was class! Thank you. 🍀🍀🍀👍

[@jazzcellist]

Straight and to the point, thanks for another great lesson!

[@jimmyjames7770]

Pretty funny I've been in 3 bands now still don't know my notes this video starting to make sense a little

[@shanicereynolds607]

Awesome I needed this! Keep up the good work you’re fantastic

[@tweetalig]

Gonna join soon Scott! I love your lessons brother!

[@RayRenati]

Best explaination I've found on KZbin!

[@holyspiritofgodinperson6957]

I get this - and those chords sounds nice

[@ckh57]

thanks guy great insights to musical thinking while playing.

[@inheirator]

This video is really helpful

[@devinebass]

Good to hear you've found this helpful!

[@dikoman516]

It also helps changing keys very easily.

[@mysterj1]

I’d love it if you built on this and showed arpeggios and how they are used .

[@cytwoelk4285]

Very useful information, thanks!

[@FreaknChrist]

This just blew my mind!

[@studiofiveone1962]

Very cool.....very cool. Thank you.

[@niklofr]

I truely love this bass, used, she got history, I want a bass like this.

[@matto9734]

Not history but a special treatment in the luthiers (Fender) shop... you can buy these babies "new" ;-)

[@brainwasher0]

Best lesson ever!

[@alexanderalmondoffcial]

This is a great video, keep up the good work dude :)

[@digbyte]

Love it. I’ve been a guitar player for 20 years, I’m just starting on bass in the last year. This has been a great lesson, and I’m also enjoying the slap tutorials as well.

[@jubi8_]

Thank you so much! I've always been afraid to ask what do people mean when all they talk about is fifths and sevenths and I have no clue haha Con's of not going to music school I guess but thankfully we have Scott

[@videoschiche8367]

As always, in 10 minutes, you've condensed what took me months to assimilate! Sorry, but, aren't you some kind of a wizard? ;-)

[@Tillkila]

Realised I already know the system but stayed anyway for that rubbery base tone..

[@betterworldok3802]

Thank you so much champion, you are a great tutor

[@Alborzbass]

Very practical 👌

[@theonelazaro5173]

I love you ❤️❤️ thank you so much

[@saddamchavesnavarrete9859]

What a great bass

[@pelijer]

Oh, FUCK! You opened it up for me, man! Finally, it clicked, and I was about to give up. You have a customer

[@jounruh1349]

Love it

[@oraneesailes8247]

enjoyed the lesson on mastering the number system

[@jamieharris327]

THANK YOU FOR THESE TEACHINGS

[@fvcostanzo]

This is true for any MAJOR scale. The positions of major/minor/diminished chords changes as you cycle thru the modes. THAT is a lesson worth giving. Might be worth talking about "stacking thirds" as well. Yes, Scott, I know what I'm talking about is more helpful for guitar and keyboard players, but it helps bass players, too. You don't have to always lay down the root notes to hold the groove together -- alternate tones live in those stacked thirds, as well as your arpeggios. Still, an excellent lesson.

[@skybison_9]

Thanks man

[@matthew5360]

Cool Bass

[@book3100]

Exactly Then, when you learn the notes in the chords, understand what makes the major, minor, 7ths, etc, you can then improvise walking lines, or tear down arpeggios to make any feel you want. Practice practice practice. Thatll do 80% of the world. The other 20% you gotta read. Thats my experience anyway.

[@devinebass]

🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@kevinbabic5096]

Awesome video, merci beaucoup!

[@single_daddin_it]

I thought I was playing alright until my worship leader told me to look this up and now I feel like a complete newbie again.

[@turcitox]

Mindblown

[@williamy641]

This was so helpful, thanks man.

[@DustyCowdog]

This was a great lesson... but I'm so new, I don't understand when you did the Dmaj scale, you threw in a couple of # on F and C... Like I said, I probably should know this already. I have my first bass guitar being shipped as we speak. Cheers! Maybe I should enroll in your course! Hahahahaha...There's that.

[@jonnymachete]

The major scale is (Whole step = W & Half step =H), W-W-H-W-W-W-H. So when you start on a D, the first whole step is E, then to take another whole step you get to F#. (Then half step to G and so on.) This will apply with whichever note you start on.

[@DustyCowdog]

@@jonnymachete -- thanks, Brother!

[@lavitroladeldiablo]

Fantastic!

[@dogma619]

I wish my music teacher had given me music class with a bass

[@michaelavarice]

Thank you 🙏