Nashville Number System Explained | Guitar Tricks

[@lazylester1]

Whenever I see someone explain a musical concept in such a straight forward way, I always worry that the instructor will be assassinated by pedantic egoistic musicians who want us to think that music is impossibly complex! Thanks for facing the danger!

[@GeorgeL1994]

This is great. Great that you put in the shorthand and altered section at the end.

[@GuitarTricks]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@bgmayo3995]

excellent tutorial, I understand! Thank You

[@GuitarTricks]

Glad it helped!

[@m4cdemos]

How can anybody not love music theory when it's presented like this?

[@GuitarTricks]

Aw thanks!

[@RipReed]

I've always wanted to learn the Nashville System. Thanks for such a straightforward lesson!

[@mns8732]

Best presentation of the Nashville system on KZbin

[@andyrussell7381]

This is great. It helps explain what I kind of already knew, but never really knew I knew. I'm sure that will make sense to some! Thank you!

[@dougsmith8430]

This is great! I had some awareness here… but This definitely opened my eyes even more when it comes to chord progressions and the Nashville number system!

[@coolabeg]

Watched a number of videos to understand the NNS, none came remotely close to explaining it as easy as you did. Thanks

[@acoustically9201]

Would like to compliment you on you approach here. Lot's of playing examples that actually sound like songs containing the progressions. Nice energy and clarity in the explanation. Great graphics. Just subbed.

[@aesthete88]

Thumbs up if you recognized Creep at 9:10

[@updrivmarkeingleadgenerati3365]

Hey - you can get sued for that riff!!!! lol.

[@andrewkim6037]

After watching several other videos today trying to learn about the Nashville number system, I’m convinced this video is the clearest explanation on KZbin. Thanks so much for posting this!

[@paulstaffordcook8799]

Wow, that was great! After playing for a gazillion years I finally decided to deepen my theory on the numbering system and this video was perfect 👌. Whilst I strongly maintain that you don’t need to know ANY theory at all to be the best player in the room, it’s nice the know what other musicians are talking about. Thank you 😊

[@davidtkramer]

Great video! Made it super easy to understand.

[@GuitarTricks]

Glad it helped!

[@john-ob7bv]

Learnt this in 10 seconds by myself this video has confirmed it thankyou. I know lots of chords and songs but the next stage of my guitaring is putting them chords into an organised order.

[@friscokidz7762]

Very helpful! Thank you for actually making sense!!

[@mrmunson5423]

I gave up guitar many years ago, I just bought a guitar again and when I hear complicated shit like this, I'm like I give up. I'll need to watch this video a thousand times to understand it. Nice video, I'm sure it all makes sense somewhere 😭😭😭 I understand the distance idea in a basic way, but everything else over my head.

[@deacontheseer4804]

Not to be disrespectful, but he is assuming you already know chords. Then you just number the notes. There are only seven A through G. Then repeat. Which ever note you start with is the one. 7th note diminished. Hope that helps. Hence. 1,4,5 etc.

[@leahgodson2319]

Brilliant lesson; thank you very much!

[@spazr7194]

Awesome video, feel a lot more comfortable with the whole system after being introduced to it just once! Thanks a lot

[@jcarmano]

This video was excellent. You, sir, are great at what you do

[@truthof7382]

I used to jam with some blues folks and they would do things like call out “let’s do a 1-4-5 in A”, to let everyone know what to play. It was really efficient when you played all night.

[@sparkyguitar0058]

That's the way I learned. Didn't know the rest of the numbers til now in a way I can easily understand.

[@CMDRMeatBag]

Not unironically, that's why the Nashville Number System was created. So 10 guys can walk into a studio, sit down - and just start playing and not waste the producer's money. Likewise so guys at jam sessions etc can do the same.

[@rh5971]

Once I learn this, it will make me a much better player! Thank you so much for such a great video. AWESOME!!!!

[@A_Kadella]

Thank you so much!!

[@GuiOliveira19]

Good video and explanation. Just one tip though, if you use you index for 1 and index + mid finger for 2, you can use thumb for 6 and thumb + index for 7. This way, you only have to use one hand to communicate. I've never met anyone who uses their hands to signal roman numerals, so I don't think there could be any misunderstanding in that sense.

[@lesblack413]

Brilliant video. Thanks!!

[@GuitarTricks]

Glad you liked it!

[@ransombaggins9301]

Awesome as always! So, the trick is to know the chords (or the 1-7) of each key, right? And what we've talked about today is only for the Major key, right?

[@GuitarTricks]

Correct! You can see the Minor Nashville number system here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXSzqnSfgciIZpY

[@deacontheseer4804]

This was fantastic!

[@samking5932]

Very helpful!!

[@GuitarTricks]

Glad it was helpful!

[@flatroc1]

That was Great. You make it make sense far easier than others I've watched. Thanks.

[@GuitarTricks]

Glad it helped!

[@johndubchak]

Great little video, really enjoyed it. Thank you!

[@GuitarTricks]

Thank you too!

[@danig6768]

Thank You.....I'm a few steps closer to understanding

[@JuanAlvarezMusic]

Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@ginabanana5329]

very useful! thank youuuuuu!

[@keekeecomrie9292]

Thank u great lesson

[@markg454]

Well done.

[@goldilocks913]

Awesome 👏

[@GuitarTricks]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@m4ze.]

Very helpful

[@TheMusicCatalyst]

This video helped me a lot, nice work

[@GuitarTricks]

Thanks for checking out the lesson, Dj!

[@jarjarthestar]

is the sixth note in the octave always the relative minor of that particular key?

[@romelurbano6572]

Sir, can you Tell me how to avoid tritone scale on the guitar, please...

[@AvinashSinghWorld]

well defined...loved this...😍

[@mayedington7057]

thank you

[@danbronk9685]

There has to be a way to quickly associate the chord with the number without counting forward or backward or full out memorizing each key/ chord number - isn't there?

[@GuitarTricks]

Great question! Associating chords with numbers more quickly does get easier with practice. A helpful approach is to recognize common patterns in music theory, like how the 1st, 4th, and 5th chords are major in most keys, and the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th are minor. Over time, you'll start to see those relationships without needing to count. Another tip is to focus on learning the number system in a few keys at a time. With repetition, it becomes more intuitive. Keep at it, and you'll notice the patterns start to click!

[@bsjsvjskxb8672]

what about chord progressions starting from minor ?

[@GuitarTricks]

Here ya go! - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXSzqnSfgciIZpY

[@abaaba1509]

Hey Gary. If you wanna "reset" someone's ears, most of the time it's better to play (I)-IV-V-I. With the help of the IV-chord you can really define a key aurally. Whereas just playing I-V-I it could still be heard as a IV-I-IV for some people in some circumstances :) greetings!

[@partner348]

As popular as it is i'm sure once understood it makes playing together on thenfly easier, but so far, all i'm seeing is i'm having to convert C,F,G,Am to 1,4,5,6 for example then back to C,F,G,Am.

[@GuitarTricks]

The Nashville system is short hand from the classical system of roman numerals. Specifically, it is built for sight-reading a lot of songs very quickly. It's short-hand not only for the musicians, but for those writing out the charts as well. It would take time to memorize the system in all 12 keys at the proficiency that a Nashville session would expect. It's a whole thing lol.

[@M3RRIH3W13]

Nice! It would be cool to other than a common "cowboy chord" in a song. I know that you can check your chord book, but what are the pros doing with the Nashville Numbers?

[@cgDRUMS.]

Its easier playing with a band when everyone knows the system

[@davegrandel3866]

The pros are using barre chords, partial chords, capos, alien tech, etc... They also use this insane thing called “practice” and “memorization” to remember which chords belong in which key. That is really the fundamental element that was kinda glossed over in this video (so that no one’s head exploded...) You have to know your scales in order to extrapolate the chords onto the Nashville Number System. It does give you far more versatility than just knowing a song in a certain key...

[@24AnVRodri]

6:40 - I wanted to tell RRRIIIITTTCCCHHHIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE

[@jesterruth1238]

No minor key examples?

[@GuitarTricks]

Great suggestion!

[@mrmunson5423]

Surely to do this you would need to know what keys are in every chord that exists. Could someone elaborate on this for me please?

[@davegrandel3866]

You don’t *need* to know every chord/note in every key, but you would have to know the locations of the shapes relative to the 1 chord. For example, if I know a song in the key of E but someone else wants me to play it in G, I could use barre chords to move my known chords up the neck to the 3rd fret and let my barre finger replace the nut and play the appropriate barre chords that pertain to the song. (The E major chord shape “fingering“ is modified when you play it up the neck from first position, but the E shape is still there up from the barre.). DM me if you’re still confused

[@mrmunson5423]

@@davegrandel3866 thank you for your reply. I have been doing a lot of music theory this past week, and I'm mind blown by the things I have learned, I watch this video again soon and if I need any help, I will be sure to get your advice. All the best. 😀

[@matr4724]

Hey Gary, i m on guitar tricks but i can t find you in the instructor section. Do you only do 1 o 1 lesson or you have your program onguitar tricks ?

[@sarahsmith8736]

2:29 does the "V" with his fingers for 2 right after telling us not too haha

[@davegrandel3866]

He was saying that a Roman Numeral five looks like a V which most people would think meant two if you meant 5 but hand gestured a V...

[@OldZenMonk]

Holy mother of Christmas,,,,, light bulbs are blown..... thanks Buddy

[@WSzponachGitary]

Nice idea ;) thx

[@GuitarTricks]

Thanks for watching!

[@Mach1Airspace]

Nice.

[@robbievalentine8239]

killer fucking video my man! excellent!!

[@timmurrowmusic5261]

So it's Layman's Solfege? Sounds like a better term than Nashville number system.

[@timmurrowmusic5261]

I do appreciate the video, though. Thanks.

[@bryanpasian]

Layman’s solfege LOL hey at least this way, when writing a lead sheet and you gotta change the key, all you gotta do is write on top “in key of (note) Rather than update every chord name, which is tedious as hell

[@juanmurgon]

9:46

[@ACD429]

Ok, if c is the 1, then it's d2, e3, f4, g5, a6 and b7, right? But most musicians I have worked with call (b flat/a#) the 7, when the c is the 1... Why is that?

[@davegrandel3866]

Bb/A# is correct, in the appropriate key. Most teachers use the Keys of C or G because it limits the number of “sharps” or “flats” in the key. C (CDEFGABC) has ZERO sharps or flats and G (GABCDEF#G) only has F#. This has to do with the distance between notes. If you would like to discuss this more, DM me

[@ACD429]

@@davegrandel3866 That's all well and good, but you did not answer my question about the 7..

[@davegrandel3866]

@@ACD429 This is where you might get confused because the chord you’re asking about is technically not in the key of C Major, rather in F Major. Dominant chords, like C7, are built off of the 5th scale degree. In F Major, that would be C. The Bb note you are curious about is the 7th note in the C major scale. Adding it to the 5th chord of F Major gives you the C7. Using B without the flat in a C major chord results in a C major 7 ( Cmaj7) chord. Of course, there are other types of sevenths as well, (minor, diminished & half diminished), but these would require more explanation that might muddy the waters right now. Please let me know if this answered your question...

[@davegrandel3866]

@@ACD429 Also, before you ask, the Dominant 7 of C Major is G7.

[@ACD429]

@@davegrandel3866 I'm not talking about scales, I'm simply talking about writing a chord chart for a song using the Nashville number system...If c is the 1, would I write a b-flat as a 7 or a 6# or a 7-flat?

[@felixjordanguitar]

Clapton?

[@GuitarTricks]

Can you expand your question a bit?

[@100dandelions]

I heard the office opening

[@noprob250]

Isn´t that the caged system`?

[@davegrandel3866]

Not exactly. While you can use CAGED to outline alternate chord shapes, it is better known for connecting all of the scales you solo with...

[@emitamura]

I don't get why this is "Nashville". Don't all genres (Western at least) use the same numbers to refer to chords for anything tonal? Classical, pop, jazz, rock, country, whatever?

[@randman21]

I think it comes from the widespread use of session musicians in country music. The really good ones can just show up, never having heard a song, and record it just using a sheet with numbers on it. Not sure how accurate that is, but a professor once told me that's how it works.

[@johnbrown4607]

I think the guy that created it lived in Nashville at the time and so it got really popular there

[@roogroog01]

It's Nashville because they play country music "in" the major scale, which is called the "ionian mode". If you would play flamenco, you'd start at Nashville 3. Which is "in" the "phrygian mode". The Nashville 3 is a minor, but in flamenco you'd change that into a major. Then you would have something that you could call the "Andalucian number system". Andalucia 1 = Nashville 3. Meaning that you start counting at Nashville 3. In E that would be: 1 = Em (or major for that Spanish feel...), 2 = F, 3 = G, 4 = Am, 5 = Bm-ish, 6 = C, 7 = Dm. Or put simple: Nashville goes like: major, minor, minor, *major, major, minor, *weirdo after which the whole sequence starts all over (where "*" stand for half note, and "weirdo" stand for a dim 7th 6th whatever thingy). Or even simpler: + , - , - _ + , + , - , W _ (repeat). For "Andalucia number system", just start counting at 3... If you'd play "in" the "dorian mode" (many Beatles songs) then you might call it "Abbey Road number system". "Abbey Road" 1 = Nashville 2. "Lydian mode" (ET, Sound of music) Hollywood (?) 1 = Nashville 4. If you'd play "in" mixolydian (Beefheart, Doors, hippies), then Hippie 1 = Nashville 5. Minor scale "Aeolian mode" (lots of cliche drama music): Vienna (?) 1 = Nashville 6. "Locrian mode" is a mission impossible.. Maybe some Bjork songs are "in" locryan. So Iceland 1 = Nashville 7. So next time you're in a jamsession, and someone sticks up 4 fingers, then you might stop the music and ask him "You mean Andalucia, Abbey Road, Iceland, Hollywood, Vienna or Hippie number system?". Just for fun. Just don't blame me for being kicked out.

[@mr.anonymous5501]

@@roogroog01 You've really helped here. I'm still unsure of modes, but what you've said is good practical information.

[@davegrandel3866]

This system applies to any key, not just major. There’s only so much information that most people can digest in one sitting, and by focusing solely on the major key, he saved a bunch of guitars from a premature death at the hands of their confused owners! This system is used widely by most session players and learning it could make you a most valuable musician!

[@masonbarker6903]

So the only reason you use the number system is so you can hold up the fingers for the chords you want your band to play right?

[@dareelinjury]

Not just for that, it also helps if you are writing charts for say church groups that might have different singers week to week. If the musicians know the number system, write it once and done they just use whatever key the new singer wants and transposing is easy.

[@davegrandel3866]

Well, easier...You still have to know the scale notes to turn into the chords of the key. Mental math can help, adding or subtracting from your current chord to get to the next one, but you may have some thinking to do at first.

[@BoxOfShockolates]

So.... hang on... you mean to tell me that you can make up any progression... like choose any number in any order, and as long as it's in the same key, it'll work? Also, you can also just substitute any chord type, (sus2, sus4, 7 etc) as long as it's in the same key it'll work? The only thing I wasn't aware of being possible is making a chord progression using the same number twice in a progression, like in Creep. The only difference is chord type. Wow. I hope that ^^^^ makes sense to you.

[@codcade]

Uhhh sorta, you can use sus chords, but you can replace any major chord with major chords and minor with minor, I could be wrong but that's what I've understood, like don't replace g with gm7 but you can with gmaj7, but I may be wrong because the sus2 or 4 or 7th May not be in the key you are playing in, not 100 percent sure

[@codcade]

Sus chords are more universal because they arent really minor or major

[@ahoneyman]

You can try any combination you want. You will notice that some progressions sound better than others. A 1,4,5 sounds good. A 2,3,7,4 progression just sounds weird. You can change a C major to a C7 and blues guys often do. Sus2 and Sus4 chords can be substituted for major or minor chords theoretically. In practice it's usually a substitution for a major chord. People use minor chords because they want that minor sad sound. You can really go into chord extensions and that's a whole other deep rabbit hole.

[@SuperRandomName101]

The ending coulda been left out due to confusion lol but great job and your time is much appreciated

[@TheMeJustMe75]

Ok, people talk about the nashville number system like it is modes. People try to make it mysterious. I've been doing this for years and not realized it.

[@GuitarTricks]

It's awesome that this comes intuitively to you!

[@jijobuje]

I am wondering why some chords are heard bad when they are played together while some of them are heard pretty good.

[@jessicaminor5763]

The notes may not be fretted (pressed) properly.

[@davegrandel3866]

Make sure that your fingers are up on their tips rather than laying flat across the strings. This will help eliminate muted/buzzy notes.

[@bobbygordenakaredneckbilly3856]

Does anyone notice that he is playing a left handed guitar right handed? Isn't that cool?

[@custerranch]

Have you considered that the guitar is a right-handed body with a left-handed neck attached?

[@nickbruno8495]

Gary, As a producer and musician in Nashville for over 45 years I can tell you that the progression you are using.......1, 2m, 3m, 4, 5, 6m, 7dim...is not the Nashville Number System. This progression is several centuries old and while it is a valid theory (the chords of a scale must use only the the tones of the scale) it is not the NNS. All the chords in the NNS are played as Major chords unless modified by a suffix indicating it is minor, augmented, etc. A number with no suffix will always be played as major. If you call out the numbers to a Nashville musician, as you do in your video, they will be played as major chords. May I suggest you research this with some Nashville peeps and get it right.

[@richard642]

Ok this is the second video I’ve clicked on about the Nashville Number System and you have commented on both. Do you know of a video that teaches it right?

[@nickbruno8495]

@@richard642 The Nashville Number System is simple. Using the C Scale the chords are 1= C Major, 2= D Major, 3= E Major, 4= F Major, 5= G Major, 6= A Major, 7= B major. There are no minor chords in the NNS scale.

[@nickbruno8495]

Go online and type in NUMBER THEORY THE NASHVILLE NUMBER SYSTEM -PAUL FRANKLIN. Paul is a world class Nashville musician who teaches the NNS correctly.

[@StraightNoChaser86]

@@nickbruno8495 We Use the flat or sharp symbol to denote a chord not in the scale.

[@StraightNoChaser86]

@@richard642 kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6KTZn1rg7SebNU

[@MrMarkar1959]

bummer how a couple head injuries can wipe out memory,,and still know you used to comprehend all this.

[@michaellandreth1392]

Any minor chord needs to be designated minor. Example 1 6- 4 5. Never assume 2 ,3 ,6 are minor. I put that on YT and a Nashville session player corrected me. Great explanation though , to the point and you didn't play the Major Scale 15 times going 1,2,3,4,....

[@GuitarTricks]

Thanks for your insight! You're absolutely right-designating minor chords is crucial for clarity in progressions. It’s great to hear that you got a correction from a session player; that’s a valuable learning experience! I'm glad you found the explanation clear and concise. Keep sharing your knowledge!

[@PanditaP]

I heard la bamba lol.

[@toysoldier7541]

Well we know he likes la bamba a lot 🤣

[@donny763222]

Too happy for me to fast

[@patwelch8187]

All you guys forget a simple thing....WHY, are you changing keys ??? A beginner needs to know you don't always sing in the same key.. And why and how to move your key to fit your voice.. The concept of why your changing keys has to be understood first ..

[@GuitarTricks]

Sometimes a song changes keys. Simple as that. With the Nashville Number system, it's super easy to translate that change to musicians in the studio or on a gig. I hope this answers your question!

[@iwilrage]

So it is really for people who can't read roman numerals? Hahahahahahaha

[@ajboyd9389]

Great lesson but the distorted tone you have is far too harsh, to my ear anyway

[@donny763222]

Goes to show not everyone meshes you any me bad sorry