How to Understand the Nashville Number System Part 2

I have used the Nashville Number System for many years in Nashville in the studio and working with artists in concert situations. Music theory can be very complicated and overwhelming, especially for those who want to go beyond learning a few chords to jam with friends.

This system greatly simplifies music as it guides you through the mazes of musical obstacles. Once you have a handle on the Nashville Number System you don’t have to memorize every chord or scale, you simply learn the number formula for each and you’ve got it. The chords and scales may change, but the number formulas never do.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. 
    
   The Nashville Number System makes transposing keys a snap!

   Since the Nashville Number System is based on the major scale, this article will explain it to you. If you already understand the theory behind the major scale, go straight to part 3, the Nashville Number System. You will find a link at the bottom of the page.

2. 
    
   Music uses 7 letters of the alphabet, A-G

   Music uses 7 letters of the alphabet, the first 7, A – G. There are no M, P, Q or Z notes in music. For every musical letter, there is a note, a chord, and a key. In other words, there is an A note, an A chord and a key of A. click on the keyboard icon to enlarge it. In this graphic, the white notes are named as labeled and the black notes are all listed as sharps. Each black note is also a flat in flat keys, but we will get to that later.

3. 
    
   There are formulas for chords and scales

   Look at the notes of the white keys. You can build a chord and a scale starting with each one of these notes. I will teach you a formula for chords and a formula for scales that will allow you to build any chord or any scale without having to memorize any of them

4. 
    
   Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do is a major scale

   Let’s start with C, basically because it is the easiest to work with since it has no sharps or flats, no black notes, all white notes. In all keys there are major and minor scales as well as others, but right now all you need to be concerned with is the major scale. A scale in any key is composed of seven different notes. There is an eighth note which is the same as the first note, only eight notes higher, called the octave. Look at the F note on the far left of the keyboard. Now count up four notes to the C note. Now count each note, starting with C, as we go up the keyboard, calling out the letter name of the note as you go. C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. You just made a major scale in the key of C. It’s just like that old song from the 1960’s Julie Andrews movie “The Sound of Music”, Do Re Mi Fa SO La Ti Do. That little vocal run is a major scale.

5. 
    
   The major scale is formed with half steps and whole steps

   Now, look again at the piano keyboard above and go to the C note where we just were. This next point is very important so please take note. From the C note up to the next black note right beside it is called a half step. Moving up or down one note on the keyboard is moving one half step. Anywhere you are on the keyboard, if you move up or down one note, you are moving a half step.
   Now, go back to your C note. Going up two notes to the D note, is called a whole step. Going up or down two notes, anywhere on the keyboard is moving up or down one whole step.

6. 
    
   The major scale formula is 2 whole steps, 1 half step, 3 whole steps and 1 half step

   Now that you know about half steps and whole steps, I’m going to teach you the formula for a major scale. Look at the keyboard graphic to the left. By learning this formula once, you can use it in every key, every time. So instead of having to learn and memorize 12 different keys, all you have to do is learn one 7 step formula. Doesn’t that sound much easier? All of the notes in the major scale, or any scale are called scale degrees. The first note, in this case C, is called the tonic, the root or the first scale degree.
   
   In the graphic, under the C note are two of the names for that note, the root and the tonic. Going up the keyboard you see a series of W’s and H’s. These stand for the half steps and whole steps we mentioned a few minutes ago. These half steps and whole steps make up the formula for the major scale. Start at the C, go up two whole steps, in this case to the E, then one half step to the F. From there go up three whole steps to the B, followed by a final half step to the octave C. So the formula for the major scale, the major scale in ANY key, is whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. You will often see it written like this, W-W-H-W-W-W-H. Memorize this formula. You can use it in any key to find the major scale. If you are in the key of F, start there and apply the formula. The major scale in F is F-G-A-Bb-C-D-E-F.

7. To review what we have learned so far, the major scale can be based on any note on the keyboard. That note is the name of the key and the first scale degree, also called the root, the tonic or first scale degree. The other notes are the second, through the seventh scale degrees. The last note is the octave, the same name as the first note but 8 notes higher. From one note to the adjacent note is one half step and going up or down two notes is a whole step. The formula for a major scale is Whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step, or W-W-H-W-W-W-H.
   
   Take this formula and find the major scale in D, E, F, G, A, B, C#, D#, F#, G# and A#. Practice these until you are very familiar with the formula for a major scale. Once you understand how to make a major scale you can go on to learn about the Nashville Number System. Look for The link at the bottom of the page that says Nashville Number System.

Resources

• The Nashville Number System
• Understanding the Nashville Nimber System Part 2