Number system & Theory

Donald Hicks · From: Alabama, USA

Can anyone tell me the best way to gain a better understanding of the Nashville number system, and the the theory side of the pedal steel. Wether its books or videos any suggestions are appreciated. 😁

Scott Denniston · From: Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA

This is a WIKI quote "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"
In my mind if you learn your diatonic scales which is quite easy to do (maybe with flash cards etc.)you can call it whatever you want--Nashville, Chicago, San Fransisco whatever. It's basic music theory. The above quote refers to it as a "simplified" system. That seems silly when it's simple stuff to begin with. I think it was named that way to attract people who were afraid of any musical study and wanted it to sound simple which it is anyway. Just my opinion. I doubt if Nashville was record capital of the world in the 1700s. Smile

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

https://www.paulfranklinmethod.com/post/number-theory

https://steelguitaracademy.com/
Go to the sections on scales, dyads, and chords. Standard notation and charts, so you can compare to the number system.

Patrick Thornhill · From: Austin Texas, USA

It’s a chunk of change, but you might consider signing up for The Paul Franklin Method. There’s a $100 option called “Basic E9” or something to that effect that doesn’t have quite as much info, but I believe includes the basic interval/number system concepts presented in the full mamajama course.

Scott Denniston · From: Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA

If you start by actually memorizing the 12 diatonic scales you can easily see what chord or type of chord would be built off of each scale degree. Thus: if someone calls "I IV V in C" for example you'd know it's a Cmaj to Fmaj to G7. Or you can give someone a big bag o dough and end up having to learn the same stuff anyway. Some of this is best done away from the instrument and then it's there when you go to apply it.

Donald Hicks · From: Alabama, USA

I really appreciate the help. I am beginning to understand the base concept of all of this. I have always played my 6 string by ear. I have been playing pedal steel for close to two years and I have worked up a good bit of songs I can play. But I think it would be in my best interest to actually study it. Then maybe I can really take off with it.

John McClung · From: Olympia WA, USA

I recommend Chas Williams' book "The Nashville Number System," really clear and thorough explanation. Best part is seeing the same song charted by 5 different session players, a glimpse into their NNS shorthand tweaks. Also has a DVD with some helpful material.

https://www.amazon.com/Nashville-Number-System-Chas-Williams/dp/0963090674
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Scott Denniston · From: Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA

Chas's book is the one mentioned in the above WIKI article. I'd say it's well worth the $20 to gain a thorough understanding. It just cracks me up though when someone asks me if I know the Nashville Number System. I say no I don't but you can't throw a numbered progression at me I can't immediately identify because I have just a smattering of basic theory. It really is just a relabeling and simplification of something that is already simple and quite universal. Just ask some jazzer if he/she knows the "Nashville Number System" if you want to get a chuckle. But then we're talking about pedal steel. And what's that about if not country music? And what's country music about? Why Nashville of course! It's all starting to make sense to me now.

Jeremy Reeves · From: Springfield, IL, USA

yeah I always prefer roman numeral analysis but same thing really. I just like being able to see secondary dominants and other borrowed chords.

best way to become proficient is to use it. analyze chord progressions you already know and decode others.

Scott Denniston · From: Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA

Bengt Erlandsen · From: Brekstad, NORWAY

Once you are able to vizualize that
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

actually looks like

1 - 2 - 3 4 - 5 - 6 - 7

Idea

is gonna happen

Or you can even vizualize the harmonized triads like

Smile

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B.Erlandsen
Zumsteel S12extE9 7+7

Andrew Goulet · Posted 8 Dec 2020 4:26 pm

Oh man, that emoji representation is clever.
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Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

Scott Denniston · From: Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA

On top of that it was in a band that had a non-musician manager (coincidentally from Nashville)that, when I was hired asked if I knew the Nashville number system. I says no & she says "learn it!!". Ok I'll stop ranting.
Please understand I'm not talking about practicing scales here. I can't hardly stand that. I mean at least just knowing which notes are in each scale and which chords stack on top of each of them. You don't need to be Mozart to understand it. But he didn't have a clue about the Nashville number system.

Greg Forsyth · From: Colorado, USA

Don,

Karlis Abolins wrote this in an earlier post and reading it helps me figure a few things out:

Quote:

"Hi Reed,
Donâ€™t throw in the towel yet. It is simpler than it seems. For a country song, everything is about the diatonic scale - do re mi fa sol la ti do or 1 _ 2 _ 3 4 _ 5 _ 6 _ 7 1 where the underscores represent notes you skip in the chromatic scale. If you think of the scale in numbers, you only have to learn 1 set of patterns and then move them up or down the neck to play in the appropriate key. For the diatonic scale, the available chords are made up up major, minor and diminished chords.

A major third interval has two notes that are four semitones apart - two full steps
A minor third interval has two notes that are three semitones apart - one full step and one half step

A major chord consist of a major third interval followed by a minor third interval
A minor chord consists of a minor third interval followed by a major third interval
A diminished chord consists of a minor third interval followed by a minor third interval

Using these rules and the notes in the diatonic scale you can construct the following chords

The first chord (1) is a major chord and has the notes 1 3 5
The second chord (2) is a minor chord and has the notes 2 4 6
The third chord (3) is a minor chord and has the notes 3 5 7
The fourth chord (4) is a major chord and has the notes 4 6 1
The fifth chord (5) is a major chord and has the notes 5 7 2
The sixth chord (6) is a minor chord and has the notes 6 1 3
The seventh chord (7) is a diminished chord and has the notes 7 2 4

So getting down to your question of what you play: you play the notes in the diatonic scale when the singer is not singing. Usually a vocal line has a pause at the end of the line so the singer can breathe. It is usually a half measure or a measure and a half. During that half measure play a scale snippet that begins on a note in the chord for the bar. If the bar was in a 1 chord you can start on a 1 or a 3 or a 5. You want the scale snippet to end on a note that is in the chord for the following bar. So if the bar that the singer ends is in a 1 chord and the next bar is in a 1 chord, you want to begin with a 1 note or 3 note or a 5 note and then end with a 1 note or a 3 note or a 5 note. Some of the possible scale snippets are 1 2 3, 3 2 1, 3 4 5, 5 4 3, 1 7 6 5, 5 6 7 1, 1 2 1, 3 4 3, 5 6 5, 1 7 1, 3 2 3, 5 4 5, etc. If the singer ends in a 1 chord and the next bar begins in a 4 chord, you want to begin with a 1 note or 3 note or a 5 note and then end with a 4 note or a 6 note or a 1 note. Some of the possible scale snippets are 1 2 3 4, 3 4 5 4, 3 4 5 6, etc.
I wonâ€™t list all the movements. Avoid full three note chords. Single note or two note harmonized scales give you a limitless number of possibilities. It is really simpler than it looks.

Karlis"

Here's a link to the original posting:

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=2915317&highlight=#2915317

Jon Voth · From: Virginia, USA

George Biner · From: Los Angeles, CA

The "Nashville" system falls out of theory -- learn the basics of theory and you will then know the system.

Here's a good tutorial:
https://www.musictheory.net/lessons/21
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Jeremy Reeves · From: Springfield, IL, USA

Greg Forsyth · From: Colorado, USA

John Ely on his Hawaiian Steel website has a very good chart called "Music Theory Quickstart".

https://www.hawaiiansteel.com/graphics/pdf/music_theory_quickstart.pdf

His website is one of the best I've found as a novice steel player.

Also check out his "Diatonic Harmony Primer". It's in line with the "Music Theory Quickstart and has a lot of music theory info and also how to use different voicings in C6.

Peter Freiberger · From: California, USA

Another thumbs up for Chas Williams’ book! All you need to know, written by a very accomplished Nashville player.

Ryan Bramlett · From: Colorado, USA

The Chas Williams book does look like a winner...the Jim Riley book ("Song Charting Made Easy") also seems to be recommended. Anyone prefer one over the other?

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