Nashville Numbers

If you aren't familiar with this, it's a system of learning your chords in various keys using numbers (1-7). Then, once you know which key you're in, you can be told the notes in the sequence (e.g. 1, 4, 6, 5) and no matter which key you're in, you'll know the right chords (if you've learned it well!)

The 'root' chord or the key, always has the number 1. Then the next chord would be number 2 etc - all the way up to number 7.

So a basic outline would be in the key of G:

1 - G (you can always do a 1/3 chord as well i.e. G/B)
2 - Am
3 - Bm
4 - C
5 - D
6 - Em
7 - F#m (or really it's a kind of diminished, or can be 5/7 i.e. D/F#)

So in our sequence above of 1, 4, 6, 5 (and in a major key), we could discover that in the Key of D, these notes would equate to D, G, Bm, A.  In the key of B, these would be B, E, G#m, F# etc.

There are some much better explanations for this but here is my graph that I created to help me remember this system. So take a look at my table (check it for accuracy and do let me know!) And then get learning along with me. Unfortunately I played bass the other day in a band and got one note wrong that really agitated me (!!) so I'm learning and determined to get this under my belt... !!