Beginner Guitar Exercises: Nashville Numbering System: 1-5-6-4

The Nashville Numbering System's key advantage is that the numbered progression can be applied to any key.

Example in the key of C Major:

• In C Major, the 1 chord is C, the 5 chord is G, the 6 minor chord is Am, and the 4 chord is F.

• The 1 → 5 → 6 → 4 progression in C Major would be C → G → Am → F.

• This sounds the same as the progression in G Major, just higher or lower.

[pathways book diagram pg. 53]

Knowing that any chord progression can be simply shown using the Nashville Numbering System sets you free. With four chords and a capo you could play almost any song in any key.

The Nashville Numbering System is a shorthand for chords. It works in every key. It is perfect for playing by ear or on the fly and is widely used in country, worship, pop and studio work. By using numbers you reduce the clutter and overwhelm associated with chords.

Try This Out: Decode 1-5-6-4 in different keys

Lets look at this chord progression: Ab → Eb → Fm → Db . Does that look like something you can play? This is 1 → 5 → 6 → 4 in the key of Ab. Look familiar? It is G → D → Em → C but one semitone higher. If you have a capo, place it behind the first fret.

[make guitar diagrams of chords]

Now play your four magic chords. You are playing the progression Ab → Eb → Fm → Db using the chord shapes you already know. Numbering the chords seems simple but has massive benefits.

[Make empty COF diagram and put question marks on 1 5 6 4 empty respective slots]

There is an underlying structure to all scales and keys. When you just see chord names it is very difficult to understand that structure and you have to learn that structure for every key. Thinking in numbers cuts through all that noise and lets you see clearly.

What stage are you at with playing chords in a progression?

  • Pause & place: I know the shapes, but I have to stop the rhythm for a second to set my fingers.

  • Muscle memory: I know the chord shapes, but I have no idea what notes or numbers I'm playing.

  • Connecting the dots: I can change chords cleanly, but I don't really know why they work together.

  • Second nature: I know the shapes, intervals and the progression numbers without having to think twice.

If you didn't pick the last option, don't sweat it. Most of us have spent way too long stuck in the exact same spot.

We set up the NoisyClan community specifically to help players break past those brick walls and actually make sense of the neck. Drop by to ask questions, trade tips, and work through it with a group of guitarists on the same page.

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