Nashville Numbers: A Love Story

I love the Nashville Number System. No, really -- I LOVE the Nashville Number System!

When I was a girl growing up in Philly, my guitar-teacher dad taught me that numbers can be used as a universal language to represent chords in any key. Numbers can also represent the notes of the scale to help singers learn melodies as well as harmonies. To this day I hear, think, and understand music first in numbers, and then in letters.

When I came to Nashville and saw everyone using those beautiful numbers for chord charts, I knew I had found my tribe. And the first time I saw a demo singer marking up a lyric sheet with little numbers to learn the song on the spot, my heart raced and I fell head over heels in love!

Whether I'm helping students get over their math-phobia by showing them how numbers will guide them to the chords their ears want to hear, or organizing harmony parts with my female vocal band Queen of Hearts, I appreciate more than ever how numbers will make you a better musician, help you write your song, and give you unlimited freedom.

Here's the Nashville Numbers chart for John Prine's charming ode to love, and you only need three chords to play it.

Strum along with his recording, and yup, that's Travis picking he's doing :)

If you want to learn how to pick it like he does, join us on Wed Feb 17 for The ART of Travis Picking -- you'll be glad you did!