Nashville numbers question

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Bill McCloskey
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Nashville numbers question

Post by Bill McCloskey »

I have a song that is in the key of G, but the chorus modulates to C.
The chorus goes:
C Em Am
F Em
D Am G

In nashville numbers would you keep the key of G and write it
4 6- 2-
b7 6-
5 2- 1

or
Modulate to C

1 3- 6-
4 3-
2 6- 5
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Jim Pollard
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Re: Nashville numbers question

Post by Jim Pollard »

Easier to me to just annotate the change to C and keep the same changes.
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Bill McCloskey
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Re: Nashville numbers question

Post by Bill McCloskey »

Mod to 4
1 3- 2-
4 3-
2 6- 5
?
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Brett Lanier
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Re: Nashville numbers question

Post by Brett Lanier »

I’d want to just read it in G the whole way. Without hearing the tune it’s hard to say for sure… but I have doubts about whether it really modulates. In either instance, it contains just one enharmonic chord (b7 or maj2).

Since the first chord of the chorus is C and the last is G, I’m thinking its probably just a chorus like any other song.
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Bill McCloskey
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Re: Nashville numbers question

Post by Bill McCloskey »

Got it. Thanks.
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Bob Shilling
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Re: Nashville numbers question

Post by Bob Shilling »

Bill,

In an older thread: viewtopic.php?t=325565 , this was thouroughly discussed. Paul Franklin weighed in, advocating showing the key change and writing the numbers in the new key.

For me, I think it's easier to follow that way, but I can see where others might find writing it all in one key is better.

YMMV
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Bill McCloskey
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Re: Nashville numbers question

Post by Bill McCloskey »

Thanks for the link, this is great.
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Fred Treece
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Re: Nashville numbers question

Post by Fred Treece »

I agree with Brett Lanier. If I was reading a chart I’d rather see a b7 chord in the section than a key change, since F is the only non-diatonic, and also because the section appears to return to a G like it’s the home chord rather than using it as a turnaround back to C.

If it was a 1-6-2-5 or some other diatonic progression that modulated from G to A (or something weird like G to Eb), then I would rather see the key change and the same numbers.
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