Chord chart

<h2 id="rhythmic-notation">Rhythmic notation</h2>
<p>Rhythmic notation specifies the exact <a href="/facts/Rhythm/aHAByx9M">rhythm</a> in which to play or <a href="/facts/Comping_(jazz)/5v4Gabkl">comp</a> the indicated <a href="/facts/Chord_(music)/hJBCHCSB">chords</a>. The chords are written above the <a href="/facts/Staff_(music)/PldhTGvE">staff</a> and the rhythm is indicated in the traditional manner, though <a href="/facts/Pitch_(music)/fQAK0JsC">pitch</a> is unspecified through the use of slashes placed on the center line instead of <a href="/facts/Musical_note/spIQyV4T">notes</a>. This is contrasted with the less specific slash notation.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="slash-notation">Slash notation</h2>
<p class="note">"Slash notation" redirects here. For chord inversions, see <a href="/facts/Slash_chord/yCter4pS">Slash chord</a>. For the physics notation, see <a href="/facts/Feynman_slash_notation/KdBsLCwA">Feynman slash notation</a>.</p>

<p>Slash notation is a form of purposely vague <a href="/facts/Musical_notation/eubaB0AK">musical notation</a> which indicates or requires that an <a href="/facts/Accompaniment/GsUhcUqM">accompaniment</a> player or players improvise their own <a href="/facts/Rhythm/aHAByx9M">rhythm</a> pattern or comp according to the <a href="/facts/Chord_symbol/hJBCHCSB">chord symbol</a> given above the <a href="/facts/Staff_(music)/PldhTGvE">staff</a>. On the staff a slash is placed on each beat (so that there are four slashes per measure in 4/4 time).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a>
</p><p>Slash notation and rhythmic notation may both be used in the same piece, for example, with the more specific rhythmic notation used in a section where the horn section is playing a specific melody or rhythmic figure that the pianist must support, and with slash notation written for the pianist for use underneath improvised solos.
</p>
<h2 id="nashville-notation">Nashville notation</h2>

<p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/Nashville_Number_System/RpS39Gm3">Nashville Number System</a></p>
<p>Nashville notation or Nashville Number System<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> is a method of <a href="/facts/Musical_notation/eubaB0AK">notating</a> <a href="/facts/Chord_changes/zrB3N8Fc">chord changes</a> using numbers based on <a href="/facts/Scale_degrees/XooEJJya">scale degrees</a>, in lieu of <a href="/facts/Chord_(music)/hJBCHCSB">chord</a> names.  For example, in the key of <a href="/facts/C_major/20GWzL2C">C-Major</a>, the <a href="/facts/Chord_(music)/hJBCHCSB">chord</a> <a href="/facts/D_minor/QnYD7AT8">D</a>-<a href="/facts/Minor_seventh_chord/j09sWIhH">minor-seventh</a> can be written as 2−7, 2m7, or ii7. 
</p><p>"The musicians in Nashville use the Nashville Number System almost exclusively for conveying a song's structure and arrangement in the recording studio."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a>
</p><p>In <a href="/facts/Nashville_Notation/FPBJXaMv">Nashville Notation</a>, the chord numbers map to the <a href="/facts/Chord_(music)/hJBCHCSB">chord</a> built <a href="/facts/Diatonic/gyD81SHE">diatonically</a> on each <a href="/facts/Scale_degrees/XooEJJya">scale degree</a> in the Major key -- or the closest <a href="/facts/Relative_key/tzMfs5bS">relative Major</a> <a href="/facts/Musical_key/jo4UMbHp">key</a> -- of the <a href="/facts/Song/wm7uRPzQ">song</a>.
</p>
Example mappings of chord numbers to chord letters and qualities<table><tbody><tr><th>Chord number</th><th>Key of C</th><th>Key of G</th></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>C-Major</td><td>G-Major</td></tr><tr><td>2-</td><td>D-minor</td><td>A-minor</td></tr><tr><td>3-</td><td>E-minor</td><td>B-minor</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>F-Major</td><td>C-Major</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>G-Major</td><td>D-Major</td></tr><tr><td>6-</td><td>A-minor</td><td>E-minor</td></tr><tr><td>7o</td><td>B-diminished</td><td>F#-diminished</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>Chords can be built in the same way for all twelve <a href="/facts/Key_(music)/jo4UMbHp">Major keys</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a>
</p><p>Therefore, in the key of C, this chord progression 
</p>
| C / / / | F / / / | G / / / | C / / / | 
<p>--and in the key of G, this chord progression
</p>
| G / / / | C / / / | D / / / | G / / / |
<p>--in <a href="/facts/Nashville_notation/RpS39Gm3">Nashville notation</a>, the chord chart for both would be <a href="/facts/Musical_notation/eubaB0AK">notated</a> as 
</p>
1 4 5 1
<p>By convention, <a href="/facts/Nashville_notation/RpS39Gm3">Nashville notation</a> eliminates the <a href="/facts/Forward_slash/fuaRyKzc">slashes</a> and <a href="/facts/Measure_(music)/oUxVeEQy">bar</a> lines that denote the <a href="/facts/Beat_(music)/xJrxPJfS">beats</a> in the <a href="/facts/Measure_(music)/oUxVeEQy">measure</a>: "With the number system it’s understood that each number written on your chart is given the value of one measure of music. In 4/4 time, that’s a total of four beats per number on the chart."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a>
</p><p>This method of <a href="/facts/Musical_notation/eubaB0AK">notation</a> allows <a href="/facts/Musicians/lzr1pXc7">musicians</a> who are familiar with basic <a href="/facts/Music_theory/BoekvflP">music theory</a> to play the same <a href="/facts/Song/wm7uRPzQ">song</a> in any <a href="/facts/Musical_key/jo4UMbHp">key</a>.
</p>
 Although <a href="/facts/Nashville_Notation/FPBJXaMv">Nashville Notation</a> can use either <a href="/facts/Arabic_numerals/LryNhh26">Arabic numerals</a> or <a href="/facts/Roman_numerals/7BA8nn78">Roman numerals</a>, the practice of using <a href="/facts/Roman_numerals/7BA8nn78">Roman numerals</a> differs from <a href="/facts/Roman_numeral_analysis/rwtlhyNE">Roman numeral analysis</a>. <a href="/facts/Roman_numeral_analysis/rwtlhyNE">Roman numeral analysis</a> is intended to describe the <a href="/facts/Function_(music)/t3ekowqY">harmonic function</a> of <a href="/facts/Chord_(music)/hJBCHCSB">chords</a> in a <a href="/facts/Musical_composition/EUR2qaQw">musical composition</a> during <a href="/facts/Musical_analysis/tq9UuN1V">analysis</a>, whereas <a href="/facts/Nashville_Notation/FPBJXaMv">Nashville Notation</a> is intended to describe the musical structure of a song and be used during a musical <a href="/facts/Performance/LoPW1hxp">performance</a>. As an example: in the key of C, <a href="/facts/Roman_numeral_analysis/rwtlhyNE">Roman numeral analysis</a> considers a <a href="/facts/D_major/aVLNSolD">D-Major</a> chord as a "V/V" (pronounced "five of five"), that is, the fifth chord of the fifth chord, which is expected to resolve to the fifth chord (<a href="/facts/G_major/X334Xpux">G-Major</a>) of the <a href="/facts/Tonic_(music)/3YWh9zFV">tonic</a> (<a href="/facts/C_major/20GWzL2C">C-Major</a>). In <a href="/facts/Nashville_Notation/FPBJXaMv">Nashville Notation</a>, this same <a href="/facts/D_major/aVLNSolD">D-Major</a> chord would be represented instead as a "two-major" chord (2△ or 2M).
<h2 id="grid-notation">Grid notation</h2>
<p>In some European countries (particularly France), pop and jazz musicians often use so-called "chord grids" that show in a graphical way the chord progression. To illustrate, below is an example of two-part tunes, each eight bars long. Each square stands for a bar, while the "•/•”symbol means to stay on the same chord as the previous bar. The song structure can then be written down as a succession of the different parts. For example A-A-B-A, that would mean to play twice the "A" part, once the "B" part, and then again once the "A" part.
</p><p>Squares can also be separated diagonally for bars having two chords, as in the example below:
</p>
<h2 id="chord-charts-in-computer-files">Chord charts in computer files</h2>
<p><a href="/facts/Digital_media/QLXzDrhL">Digital</a> representations of chord charts enable <a href="/facts/Musicians/lzr1pXc7">musicians</a> to create, store and distribute <a href="/facts/Arrangement_(music)/Q17kA5L7">song arrangements</a> using <a href="/facts/Computer_systems/SQe1aK05">computer systems</a>, <a href="/facts/Computer_networks/3w5RM99p">computer networks</a> and the <a href="/facts/Internet/Xw1rVvJU">internet</a>. 
</p>
<h3>Plain text (ASCII) representations of chord charts</h3>
<p>A <a href="/facts/Plain_text/TSlSSAg2">plain text</a> (<a href="/facts/ASCII/vGUI33Qu">ASCII</a>) representation of <a href="/facts/Digital_media/QLXzDrhL">digital</a> chord charts supports broad <a href="/facts/Software_compatibility/PNAF7EAB">compatibility</a> across <a href="/facts/Computer_systems/SQe1aK05">computer systems and devices</a>, since <a href="/facts/ASCII/vGUI33Qu">ASCII</a> <a href="/facts/Text_files/zYW4JmES">text files</a> can be <a href="/facts/Serialization/T00auFvv">serialized</a> to <a href="/facts/Hard_drive/kekLSGSE">disk</a>, transmitted via <a href="/facts/Email/6pD9GLtI">email</a>, shared through <a href="/facts/Cloud_storage/cNw9IK3Q">cloud storage</a> services, and displayed in <a href="/facts/Text_editors/jPCgtbvN">text editors</a> that are preinstalled on most <a href="/facts/Operating_systems/8XTuvMh2">operating systems</a>. 
</p>
 Technically, modern <a href="/facts/Computer_systems/SQe1aK05">computer systems</a> support <a href="/facts/UTF-8/xlaVHSyf">UTF-8</a>, a <a href="/facts/Internet_Standard/LT6VEfhg">standard</a> <a href="/facts/Unicode/DDu3MfPV">Unicode</a> <a href="/facts/Character_encoding/ShJHIMoA">character encoding</a> whose first 128 characters map directly to the <a href="/facts/ASCII/vGUI33Qu">ASCII character set</a>, making it compatible with <a href="/facts/ASCII/vGUI33Qu">ASCII</a>.
<p>Below is a non-exhaustive list of <a href="/facts/Plain_text/TSlSSAg2">plain text</a> chord chart representations, including examples for reference. (You can help improve this article by adding other plain text representations of chord charts to this section.)
</p>
<h4>Format: Pipes and slashes (ASCII)</h4>
<p>Chord charts can be represented schematically, where:
</p>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Measure_(music)/oUxVeEQy">Bar</a> lines are given as <a href="/facts/Pipe_(character)/Yq77nJ6f">pipe</a> symbols "|"</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Chord_symbols/hJBCHCSB">Chord symbols</a> are represented as text</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Beat_(music)/xJrxPJfS">Beats</a> are optionally indicated with a <a href="/facts/Forward_slash/fuaRyKzc">forward slash</a> "/".</li></ul>
<p>To illustrate, the following <a href="/facts/ASCII/vGUI33Qu">ASCII</a> text represents the first <a href="/facts/Verse_(popular_music)/9wkDkCs7">verse</a> of the <a href="/facts/Public_Domain/YWKMDKw4">public domain</a> <a href="/facts/Hymn/UUNRCvY7">hymn</a> <a href="/facts/Amazing_Grace/S451j4yJ">Amazing Grace</a>, in 3/4 <a href="/facts/Metre_(music)/0suDDdHj">meter</a>:
</p>
Amazing Grace (Traditional)

Verse 1:
| G  / / | G7   / /  | C / / | G  / /   |
| G  / / | G/B  / /  | D / / | D7 / /   |
| G  / / | G7/B / /  | C / / | G / G/F# |
| Em / / | G/D  / D7 | G / / | G / /    ||

<p>The performer should interpret this such that each <a href="/facts/Chord_symbol/hJBCHCSB">chord symbol</a> occupies one <a href="/facts/Beat_(music)/xJrxPJfS">beat</a>, with each <a href="/facts/Forward_slash/fuaRyKzc">slash</a> signifying that the preceding <a href="/facts/Chord_(music)/hJBCHCSB">chord</a> should be played for additional <a href="/facts/Beat_(music)/xJrxPJfS">beats</a>, represented by the number of additional <a href="/facts/Forward_slash/fuaRyKzc">slashes</a> after the <a href="/facts/Chord_symbol/hJBCHCSB">chord symbol</a>. For example, the first <a href="/facts/Measure_(music)/oUxVeEQy">measure (bar)</a> of this chord chart consists of three <a href="/facts/Beat_(music)/xJrxPJfS">beats</a> of the <a href="/facts/G_major/X334Xpux">G-Major</a> <a href="/facts/Chord_(music)/hJBCHCSB">chord</a>.
</p><p>A more compact form of this could be represented as:
</p>
Amazing Grace (Traditional)

Verse 1:
| G  | G7       | C | G        |
| G  | G/B      | D | D7       |
| G  | G7/B     | C | G / G/F# |
| Em | G/D / D7 | G | G        ||

<h4>Format: Chords over lyrics (ASCII)</h4>
<p>The term "chord chart" can also describe a plain <a href="/facts/ASCII/vGUI33Qu">ASCII</a> text, digital representation of a <a href="/facts/Lyrics/YMSfpx9n">lyric</a> sheet where <a href="/facts/Chord_symbol/hJBCHCSB">chord symbols</a> are placed above the <a href="/facts/Syllables/Ylt7pyJe">syllables</a> of the <a href="/facts/Lyrics/YMSfpx9n">lyrics</a> where the performer should change <a href="/facts/Chord_(music)/hJBCHCSB">chords</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> 
</p><p>Continuing with the <a href="/facts/Amazing_Grace/S451j4yJ">Amazing Grace</a> example, a "chords over lyrics" version of the chord chart could be represented as follows:
</p>
Amazing Grace (Traditional)

[Verse 1]
 G      G7         C         G
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
     G       G/B         D      D7
That saved a wretch like me
  G        G7/B      C       G
I once was lost, but now I'm found
G/F# Em         G/D D7 G
Was  blind, but now I  see

<h4>Format: ChordPro (ASCII)</h4>
<p><a href="/facts/ChordPro/lQRhl7xC">ChordPro</a> is one <a href="/facts/ASCII/vGUI33Qu">ASCII</a> file representation standard for the aforementioned style of <a href="/facts/Lyrics/YMSfpx9n">lyric</a> sheet, but instead of placing the chords above the lyrics, the chords changes are placed inline with the lyrics, directly preceding the lyrical syllable where the chords should change. Given a <a href="/facts/ChordPro/lQRhl7xC">ChordPro</a> format input file, the <a href="/facts/ChordPro/lQRhl7xC">ChordPro</a> program outputs a format similar to the aforementioned "chords over lyrics" format.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a>
</p><p>In <a href="/facts/ChordPro/lQRhl7xC">ChordPro</a> format, <a href="/facts/Amazing_Grace/S451j4yJ">Amazing Grace</a> could be notated as follows:
</p>
{title: Amazing Grace}
{key: G}

{start_of_verse}
A-[G]mazing [G7]grace, how [C]sweet the [G]sound
That [G]saved a [G/B]wretch like [D]me [D7]
I [G]once was [G7/B]lost, but [C]now I'm [G]found
[G/F#]Was  [Em]blind, but [G/D]now [D7]I  [G]see
{end_of_verse}

<p><a href="/facts/ChordPro/lQRhl7xC">ChordPro</a> files often have the <a href="/facts/File_extensions/cJgfAym4">file extensions</a> .cho, .crd, .chopro, .chord and .pro, but could also have the common .txt extension.
</p><p>Multiple open source and commercial software support <a href="/facts/ChordPro/lQRhl7xC">ChordPro</a> format chord charts, including:
</p>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/ChordPro/lQRhl7xC">ChordPro</a> <a href="/facts/Library_(computing)/xRzL3P7q">code libraries</a>
<ul><li><a href="https://github.com/ChordPro/chordpro">ChordPro reference implementation (Github)</a></li></ul></li>
<li>Chord chart <a href="/facts/Format_conversion/ovcQxA3K">format conversion</a>
<ul><li><a href="https://chords.menees.com/">Menees Chord Sheet Converter</a> - for converting to ChordPro format from other, less-strict chord charts ASCII representations</li>
<li><a href="https://ultimate.ftes.de/">Frederik Tesche's online Ultimate Guitar to ChordPro Converter</a> - for converting Ultimate Guitar chord charts to Chord Pro format</li></ul></li>
<li>Chord chart organization & <a href="/facts/File_management/t7CSQ40a">file management</a>
<ul><li><a href="https://onsongapp.com/docs/features/formats/chordpro/">OnSong</a> natively works with ChordPro format chord charts</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Gig_Performer/AWfjBzMJ">Gig Performer</a></li>
<li>The <a href="https://www.worshiptools.com/en-us/charts">Charts app by WorshipTools</a> natively works with ChordPro format chord charts</li></ul></li>
<li>Chord chart <a href="/facts/Publishing/7g01YeYG">publishing</a>
<ul><li><a href="https://songselect.ccli.com/">CCLI SongSelect</a> publishes chord charts for songs in ChordPro format</li></ul></li></ul>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Chord_notation/lv9LbnVT">Chord notation</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Chord_progression/zrB3N8Fc">Chord progression</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Lead_sheet/790UPN2U">Lead sheet</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Konowitz, Bert (1998). Teach Yourself Chords and Progressions at the Keyboard, p.68-69. ISBN 0-7390-0017-9. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Konowitz, Bert (1998). Teach Yourself Chords and Progressions at the Keyboard, p.68-69. ISBN 0-7390-0017-9. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>Gorow, Ron (2002). Hearing and Writing Music: Professional Training for Today's Musician, p.251. 2nd Edition. ISBN 0-9629496-7-1. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>""Nashville Number Charts", WriteThisMusic.com". Archived from the original on 5 May 2015. Retrieved 2015-06-20.{{cite web}}:  CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150505105125/http://writethismusic.com/Charts.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150505105125/http://writethismusic.com/Charts.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>"Nashville Number System (NNS) - Key Reference Chart - Printable PDF, jotchord.com". <a href="https://www.jotchord.com/nashville-number-system-nns-key-reference-chart" target="_blank">https://www.jotchord.com/nashville-number-system-nns-key-reference-chart</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>"Everything You Need to Know About the Nashville Number System, premierguitar.com". <a href="https://www.premierguitar.com/lessons/chords/nashville-number-system" target="_blank">https://www.premierguitar.com/lessons/chords/nashville-number-system</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>https://www.chordpro.org/chordpro/chords-over-lyrics/ <a href="https://www.chordpro.org/chordpro/chords-over-lyrics/" target="_blank">https://www.chordpro.org/chordpro/chords-over-lyrics/</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:8"><p>https://www.chordpro.org/chordpro/chordpro-introduction/ <a href="https://www.chordpro.org/chordpro/chordpro-introduction/" target="_blank">https://www.chordpro.org/chordpro/chordpro-introduction/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Chord chart open-in-new

Chord chart