nashville number system chart maker for pc

That said, the user is limited with regard to layout details as compared to Microsoft Word, and certain issues can crop up depending on the chosen view (such as the truncated measures in Example 5 indicated by the yellow bars). In addition to the two-column arrangement shown in Example 2, 1Chart offers a one-column layout with bullets to separate phrases (Example 4), global font size changes, and various alignment options.

There also does not seem to be any support for double sharps or double flats, so #5 in B major turns into G.Īnother strength of the 1Chart app is its ability to quickly switch between different layouts. For instance, #4 in E-flat major correctly turns into A, but then it turns into b5 when going back to numbers (leaving one with a strange 2 over b5 chord). As a music theorist, though, I must note that the mapping sometimes distorts functional implications, especially with more chromatic harmonies. For the most part, this feature works well, presuming the harmonies stay primarily within the diatonic space. Perhaps the most handy feature is that the app allows users to easily toggle between numbers and traditional chord symbols (Example 3). In particular, some of the most thorny aspects of creating a chart in Microsoft Word, such as rhythmic notation or hybrid chords in split bars, can be inserted with simply a tap on the screen in 1Chart.Įfficiency is not 1Chart’s only strength. Creating a chart in the 1Chart app (see Example 2) is very speedy, since the software is dedicated to this purpose.

Nonetheless, creating charts in Microsoft Word can be an extremely time consuming task due to the layout modifications required, which is where 1Chart shines. Until now, I have created these charts in Microsoft Word, which can generate very professional-looking charts (as seen in Example 1 with accompanying audio). Essentially, a Nashville number chart presents the chord names from a standard pop chart (e.g., C7) as scale degrees in a key, with one number equal to one measure and multiple chords in a measure indicated by an underline or box.įor the past six years, I have been using Nashville number charts in my music theory classes to give students an overall view of the functional harmonies, phrase structure, and form of a pop song. For those not familiar with the Nashville number system, 1Chart offers a brief overview on their website 1 and more detailed explanations can be found in the references below. 1Chart is an app for iOS that allows users to make nice-looking Nashville number charts in a relatively short amount of time. 1Chart: Software for Creating Nashville Number System Charts.

Nashville number system chart maker for pc