While in the Country circles they use standard 1, 2, 3, etc. numbering, many do not, but you should still make a mental note about standard numbers. Therefore, in order to be consistent with the broader approach in most music circles, we will be using Roman numerals instead of regular numbers.

For those who do not know Roman numerals, they are really quite easy, and we don't need to count beyond seven.

Capital numerals are used for Major family chords: I (1/G), II (2/A), III (3), IV (4/C), V (5/D), VI (6E), VII (7/F#)

Lower case are used for minor family chords: i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii

Adding extensions and/or numbers to it will call out the specific chord type. Let's stay in the key of G. So a I alone is G major; Imaj7 is a Gmaj7; I7b9 is a G7b9; I+ is augmented (#5), so written Gaug or G+ even G#5.

Likewise for minor based chords - still in the key of G; C is the 4th interval of the scale, but here it is minor: iv alone simply means Cmi; iv7 means Cmi7; iv7b5 is half diminished, so, Cmi7b5.

The numbers dictate the interval position of the chords.

Now, how do you use this stuff?

Starting easy, let's take a simple Blues tune. You've heard it called the "one - four - five", right? Well, now you will understand why. So here it is written out in the key of G.

And here it is converted to numbers:

Pretty easy, right? Okay, now from the key of G, play it in the key of Bb. Take your time. When you have done that, move it into the key of C. Then, Make it a fifth string root in E, and play it with all Barre chords. Do the same with the key of D. All you're doing is moving a pattern around now. That's a whole lot easier than trying to transpose something when you aren't very good at it. This makes transposing easier on simpler stuff.

Let's take a more involved Blues progression and do the same thing. Here is the arrangement as you might normally see it, still the key of G:

Now with numbers substituted in their place.

Take notice of measure 6, the dim7 chord. In the first chart, it is C#dim7, which raises the C root by a half step. But in the number chart, we lower the pitch from above, from the V chord position, to make it a bV. The #IV (or #iv) chord designation is not used. This is one of those rules of music notation, that some ways of writing things are preferred, for simplicity and clarity.

Once you have the pattern down, and think you can change keys, move it into Bb, then C.

You can do this with any tune. You start with the key (in this case G) and that becomes the I chord (or i if it is minor based). Just remember the simple rule of major and minor indicators for your chords. Capital Roman numerals is Major based, and lower case Roman numerals is minor based. Then you add the appropriate extension, just as you would normally do if you were writing a regular chart in a specific key.

Let's take a classic tune, At Last, in the key of C. Here's a standard chart:

Now let's swap out the chords for their number equivalents, which looks like this:

Just a reminder: When a "b" appears before the numeral, you flatten or lower the position one-half step; when a "#" appears before the numeral, you sharpen or raise the position one-half step.

And, remember, just as you lower the V chord flat (not raise the IV chord sharp), you also raise the V chord sharp, not lower the VI chord flat. The same clarity rule applies.

Okay, you're getting the hang of this, so here's Autumn Leaves, the A section:

Now, you fill in the numbers. You can right click the chart below and copy or save it ("save as" or "save target as") as a .jpg and print it out.

What makes this approach to making charts so cool is the fact that you can move this into any key. All you have to do is establish an understanding of the pattern you are playing - the relationship of the chords to one another – and the key center.

As mentioned before, if we are in the key of C Major, how far is an Am7 from the C root/key tone, fret-wise? And then, where is the next chord as it relates to the C? All chords in a progression will have their designation based on their relationship to the root/key tone chord.

Then, by establishing the progression’s pattern, you can quickly move the whole arrangement to a different key - where your singer sounds best (assuming C is not good for them on this song). You need to try this! Seriously.

Take charts of songs you know and create new charts using the number system. Practice this until it becomes easy and you can change a chart over in a matter of a few minutes. This works best on pop, country and easy rock n' roll tunes, and also works with Top 40 style stuff and Jazz standards that are set pieces.

More progressive songs are not very conducive to this system - they're too convoluted and involved for this to work well. In other words, the more complex songs by Ozzy, Dio, Deep Purple, Zeppelin and others like these generally aren't going to be well suited to this system.

It's not rocket science, but it may hurt your brain a little bit until it clicks into place. I've written charts out employing this approach - only numbers - and used them in real situations. When people understand how they work, the key just becomes a place holder where everything sits. And when you work with more than one singer, you don't have to create a new chart in another key (though I may make notes on the side about any relevant alterations in the arrangement). This covers it all very well.

We could interject stuff about shifting key centers in the middle of a song, but that would make the process more difficult. Unless there is a defined change in key, like a modulation from the key of A to the key of B, for example, there isn't any real need to deal with that. The object here is to highlight the pattern of a song, and that using this system allows you to write charts in numbers, not a specific key, so that you can play it in any key more quickly and easily - even do so on the fly. And that is powerful stuff.

We're all "students", even after many years of playing. There's always more to learn! Now shut off your computer and go play with some ideas.

See you next time.