Worship Band Essentials: How to Read a Number Chart

In most worship band situations, reading chord charts are part and parcel for the experience. For many players, reading these charts is a breeze, especially after years of doing it. 

But many players falter when it comes to taking the next step: reading a number chart.

The good news is that number charts are arguably a better option for worship teams to use; there's greater flexibility in adjusting keys on the fly, not to mention the space saved for filing cabinets full of songs in multiple keys. 

In this post, we'll cover the basics of what you'll see in a number chart and how you can master this next step in your musicianship, for both players AND singers.

What Is a Number Chart?

Simply put: A number chart is a chord chart that uses numbers instead of letters to indicate chords. 

Sounds easy, right?

Well... not exactly. But it gets easier once you understand the theory behind it. 

You see, each note/letter in a major scale is often numbered; it's how we understand how chords are built. Take, for instance, the C major scale:

C–D–E–F–G–A–B–C

If we assign numbers to it, it looks like this:

C–D–E–F–G–A–B–C

1  2   3  4   5  6   7   1

In a number chart, you substitute those letters with numbers, and you also treat each number as a major chord by default, unless otherwise noted. So this progression is transformed like this:

C–Am–F–G becomes 1–6m–4–5

That's fairly simple... but what happens if you need to bump the key from C to any of the other 11 keys? You would have also know your other major scales and how the numbers correspond to those letters.

In the case of, say, a key like D, it's fairly easy, but things get hairy when you move into keys like B or A-flat—the ones with lots of sharps and flats within them. In that case, things can get complicated. 

Eating the Elephant

The old saying goes like this: "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." In this case, remembering every single note for all 12 major scales and then assigning it a number can be daunting...

But it's totally possible. 

All you need to do is prioritize mastering the most common keys in which many songs are performed, and then move laterally from there. Here are the most common keys I see on a given tune:

• C

• A

• G

• E

• D

Next, are these keys:

• F

• B-flat

• E-flat

• A-flat

• B

Then, the remaining keys are:

• D-flat/C-sharp

• G-flat/F-sharp

But here's the thing, if you can master the first 5 keys mentioned above, you can just apply those shapes a half step either below or above to grab the other more difficult/less common keys. 

A Few Extras

It's worth noting that in church settings, you'll most likely see numbers written above lyrics, much like the chord charts you're used to seeing. But there are some number charts that exclusively use only numbers, no lyrics, as shown in the photo below.

In this case, each number represents a measure, and the key is indicated at the top of the page, along with the time signature and other special notes, if necessary. (In this case, I had a very short window to make a chart, and only I would be using the chart. So, I left some of those bits out when scribbling in the notebook.) This format works as a sort of shorthand approach to what would normally result in a 2- or 3-page chart. 

It's common to see this format in studio situations; indeed, it was because of the studio scene in Nashville, TN that we have number charts in the first place. (That's why they're also called "Nashville number charts.")

This system uses other symbols that indicate rhythms, division of measures, and pauses within the music, but for now, I would only worry about mastering your 12 key centers, how the numbers correspond to them, and then reading them over lyrics.

The Result

If you end up mastering this way of learning and performing tunes, then you're afforded greater flexibility in adjusting to new keys on the fly without needing another chart printed for you.

This works especially great for bands where one guitarist might use a capo and the other leaves it off; you don't need any charts written in a capoed key and standard key. It also makes archiving your printed charts MUCH easier.

Now, is this a requirement for you to function well and flourish on your team?

I would say, no—you'll be just fine reading charts the way you've always done. But learning this system allows you to conceptualize the function of harmony in a broader, deeper, and more abstract way. You're no longer viewing chords as being in somewhat of a vacuum; you're now able to see how patterns permeate many of the songs you perform and then use that as fuel for your own creativity in arranging and writing. 

Plus, isn't learning a way to level up your musicianship part of the fun anyways?

Song Key Database from Renewing Worship—This One Is a Game-changer!

A friend of mine and I were discussing song keys for worship, and she mentioned a resource I’d not heard of before that gives recommended keys for most of the popular tunes being played in church services throughout the world.

She sent it to me, and I was BLOWN AWAY.

This resource comes from Renewing Worship, an organization based in North Carolina with a very similar mission to Worship Strategies. They’ve put together a comprehensive database that not only gives you the best recommended keys for songs if you’re unsure of where to pitch them, but they also provide a rating system for singability, including octave jumps, complex rhythmic syncopation, and melodic range.

I’m definitely going to be consulting this to streamline my music preparation, and you should, too!

Be blessed 👊✌️