Account & Settings
NNS style setting
When Nashville Number System (NNS) display is on, this setting controls how scale degrees are written — using either Native or Session conventions.
What NNS style affects
NNS style is a global preference that applies whenever chords are displayed as numbers — for example, when you view a song with NNS mode enabled. The two styles differ only in how they handle chords that fall outside the major scale (most commonly the b3, b6, and b7 in a minor key).
Native NNS
Degrees are written relative to the song's key and mode. In a minor key, the diatonic chords are bare numbers — no flats needed, because they're already expected in that mode.
| Chord (A minor) | Native NNS |
|---|---|
| Am | 1 |
| C | 3 |
| Em | 5 |
| G | 7 |
Session NNS
Degrees are always written relative to the major scale, regardless of the song's mode. Chords that fall below a major scale degree are marked with a flat (b). This is the style used by Nashville session musicians who transpose on the fly across any key or mode.
| Chord (A minor) | Session NNS |
|---|---|
| Am | 1 |
| C | b3 |
| Em | 5 |
| G | b7 |
Which style should I use?
Choose Native NNS if your team works primarily from modal charts, or if you prefer numbers that reflect the actual key you're playing in.
Choose Session NNS if your team uses the Nashville session convention, or if you frequently work with players trained in that system.