Re: Lots of references about the nashville system on the web.
You mentioned Jamie Bearb before and some system he uses. You should ask him.
But, if using numbers 1,4,5 to represent the chords and also for setting the key, that's the Nashville number system.
It doesn't have to be anything elaborate. A long time ago, I would print out a set list for the band. I would add a note about the key, and a very brief Nashville chord progression, like so:
Joe Pitre, key F, 1111 5511
I might add some additional notations, like the tempo: BPM (beats per minute) 160 for a two step, BPM 145 for a Slide, BPM 120 for a waltz. I might add something about the time signature (4/4, 3/4, 6/8).
You can make it more elaborate if you want to, but adding information about Intro, Outro, Verse, Chorus, Bridge.
But I don't do it any more, probably because I don't really need to. But when I did use it, everyone immediately understood it.
I am not sure what you mean by hard hitter Cajun Pro musicians. I am not from Louisiana, and I lean more to the Zydeco side of things than Cajun in recent years (although there is a huge amount of overlap). But, I do get a lot of paying gigs, and I've been doing it for almost 30 years. So maybe I qualify. I can only tell you what I know. Maybe in Louisiana, they're doing something different, but I don't know why they would bother. The Nashville system has been around for a very long time, it is effective, it's easy to learn and lot's of people know it.
I don't know if it really matters what anyone else does. If you are looking for a system to use, the Nashville system is very good and it will work for you. Just do it!
Re: Lots of references about the nashville system on the web.
Number system I was talking is simply the Nashville number system. It's no big secret system, or a cajun system. Majority of musicians I play with have used it for years. And everyone who explained it here, explained it correctly.
I was taught the number system by Rufus Thibodeaux years ago, and has been very helpful playing along some of the great talents I've been fortunate to play beside.
Someone asked why musicians like me don't come on this forum and comment. Are we too busy? Lol. I'm not really a person who participates in social media. I don't even have a Facebook page. Old school I guess. I stumbled upon this forum post by accident and thought I'd respond. Thanks for the interest and many kind words.
Randy, You think that I am Jerry Moody? Funny, Jerry Moody was the first person to offend me on this discussion page. It had something to do with "Pink Panties". Remember?
I'm keeping my eyes and ears open David. Anything more I find out I will let this discussion know by post. So far, I've gone with a permanent marker on each of my accordions and marked the 3 keys of the 3 different positions of each accordion I have so I can see them directly and not have to think about it. I put the markings on the top of the stop knobs. Looks "novice", but it works for me. I hope someone ask about it so I can blast them with the information. LOL. C accordion = C G F. D accordion = D A G 1st, 2nd, and 3rd position respectively. But everybody should already know this. It's how to communicate with the other musicians that's not so easy to decipher. at least my open display of the Keys directly on my accordion should open some discussion and thinking when others see it.