I was expecting an E/C but a C/E(1/3) looks and sounds too out of key. C Am D G7 then D to E/C but C/E? So looks like its D 4 beats then C 2 beats then E 2 beats.

bayoubill


I was expecting an E/C but a C/E(1/3) looks and sounds too out of key. C Am D G7 then D to E/C but C/E? So looks like its D 4 beats then C 2 beats then E 2 beats.

Thing is normally the divisor signifies a slash chord, or rather  but no two people write nashville notation the exact same way.  However 1/3 would be pretty universal and hard to think of as anything but I/III or C/E in C.  The same thing struck me when I said it didn't seem to resolve with the C/E I thought there must be a chord missing off the end or it was just jazz.
 
I'd check with your bass playing buddy to make sure, you might just be meant to be playing a straight E or C and his part is supplying the inversion an octave down or summat.
 
Who knows? You know what them bass players are like!
 
But the two beat thing you are saying would show up like this (2 - 1 3) so he's either put '/' that in by mistake or that ain't it.  It would be more likely that he's playing that E note over your C chord on the 5th beat of that bar (assuming 8ths and the key of C again).
 
Here I just googled this it might make more sense to you than me.
 
You will also find poly chord notation used. If you want to use the common 5 chord over the 1 chord you will see something like this:
1 5/1 4/1 5/1
The "/" is used to indicate a different bass note from the root of the chord. A few common non-root bass notes are:
1 1/3 4 4/6
5 5/7 1 5 
  
It seems difficult to convey when you are all in different places across the world but if the three of us were in the same room it would take two seconds to sort out and we'd all know what it meant thereafter.

You know what them bass players are like! 
AND HOW!


Wouldn't you know it. I spend all this time learning to read notation(keep in mind I AM a guitar player) and the first thing put on my stand looks like algebra 


Thanks Jonbouy! Lucky I have Alfred R Newman ears and just play the parts by ear. Whilst the vocalist and Bass player are working things out I have time to play the right notes. 

Exactly!
 
As I said, as a system it works great for drummers, bassists and other riff-raff, proper muso's of a great calibre such as yourself might have a bit of trouble with it though...
 
Seriously though Bill it will take you half an hour max to get familiar with it, most of what it's about has been covered in this thread already.
 
It's much easier to read than the similar III I V II system as sometimes all those 'I''s can give you double vision.  Also it's even worse if you already do have double vision. 

Jonbouy


It's much easier to read than the similar III I V II system as sometimes all those 'I''s can give you double vision.  Also it's even worse if you already do have double vision. 

Would that make it a stereo mess mix?

craigb

Jonbouy


It's much easier to read than the similar III I V II system as sometimes all those 'I''s can give you double vision.  Also it's even worse if you already do have double vision. 

Would that make it a stereo mess mix?

Mooch could tell you.

The way I learned it in the notation 1/3 in the key of C would indeed mean a C chord with an E in the bass...and in a 1 6minor 4 5 pattern as above I don't see what would be out of tune about that...more like a slow "walk" to the 4...in this case F. 


PS just for clarity...that's an E note...not an E chord. That would be dissonant indeed.

Zactly!
 

It would be more likely that he's playing that E note over your C chord on the 5th beat of that bar (assuming 8ths and the key of C again).