[Dixielandjazz] Chord Averaging

[Bill Gunter]

CHORD AVERAGING

A Wonderful New Music Method
by Bill Gunter (with some help from Gary Church)

Good news for you struggling musicians out there who can never remember what 
chord comes next in any particular progression. We have developed and are 
proud to introduce “Chord Averaging,” a new method guaranteed to make anyone 
a competent player in any jazz group.

Basically, the system works this way:

Suppose you are playing a 12 bar blues (I’m only using this as an example) 
and the chord progression is 1, 4, 1, 5, 1.

The musician would simply add up the value of the chords (in this example 
the total would be 12). You then divide by the number of chords in the 
progression (in this case the number would be 5). Dividing the total (12) by 
the number of chords (5) and you get 2.4 (12 ÷ 5 = 2.4.)!

Round off to the nearest half and you get 2.5 which, for example, in the key 
of C would be D# (or you could play Eb if you so chose). That is the average 
chord and, as such, would be the only chord necessary throughout the entire 
performance of the piece. You could show the banjo player the fingering for 
a D# chord and that's all he would need.

I suggest from now on, all charts be printed to show not only the key and 
the chord progression, but the Average Chord as well. For example, the lead 
sheet for “Bill Bailey” might list the song in the key of F. However, after 
the chords are averaged, using the method outlined above,  the lead sheet 
sheet should also contain the notation “Avg. Chord = A”

I know, I know - you are all wondering what you can do for me having given 
you a wonderful new chord progression method but, trust me, I want nothing 
in return . . . A job well done is thanks enough for me.

Respectfully submitted,

Bill “Musical Arithmeticker” Gunter
jazzboard@hotmail.com





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