[Dixielandjazz] Chord Averaging

[Patrick Cooke]

>>>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.<<<

     Bill, I have never heard of such an easy system; even for the
mathematically challenged.  And you proved it with the accuracy of
mathematics!
     If I ever start playing washboard, I'll be sure to use it!   Let's see,
where did I put that calculator? :-)
     Pat Cooke

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Gunter" <jazzboard@hotmail.com>
To: <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>; <hotjazztalk@lists.landing.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 7:01 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Chord Averaging


> 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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