TOPIC: Chord names for the hearing impaired

In a noisy classroom I have trouble telling which chords Dave is calling. A and F are pretty easy but B,C,D,E, and G can sound alike. At another group I play with, they use the NATO phonetic alphabet so everyone plays in the same key.

So for music, the keys are Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, and Golf. I can even tell a Bravo minor from an Echo minor while someone is singing.

I agree with you that it is difficult to hear some of the chord callouts and this system you mention sounds like a good possibility........but my problem is not so much hearing impaired as it is memory impaired. By the time I remembered what Foxtrot meant, Dave would be on Golf or back to Charlie!

Maybe one of us should volunteer to write the chord progression on the board for Dave......??

As I mentioned in the class, the introduction of new songs compliments your experience in an open jam with strangers. Now, unless you are sitting in the woods and there just happens to be a blackboard on a tree, then writing the chords in class would emulate that experience. I, however, am betting that there are no trees with blackboards attached.

I suggest you study chord structure (major and secondary chords) for the various keys and get acquainted with making those changes.

I agree with Dave there. Phonetics work great when operating radios in a bad signal to noise environment. He should actually use the Nashville numbering system (and he does sometimes) This way we could learn the proper way to name chords in their respective keys.

The trouble I'm having with the new "jam" songs is figuring out the timing. Trying to count and remember the beats in each measure to know when the chord changes are coming. Who want's to get sent to the corner? Some times you can recognize when the chord changes are coming just by listening, but you have to be pretty familiar with the song. So I'm not sure if I should be counting or listening more intently. Any suggestions Dave?

Most songs are in either 2/4 or 4/4 time. These two times are virtually the same. The counting is different. 2/4 (cut time) is counted 1 and 2 and 1 and 2 and. 4/4 time is counted 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 . You can likely assume the song is in either of these times. I would advise you otherwise if the song is in 3/4 time (which is more for waltzes.