Lead sheet
Encyclopedia
A lead sheet is a form of music notation that specifies the essential elements of a popular song
: the melody
, lyrics
and harmony
. The melody is written in modern Western music notation, the lyric is written as text below the staff and the harmony is specified with chord symbols above the staff.
Together, the melody, lyrics and harmony define what a song is. In the music industry and entertainment law
, a lead sheet is the document used to describe a song for legal purposes. For example, a lead sheet is the form of a song to which copyright
is applied—if a songwriter
sues someone for copyright violation, the court will compare lead sheets to determine how much of the song has been copied. Or if a song is considered for an Academy Award or a Grammy, the song is submitted for consideration in the form of a lead sheet.
The lead sheet does not describe the chord voicings
, voice leading
, bass line or other aspects of the accompaniment
. These are specified later by an arranger
or improvised
by a performer, and are aspects of the arrangement or performance of a song, rather than a part of the song itself.
A lead sheet is often the only form of written music used by a small jazz
ensemble. One or more musicians will play the melody while the rest of the group improvises an appropriate accompaniment based on the chord progression
given in the chord symbols, followed by an improvised solo also based on the chord progression
. Similarly, a sufficiently skilled jazz
pianist
should be able to accompany a singer and perform a song by himself using only a lead sheet.
Lead sheets are also called fake sheets and collections of lead sheets are called "fakebooks
," as in the old cliché "I don't know the song but if you hum a few bars I can fake it." The most famous fakebook is called, The Real Book
.
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
: the melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
, lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
and harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
. The melody is written in modern Western music notation, the lyric is written as text below the staff and the harmony is specified with chord symbols above the staff.
Together, the melody, lyrics and harmony define what a song is. In the music industry and entertainment law
Entertainment law
Entertainment law or media law is a term for a mix of more traditional categories of law with a focus on providing legal services to the entertainment industry. The principal areas of Entertainment Law overlap substantially with the well-known and conventional field of intellectual property law...
, a lead sheet is the document used to describe a song for legal purposes. For example, a lead sheet is the form of a song to which copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
is applied—if a songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
sues someone for copyright violation, the court will compare lead sheets to determine how much of the song has been copied. Or if a song is considered for an Academy Award or a Grammy, the song is submitted for consideration in the form of a lead sheet.
The lead sheet does not describe the chord voicings
Voicing (music)
In music composition and arranging, a voicing is the instrumentation and vertical spacing and ordering of the pitches in a chord...
, voice leading
Voice leading
In musical composition, voice leading is the term used to refer to a decision-making consideration when arranging voices , namely, how each voice should move in advancing from each chord to the next.- Details :...
, bass line or other aspects of the accompaniment
Accompaniment
In music, accompaniment is the art of playing along with an instrumental or vocal soloist or ensemble, often known as the lead, in a supporting manner...
. These are specified later by an arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
or improvised
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
by a performer, and are aspects of the arrangement or performance of a song, rather than a part of the song itself.
A lead sheet is often the only form of written music used by a small jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
ensemble. One or more musicians will play the melody while the rest of the group improvises an appropriate accompaniment based on the chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
given in the chord symbols, followed by an improvised solo also based on the chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
. Similarly, a sufficiently skilled jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
should be able to accompany a singer and perform a song by himself using only a lead sheet.
Lead sheets are also called fake sheets and collections of lead sheets are called "fakebooks
Fake book
A fake book is a collection of musical lead sheets intended to help a performer quickly learn new songs. Each song in a fake book contains the melody line, basic chords, and lyrics - the minimal information needed by a musician to make an impromptu arrangement of a song, or "fake it."The fake book...
," as in the old cliché "I don't know the song but if you hum a few bars I can fake it." The most famous fakebook is called, The Real Book
Real Book
The Real Book can refer to any of a number of popular compilations of lead sheets for jazz tunes, but is generally used to refer to Volume 1 of an underground series of books transcribed and collated by students at Berklee College of Music during the 1970s....
.
See also
- Chord chartChord chartA chord chart is a form of musical notation that in addition to writing out non-embellished melody, describes harmonic and rhythmic information. It is the most common form of notation used by professional session musicians playing jazz or popular music. It is intended primarily for a rhythm section...
- Chord symbol
- Impro-VisorImpro-VisorImpro-Visor is an educational tool for creating and playing a lead sheet, with a particular orientation toward representing jazz solos.- Improvisation Advisor :...
, GUI and text-based editor for leadsheets - MuseScoreMuseScoreMuseScore is free and open source music notation software for Microsoft Windows, Mac and Linux. MuseScore is a WYSIWYG editor, complete with support for score playback and import–export of MusicXML and standard MIDI files...
, free and open source music notation program with lead sheet template - WikifoniaWikifoniaWikifonia is an on-line publisher of sheet music, combining a MusicXML-based technology in a wiki system, with copyright clearance.-Development:...
, online repository of lead sheets in musicXMLMusicXMLMusicXML is an open, XML-based music notation file format.It was developed by Recordare LLC, deriving several key concepts from existing academic formats . It is designed for the interchange of scores, particularly between different scorewriters.Version 1.0 was released in January 2004...
format
External links
- Gospel Lead Sheet Examples - Gospel lead sheets typically include the lyrics with the chords written above them.
- Jazz Lead Sheets Online - Jazz lead sheets and solo transcriptions
- Wikifonia - A wiki for Pop/Rock/Jazz/... Lead Sheets in high-quality pdf.
- Leadsheet Notation Textual notation for creating, communicating, and playing leadsheets.