Fake Books & Lead Sheets

A Fake Book (besides called aReal Book) is a collection of lead sheets used past Jazz musicians. They are and so-called because they allow a Jazz musician to 'simulated it' fifty-fifty if he/she doesn't know a vocal.

Lead sheets incorporate the skeleton of the song, specifically the:

  • Basic Melody; and
  • Basic Chord Progression; and
  • Zilch ELSE!

They are designed for ease. Sight reading a lead canvas is much easier than sight reading a full written out transcription or score. A pb sheets simplicity is its greatest strength.

Problems with Lead Sheets

But the greatest forcefulness of a pb sail is also its greatest weakness. Lead sheets are by definition incomplete, they incorporate the post-obit problems:

  • They merely show the bones melody – NO harmony or embellishments.
  • They only show the basic chords – NO substitutes or alterations.
  • The chord written out on the lead canvas may not necessarily be the actual chord used in the recording.
    • Lead sheets utilise simplified chords – they may write a CMaj7 instead of a CMaj9#11.
    • And they don't deal well with Modern Jazz and 'not-standard' harmony.
    • Lead sheets simplify complex chords and simply show yous an approximation of the 'real' chord.
      • For example, in the song Iris by Wayne Shorter the pb sheet indicates an A♭Maj7#five, while the recording uses a more complex A♭Maj7#5, ♮5 chord.
  • Lead sheets do not contain Chord Voicings.
    • For example, a lead sail won't tell y'all to use Quartal Voicings over a Modal Jazz vocal.
  • Pb sheets practice non comprise Vamps/Riffs/Ostinati.
    • Some Jazz songs have a classic vamp or riff that is integral to the song (such as Take 5 by Paul Desmond, or Watermelon Man by Herbie Hancock). You generally won't get this from a atomic number 82 sail.
  • Lead sheets (at least the original ones) contain errors.
    • Desafinado by Jobim is missing 4 measures after bar 32.
    • Orbits by Shorter has the melody and chords written out in the pb sheet, but the recording itself doesn't actually accept chords at all.
    • And and then there'south Blueish Train by Coltrane…

How to Use a Lead Sheet

Errors:

  • The title is wrong (it should be Blueish Train )
  • The chords are wrong (they should exist V7#9 chords, NOT m7 chords)
  • The tune is incorrect (two notes in bar 8)
  • The key is wrong (it was transposed from an Eastward♭ Dejection to a C Blues for no particular reason)
  • The Vamp is not stated

History

The original Simulated Books, released in the 1970'south, have lots of mistakes and were illegal because they didn't pay royalties to the copyright owners. The more than recent Fake Books are of a much college quality – they aren't illegal and there are fewer, if any, mistakes. Simply the earlier ones are nevertheless widely bachelor and widely used.

Lots of Jazz musicians are disparaging of 'lead sheet' players because:

  • Using a pb canvas means you lot aren't forced to memorise a song.
  • Lead sheets can be used as a musical 'crutch' – and your playing can go dull and repetitive if you lot rely on them as well much.

Now, of course, listening and transcribing a song from an actual recording is much ameliorate, but I personally don't encounter a problem in using lead sheets. As long as yous don't completely and solely rely on the pb sheet, and you do actually have a mind to the actual song to hear what'due south going on. Accept lead sheets with a grain of salt and treat them as but ane of many possible resources.

How to Apply a Lead Sheet

So in summary, beneath is a brief listing summarising how to use a lead sheet. Brand sure you follow these tips/rules/advice.

  • NEVERplay them exactly as written!!!
  • Ever LISTEN to the recording
  • Harmonise/Embellish the melody as necessary (see 2d video below for a demonstration)
  • Substitute/Modify the chords equally necessary (Reharmonization)
  • Add Chord Voicings as necessary
  • Add Vamps/Riffs/Ostinati as necessary
  • Be mindful of errors

How to Utilise a Atomic number 82 Sheet

How to Build a Tune from a Lead Sheet

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