A Story Untold: Lead Sheet / Fake Book

Compact and uncluttered, this lead sheet captures a pop or rock song in its essential form. You have melody, harmony, and space to make the piece your own.

Pianists and keyboardists who want to develop fluency reading changes in real time, vocalists building a contemporary repertoire, and music students learning the jazz and pop tradition of playing from lead sheets rather than fully written scores.

• Read through the changes first without worrying about tempo; get the harmonic movement in your fingers before adding groove or flow.
• Sketch a simple comping pattern that serves the song rather than fills every beat; space and restraint often sound better than constant movement.
• Work with a vocalist early to establish how you'll voice chords and where you'll add or strip away texture to support their phrasing.

Pair this with other contemporary lead sheets to build a jazz or pop elective unit, or use it as a solo vehicle for upper-level keyboard or vocal students who need practice reading changes and creating accompaniment on the spot.

• Reading and realizing lead sheet notation
• Chord voicing and comping choices
• Collaborating with vocalists as an accompanist
• Improvising harmonic texture from written changes