LEAD SHEETS

Lead sheets serve as a basic outline for the band. They show a rough estimate of the melody of the song, a key signature, a time signature, along with basic letters indicating chord progressions. Most lead sheets look similar to the following examples.

While lead sheets are common, some instruments or musicians might prefer a slightly more advanced concept: CHORD PROGRESSIONS using numeric notation.

In this type of sheet, the musician must already know the melody, but uses numeric notation to indicate the chord progression. Using numbers allows the musician the freedom of calling out any key - and still being able to read the chord progression the music will take.

Take, for instance, In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree above. The opening line chord progressions

"F Bb F F"

could just as easily have been shown as

"I IV I I"

Here is an example of how a chord progression chart might look "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree"

I	IV	I	I

I  	V7 	I 	I

V7 	V7 	I 	VI7

II7 	II7 	I7 	I7

I 	IV 	I 	I

I 	V7 	I 	I

V7 	V7 	I  I7   IV iv

I  VI7  IV7 V7  I 	I