The_Complete_Idiot%27s_Guide_To_Music_Theory
The_Complete_Idiot%27s_Guide_To_Music_Theory
The_Complete_Idiot%27s_Guide_To_Music_Theory
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Make It Simple<br />
Even simpler than the lead sheet is a piece of music that contains only chords;<br />
no melody lines and no lyrics. <strong>The</strong>re are two different approaches to this type<br />
of music, and we’ll look at both.<br />
Chord Sheets<br />
<strong>The</strong> chord sheet is just what it sounds like: a sheet of music containing only the<br />
chords of a song (see the example on page 245). <strong>The</strong> chords are presented<br />
measure by measure, so that members of the rhythm section (piano, bass, and<br />
guitar) can play through the song with minimal effort.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Nashville Number System<br />
In the field of country music, especially among studio musicians, a different<br />
type of chord sheet is used. This method of writing chords is called the<br />
Nashville Number System, and it uses numbers instead of letters.<br />
In the Nashville Number System, everything revolves around the tonic chord of<br />
a given key. That tonic chord is assigned the number 1. <strong>The</strong> chord based on the<br />
ii of the key—a minor chord—is assigned the number 2m (<strong>The</strong> m tells the musician<br />
it’s a minor chord.) <strong>The</strong> chord based on the iii of the key—also a minor<br />
chord—is assigned the number 3m. And so on up the scale, up to chord number 7.<br />
As you can see, major chords are distinguished by number only; minor chords<br />
have an m added. Extensions are added as superscripts to the right of the number,<br />
so that a dominant seventh chord based on the fifth of the scale is noted as 57 .<br />
A chord chart using the Nashville Number System looks something like the<br />
example on page 246.<br />
Because the Nashville Number System doesn’t use traditional notes, it is ideal<br />
for musicians who don’t know how to read music. It also makes it very easy to<br />
change key—just play the 1 or 2 or 3, or whatever chord in whatever key you<br />
want; it’s as easy as that.<br />
Sing It Loud<br />
Arranging for choirs is a bit more complicated than sketching out chords for a<br />
rock band. Choral music normally has four or five parts, and each part has to<br />
have its own line in the score.<br />
Let’s look at a typical four-part choral score (see the example on page 247). <strong>The</strong><br />
parts are arranged with the highest voice (soprano) at the top, and the lowest<br />
voice (bass) at the bottom. <strong>The</strong> four vocal parts (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass)<br />
are grouped together with braces, and a piano accompaniment is included below<br />
the vocal parts. <strong>The</strong> top three parts use the treble clef; the bass line uses the<br />
bass clef. Lyrics are included below each staff.<br />
Chapter 19: Lead Sheets and Scores 243<br />
Tip<br />
If you prepare a<br />
chord sheet using a<br />
music notation program,<br />
you may<br />
choose to include guitar<br />
tablature in addition to the<br />
standard chord symbols.<br />
This is particularly useful if<br />
you’re writing for beginninglevel<br />
guitarists.<br />
Note<br />
<strong>The</strong> Nashville Number<br />
System is very much like<br />
the Roman numeral notation<br />
system, except it uses<br />
regular numbers (1, 2, 3)<br />
instead of Roman numerals<br />
(I, II, III).