Lead-Sheet Notation

BAIN MUSC 115
Music Theory I
LESSON PLAN 18
Friday, October 5, 2012
Lead-Sheet Notation
1. Take attendance and take questions about K/P Workbook Ex. 3-3 A.
2. Introduce Lead-Sheet Notation
MUSICAL EXAMPLE FOR ANALYSIS
Sonny Rollins, St. Thomas, from the album Saxophone Colossus (1956)
Score: Lead-sheet transcription available on course Web site
Recording: MUSC 115 CD Track 4
- Using the lead sheet for Rollins’ St. Thomas, introduce lead-sheet notation.
In contrast to the Western art music notation most of us are accustomed to, lead sheets are not “fixed”
forms of notation. Rather, they are part of a rich aural musical tradition, and are perhaps best described as
loose transcriptions of the melody, harmony and other basic stylistic elements of popular recordings.
- For discussion:
Compare and contrast the modern lead sheet notation for St. Thomas w/ the Baroque era figured-bass
notation we studied previous lesson. How are they similar? How are they different?
3. Elements of a Lead Sheet
Melody: The melody is conveniently notated on a staff in a convenient clef, key and register.
Harmony: Lead-sheet symbols (also called chord symbols, or the changes) are provided above the
melody. These symbols describe a basic harmonic progression that is commonly associated with
the melody. Different lead sheets often have significantly different progressions.
“...musicians create magic with these few symbols.”
Mark Levine, The Jazz Theory Book 1
Rhythm: A general description of the rhythmic/stylistic character of the work usually appears at the
outset (e.g., Ballad, Bossa, Calypso, Fast Swing, Rock, etc.), but not always.
Texture: Dynamics are usually not included. (Articulation and phrasing are rarely indicated.)
Lyrics are included when appropriate.
Form: In jazz, a lead-sheet usually notates the tune (or head). This is the main part of the composition
that is played by the ensemble at the beginning and end of a performance. (An introduction is
often inserted before it.) Members of the group usually take solos after the tune is presented. Each
solo typically repeats the “form” specified by the lead sheet, that is: the drums keep the time, and
the other members of the rhythm section improvise on the harmonic progression (called comping)
while the soloist improvises (new melodies). One-by-one, soloists take turns playing through the
form. Each time through the form is called a solo chorus, and St. Thomas is a quintessential
example of this process. (Please note that a description of the form of the recording is given in the
optional in-class exercise at the end of this lesson plan.)
1 Mark Levine, The Jazz Theory Book (Petaluma, CA: Sher Music Co.), 401.
MUSC 115 Lesson Plan 18: Page 1 of 3

BAIN MUSC 115
Music Theory I
4. Introduce Lead-Sheet Symbols
{K/P, pp. 45-47; see also Appendix B Lead-Sheet Symbols, pp. 546-47)
- Unlike figured-bass symbols (and Roman numerals we will introduce in the next chapter), leadsymbols
are NOT tied to the prevailing key. As jazz theorist Mark Levine puts it: “the key
signature of a lead sheet only affects the melody of the tune, not the chord symbols.” 2 This makes
lead-sheet symbols ideal for describing tertian harmony that is highly chromatic.
- As shown in Fig. 1 below, introduce the symbols for the 4 triad types first, 3 then introduce the 5
seventh chord types. 4
Spell each chord on the board on root C and put the lead-sheet symbol above it. Then ask the students
try to spell selected chords on other roots. Be sure to remind your students that a seventh chord is an
extension of a triad by a third. Also be sure to emphasize that the root of a lead-sheet symbol is always
capitalized.
TRIADS
Quality* Lead Sheet
Symbol**
M C
m Cm or C-
A C +
d C o
SEVENTH CHORDS
Quality* Lead Sheet
Symbol**
Mm
C 7
MM
mm
dm
dd
* - See K/P, Appendix B Lead-Sheet Symbols for more information.
** - For a chord whose root is C.
C maj7
Cm 7 or C- 7
C Ø7 or C- 7(ß5)
Fig. 1. Lead-sheet symbols for the 4 triad types and 5 common seventh chord types.
- Be sure to discuss the “m7(ß5)” symbol. ß5 means lower the fifth of the chord by a half step. 5 A mm
chord with its fifth lowered by a half step is equivalent to K/P's half-diminished seventh chord.
- Briefly touch upon the concept of a slash chord. The bass of a lead-sheet symbol is assumed to be
the root unless otherwise specified. If a different bass note is required, including notes that do not
belong to the chord, it is indicated using the slash symbol "/" followed by the bass note: e.g., C/E,
C/G, C/Bß, C/Fƒ, etc.
2 Ibid.
3 Introduce, but do not over emphasize, the symbol C 6 (a modern harmony called the added-tone triad which adds a coloristic M6
above the root to a major triad). This chord appears in the St. Thomas lead sheet, but has been removed from the homework
worksheet. We will discuss this chord more fully in MUSC 116.
4 By the way, this is a great opportunity to review seventh chord spelling as necessary.
5 Correspondingly, ƒ5 means raise the fifth of a chord by a half step. These are called alterations. Interested students will find this
explained more fully in K/P Appendix B.
C o7
MUSC 115 Lesson Plan 18: Page 2 of 3

BAIN MUSC 115
Music Theory I
OPTIONAL IN-CLASS EXERCISE
Discuss how Sonny Rollins' ensemble turns the notated lead sheet into a full-length "composition" for the
recording.
Sonny Rollins, St. Thomas from the album Saxophone Colossus (1956). Prestige Records.
The players on the recording are:
Sonny Rollins, tenor sax; Tommy Flanagan, piano; Doug Watkins, bass; Max Roach, drums.
Questions for discussion include: What is the role of improvisation in this work? What's the role of the
tenor sax? What's the role of the piano? What's the role of the bass? What's the role of the drums? What's
the form of the head? 6 How is the drum solo related to the head? Etc.
Here is the recording's form, in case you want to discuss it in detail:
Introduction (16 bars, drums)
Head (16 bars, 2x, tenor)
Solos
Tenor sax solo 7
Drum solo 8
Tenor sax solo (again)
Piano solo
Head (16 bars, 2x)
HOMEWORK
1. Worksheet 3-1 (pdf)
2. Read Recognizing Chords in Various Textures, pp. 49-50
MATERIALS
1. St. Thomas Lead Sheet (pdf)
2. Worksheet 3-1 (pdf)
3. MUSC 115 CD Track 4
6 16 bars: a a b c; 4 + 4 + 4 (2+2) + 4. Notice how c is a quasi-new idea built from b and a.
7 A link to a transcription Sonny Rollins's tenor sax solo (by Jeff Ellwood) is available under Lesson 18.
8 Notice that the drummer carefully follows/articulates the form.
MUSC 115 Lesson Plan 18: Page 3 of 3