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Topic: Lead Sheets For Steel Shows |
George Redmon
From:
Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.
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Posted 26 Mar 2018 12:52 am |
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| I've decided to update the selection of songs i've been doing at one steel show or another for a few years now. I was wondering if all you guy's that play steel shows regularly are making lead sheets for the house band? If you are, do you make them out in "Musical Notation", or the "Nashville Number System" or both? I'm trying to over come the "Do you know" or "have you ever heard" or "i can't play it in that key" syndrome. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 26 Mar 2018 3:31 am
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The few times I have played shows I just wrote a simple chord chart . I wouldn't put too much energy into it.
Writing a simple chord chart eliminates any confusion that may occur from transposing.
I love simple !
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Bill Cunningham
From:
Atlanta, Ga. USA
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Posted 26 Mar 2018 3:54 am
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Nashville charts are what I see 98% of the time.
Make a chart even if you are playing a standard tune that everyone knows. The advantage is that you, the arranger, with a chart, can specify the form, passing chords, etc. If the rhythm section follows, you will deliver a more polished set with no rehearsal.
Occasionally, someone will bring a real book page and Skip Edwards writes really great nice line and staff arrangements. But mostly, it's chord charts.
_________________
Bill Cunningham
Atlanta, GA |
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Roger Crawford
From:
Griffin, GA USA
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Posted 26 Mar 2018 4:43 am
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| Two really great ideas already; keep the chart simple and have a chart for every song you do. The easier the chart is to read increases the chances that it will be followed, and not every member of a staff band will know all of the classic songs Steeler's like to play. If there are several lead instruments in the staff band, your chart can dictate who plays what part rather than trying to direct it on stage. I might add, make your charts as easy to read as possible. Hand written charts are hard to read at times. I like to do mine on the computer in Word. Some of the musical symbols will have to be hand written, but it makes a very clean and easily read chart. |
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Skip Edwards
From:
LA,CA
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Posted 26 Mar 2018 8:06 am
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Thanks, Bill...
At the Phoenix show we see all sorts of charts. Some good, some bad, some awful.
A good chart is really important if you want your set to go well. BIAB charts are not always good...they leave out a lot of important arrangement info.
Just saying'...
I prefer numbers, unless it's one of those tunes that should be written in letters.
One more thing... a bunch of us have old eyes. Large letters/numbers are the way to go. |
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Russ Wever
From:
Kansas City
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Posted 27 Mar 2018 9:02 pm
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Take no chances: Have each tune prepared in both Numbers and Letters.
And it needn't be a lead sheet, a chord chart will suffice.
(Lead Sheets contain the melody notation - Chord Charts typically don't)
_________________
www.russface
www.russguru |
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George Redmon
From:
Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.
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Posted 4 Apr 2018 9:48 pm
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| Thanks guy's for the advice. Will do as suggested. |
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Dave Magram
From:
San Jose, California, USA
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Posted 4 Apr 2018 10:55 pm
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George,
I helped Bobby Black prepare some chord charts (EDITED TO REPLACE "lead sheets" with "chord charts") for his set at one of the SG shows a few years ago.
(Sorry if I added to the confusion about "lead sheets"--it was late at night when I posted this.)
I used Excel: four cells across representing four measures, and (usually) four rows for the A part and four rows for the B part. We used a very large font size for the chord names, and put borders on the 32 cells representing the 32 measures.
As I recall, Bobby preferred chord names to numbers, but it would be easy enough to produce both.
The result was very easy-to-read charts that could be sent out via email to the house band ahead of time.
-Dave
Last edited by Dave Magram on 5 Apr 2018 8:14 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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George Redmon
From:
Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.
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Posted 4 Apr 2018 11:19 pm
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Thank You so very much dave. I copied your reply and will have my daughter the computer genius help me look into the Excel music spreadsheet. She'll know what you're talking about, it's greek to me. I have a neighbor who teaches music at the local community college. She also writes and composes for radio jingles, theater, and civic groups. She has volunteered to help me with arrangements and writing the arrangements out musically if i choose to go that route. She doesn't do the nashville number system, but i do. So i may just do both, with the assistance of your Excel sheets. So i now have options.
It's amazing how so many guys like the late Herby Wallace, and even Doug Jernigan fella's like that never use, or pass out lead sheets to the band. Whereas i always see sheets in front of Roy Rosetta, Bobby Caldwell also liked his lead sheets. So i suppose it's just what you prefer. Some shows i've been to, just ended up sounding like one long jam session. I'd kinda like to prevent that if i can is all. I think a little musical organization is a good thing ya know? Thanks to all for the help. |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 5 Apr 2018 5:21 am
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George, there is a distinction (as noted in Russ Wever's footnote) between "lead sheets" (which contain the melody line written out in standard notation) and "chord charts" (which do not; just the chords are written out, either in letters or numbers, but no 'lead line', i.e., no melody). I think you're talking about "chord charts" but are calling them "lead sheets"...
_________________
www.JimCohen.com
www.RonstadtRevue.com
www.BeatsWalkin.com |
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Peter Freiberger
From:
California, USA
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Skip Edwards
From:
LA,CA
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Posted 5 Apr 2018 6:31 am
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Just chords written out doesn't always do the trick. Measures, bar lines, etc are important. You can write out all the chords, but if we can't tell where they fall, they're worthless.
Writing chord charts is not hard... those who don't know how should take a little time to learn how, or ask someone who does know to do some for you...even if it costs you a few $$. It'll be money well spent.
Everyone who does a steel set wants it to go well, and you always have a lot on your mind when you do one. The last thing you should have to worry about is whether or not the band can follow along like they're supposed to. |
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Chris Brooks
From:
Providence, Rhode Island
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Posted 5 Apr 2018 6:46 am
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Yeah, Skip. I really hate it when I rehearse with a new group with the words written out--and the chords above them!
So +1 for bar lines.
Chris |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 5 Apr 2018 6:50 am
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| Chris Brooks wrote: |
Yeah, Skip. I really hate it when I rehearse with a new group with the words written out--and the chords above them!
So +1 for bar lines. |
Yeah, that's what I've been getting lately for studio sessions and sideman gigs. Only the songwriter and their own band know how long each of those chords is supposed to last... 
Lately, I've been insisting on proper charts, otherwise, I have to chart all their tunes myself to make them usable in the studio or on the bandstand. Last time they had over 30 original tunes for a show. I just declined.
_________________
www.JimCohen.com
www.RonstadtRevue.com
www.BeatsWalkin.com |
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George Redmon
From:
Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.
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Posted 5 Apr 2018 12:23 pm
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| You guys are so helpful, yes i meant the full melody charts jim. Thanks for having me correct that. I think i am going to do both. The Nashville system, and arranged notation. I think that would pretty much cover everyone. Like i mentioned, i get invited to several "Jam Sessions" each year. I seldom attend. Nothing wrong with jams, but at a steel show especially if it's a pay to attend gathering i expect a bit more from everyone. Thanks so much everyone. |
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Bill Cunningham
From:
Atlanta, Ga. USA
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Posted 5 Apr 2018 4:34 pm
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George if you send me your email I'd be glad to send you some pdf's examples of my charts as well as the guys I have played bass with in Dallas and Phoenix over the years. I have a stack of Manila envelopes and pdf library including Buck Reid, Tommy Dodd, Doug Jernigan, Russ Hicks, Jim Cohen, etc. The reason you never see some of these guys giving Roy Rosetta charts is because he already has them in his brief case. 
+1 on getting the Chas WIlliams book. Great examples of the variety and options in charting. Jimmy Capps' charts are very simply for example. Laura Foster's (Music City Tonight show on TNN arranger) charts of the same song looks almost like a symphony score. Well, not really, but a lot of detail.
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Bill Cunningham
Atlanta, GA |
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George Redmon
From:
Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.
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Posted 5 Apr 2018 9:35 pm
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| Thank You Bill, will do. |
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