Session 19: Lead Sheets & Chord Charts

Overview

• Phase: 4 — Genre & Creativity
• Duration: 75 minutes
• Prerequisites: Completed Sessions 1-18. Improvisation basics (pentatonic, blues scale, chord-tone targeting). 7th chords and shell voicings. All 24 triads in inversions. Pop voicings (sus, add9). ii-V-I and I-V-vi-IV progressions.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

1. Read chord symbols on a lead sheet (Cmaj7, Dm7, G7, Am, Fsus2, etc.)
2. Understand slash notation (C/E means C chord with E in the bass)
3. Explain the Nashville number system basics (1-4-5-1 in any key)
4. Create your own LH accompaniment patterns from chord symbols alone
5. Play 3 complete songs from lead sheets: “Yesterday,” “Hallelujah,” and “Kal Ho Naa Ho”

Materials Needed

• Casio CT-X9000IN keyboard (Grand Piano tone)
• Sustain pedal connected
• Metronome set to the tempos specified for each song
• This lesson plan open beside you

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Warm-Up & Review (10 minutes)

Scale and Chord Warm-Up (4 minutes)

Play F major scale, 2 octaves, HT, at 80 BPM — “Yesterday” is in F major. Play G major scale, 2 octaves, HT, at 80 BPM — “Hallelujah” can be played in G.

Then play these 7th chords, RH, 4 beats each: Fmaj7 — Dm7 — Gm7 — C7 — Am7 — Bbmaj7

These chords appear in today’s songs.

Improvisation Quick Check (3 minutes)

Improvise for 30 seconds over Am-F-C-G using Am pentatonic. Focus on 2-bar phrases with rests. This keeps your improvisation skills fresh.

Accompaniment Pattern Review (3 minutes)

Play these LH accompaniment patterns over C major, 4 beats each:

1. Block chord: C(5) E(3) G(1) — hold
2. Arpeggio: C(5) E(3) G(1) E(3) — quarter notes
3. Root-5th: C(5) G(2) — half notes
4. Alberti bass: C(5) G(1) E(3) G(1) — eighth notes

You will choose from these patterns when reading lead sheets today.

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Theory / Harmony (10 minutes)

What Is a Lead Sheet?

A lead sheet is the simplest form of written music — just a melody line with chord symbols above it. No LH part is written out. No specific voicings are specified. The pianist creates the accompaniment on the spot.

This is how professional musicians play in bands, jam sessions, and musical theatre. You get the melody and the chords. You decide how to play them.

Reading Chord Symbols

Symbol	Name	Notes	How to Build
C	C major	C-E-G	Major triad
Cm	C minor	C-Eb-G	Minor triad
C7	C dominant 7th	C-E-G-Bb	Major triad + minor 7th
Cmaj7	C major 7th	C-E-G-B	Major triad + major 7th
Cm7	C minor 7th	C-Eb-G-Bb	Minor triad + minor 7th
Csus2	C suspended 2nd	C-D-G	Root + 2nd + 5th
Csus4	C suspended 4th	C-F-G	Root + 4th + 5th
Cadd9	C add 9	C-E-G-D	Major triad + 9th
Cdim	C diminished	C-Eb-Gb	Diminished triad
Caug or C+	C augmented	C-E-G#	Augmented triad

Slash Notation

C/E means “C major chord with E in the bass.” The letter before the slash is the chord; the letter after the slash is the bass note.

• C/E = E in LH, C-E-G in RH (1st inversion effect)
• C/G = G in LH, C-E-G in RH (2nd inversion effect)
• Am/C = C in LH, A-C-E in RH

Slash chords create smooth bass lines. Instead of the bass jumping from root to root, it can walk stepwise.

Nashville Number System — Introduction

The Nashville number system replaces letter names with numbers based on scale degrees. This makes it easy to transpose songs to any key instantly.

In C major:

Number	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Chord	C	Dm	Em	F	G	Am	Bdim

In G major:

Number	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Chord	G	Am	Bm	C	D	Em	F#dim

I-V-vi-IV in C = C-G-Am-F. In G = G-D-Em-C. Same numbers, different keys. The Nashville system lets you say “play a 1-5-6-4” and every musician knows what to do in any key.

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Technique (15 minutes)

Creating Accompaniment from Chord Symbols (5 minutes)

When you see a chord symbol on a lead sheet, you choose HOW to play it. Here are 4 standard approaches:

1. Root-5th (simplest): See “Am” → LH plays A(5) E(2) as half notes Best for: slow ballads, first pass through a song

2. Block chord: See “Am” → LH plays A(5) C(3) E(1) on beat 1, hold Best for: hymns, simple arrangements

3. Arpeggio pattern: See “Am” → LH plays A(5) C(3) E(1) C(3) as quarter notes (up-down pattern) Best for: ballads, folk songs, “Hallelujah”

4. Rhythmic comping: See “Am” → RH plays A(1) C(3) E(5) on beats 1 and 3 (or syncopated) Best for: pop, rock, uptempo songs

Practice: I will give you a chord symbol. Play it with all 4 approaches.

Dm7: Root-5th: D(5) C(2). Block chord: D(5) F(3) A(1) C(top). Arpeggio: D(5) F(3) A(1) F(3). Rhythmic: RH plays D(1) F(2) A(3) C(5) on beats 1 and 3.

 

G7: Root-5th: G(5) F(2). Block: G(5) B(3) D(1) F(top). Arpeggio: G(5) B(3) D(1) B(3). Rhythmic: RH plays G(1) B(2) D(3) F(5) on beats 1 and 3.

Sight-Reading Chord Changes (5 minutes)

I will give you a chord progression. Play through it, choosing your own accompaniment pattern. No written melody — just chords.

Progression 1: C | Am | F | G | (4 beats per chord, 60 BPM) Choose arpeggio pattern. Play 2 times through.

Progression 2: Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 | Am7 | (4 beats, 72 BPM) Choose root-5th pattern with shell voicings. Play 2 times.

Progression 3: F | C/E | Dm | C | Bb | F/A | Gm | C7 | (2 beats per chord, 66 BPM) This has slash chords. F/A = LH plays A(5), RH plays F chord. C/E = LH plays E(5), RH plays C chord. Play 2 times.

Melody and Chords Simultaneously (5 minutes)

The real challenge of lead sheet playing is playing the melody in your RH while your LH provides the accompaniment. This requires splitting your brain — one hand sings, the other comps.

Exercise: Play “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” melody in your RH while playing block chords in your LH:

RH: C(1) C(1) G(5) G(5) | A(4) A(4) G(5) rest |

LH: C(5) E(3) G(1) hold | F(5) A(3) C(1) hold |

 

Then: F(4) F(4) E(3) E(3) | D(2) D(2) C(1) rest |

LH: F(5) A(3) C(1) hold | G(5) B(3) D(1) hold → C(5) E(3) G(1) hold |

This is the core skill of lead sheet playing. You already do this in your arranged pieces — now you are doing it without a written-out LH part.

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Repertoire / Genre (25 minutes)

Song 1: “Yesterday” by The Beatles — Lead Sheet + Answer Key (8 minutes)

Lead Sheet:

Key: F major | Tempo: 92 BPM | Time: 4/4

Verse:
F          Em7    A7       Dm
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Bb         C7         F
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Dm    G7     Bb    F
Oh I believe in yesterday

F           Em7    A7        Dm
Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be
Bb           C7           F
There's a shadow hanging over me
Dm    G7     Bb    F
Oh yesterday came suddenly

Your task: Play this from the chord symbols above. Choose an accompaniment pattern. Try arpeggio for the gentle mood.

Answer Key — Full Transcription:

RH Melody:

Measure 1 (F): F(4) E(3) D(2) C(1) | (quarter notes — "Yes-ter-day")

Measure 2 (Em7-A7): D(2) rest C(1) D(2) | E(3) D(2) C(1) A(1) | ("all my trou-bles seemed so")

Measure 3 (Dm): D(2) C(1) A(1) rest | ("far a-way")

Measure 4 (Bb-C7): Bb(3) A(2) G(1) A(2) | Bb(3) C(4) rest rest | ("now it looks as though they're")

Measure 5 (F): A(3) G(2) F(1) rest | ("here to stay")

Measure 6 (Dm-G7): D(2) E(3) F(4) rest | E(3) D(2) rest rest | ("oh I be-lieve in")

Measure 7 (Bb-F): D(2) C(1) rest rest | F(1) rest rest rest | ("yes-ter-day")

LH Accompaniment (arpeggio pattern):

Measure 1: F(5) A(3) C(1) A(3)

Measure 2: E(5) G(3) B(1) G(3) | A(5) C#(3) E(1) C#(3)

Measure 3: D(5) F(3) A(1) F(3)

Measure 4: Bb(5) D(3) F(1) D(3) | C(5) E(3) G(1) E(3)

Measure 5: F(5) A(3) C(1) A(3)

Measure 6: D(5) F(3) A(1) F(3) | G(5) B(3) D(1) B(3)

Measure 7: Bb(5) D(3) F(1) D(3) | F(5) A(3) C(1) rest

Song 2: “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen — Lead Sheet + Answer Key (9 minutes)

Lead Sheet:

Key: C major | Tempo: 56 BPM | Time: 6/8

Verse 1:
C                 Am
I've heard there was a secret chord
C                    Am
That David played and it pleased the Lord
F                G              C       G
But you don't really care for music, do ya?
C                F        G
It goes like this: the fourth, the fifth
Am              F
The minor fall, the major lift
G               E7            Am
The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Chorus:
F            Am          F           C    G    C
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelu-u-jah

Your task: This is in 6/8 — use the 6/8 LH pattern you learned in Session 8 (bass-chord-chord).

Answer Key — Full Transcription:

RH Melody (verse):

Measure 1 (C): G(5) G(5) G(5) E(3) E(3) E(3) | ("I've heard there was a")

Measure 2 (Am): G(5) E(3) E(3) C(1) C(1) rest | ("se-cret chord")

Measure 3 (C): G(5) G(5) G(5) E(3) E(3) E(3) | ("that Da-vid played and")

Measure 4 (Am): E(3) E(3) C(1) A(1) rest rest | ("it pleased the Lord")

Measure 5 (F): A(1) A(1) A(1) A(1) B(2) C(3) | ("but you don't real-ly")

Measure 6 (G-C-G): B(2) A(1) G(1) rest rest rest | ("care for mu-sic")

Measure 7 (C): E(3) rest rest rest rest rest | ("do ya?")

Chorus RH Melody:

Measure 8 (F): F(4) rest F(4) F(4) E(3) D(2) | ("Hal-le-lu-jah")

Measure 9 (Am): E(3) rest E(3) E(3) D(2) C(1) | ("Hal-le-lu-jah")

Measure 10 (F): F(4) rest F(4) F(4) E(3) D(2) | ("Hal-le-lu-jah")

Measure 11 (C-G-C): E(3) rest D(2) rest C(1) rest | ("Hal-le-lu-jah")

LH — 6/8 Broken Chord Pattern:

C: C(5) — E(3)G(1) — E(3)G(1) (bass-chord-chord per half-measure)

Am: A(5) — C(3)E(1) — C(3)E(1)

F: F(5) — A(3)C(1) — A(3)C(1)

G: G(5) — B(3)D(1) — B(3)D(1)

E7: E(5) — G#(3)B(1) — G#(3)B(1)

Song 3: “Kal Ho Naa Ho” — Lead Sheet + Answer Key (8 minutes)

Lead Sheet:

Key: D major | Tempo: 80 BPM | Time: 4/4

Mukhda:
D                    A
Kal ho naa ho, kal ho naa ho
Bm                   G
Har pal yahan, jee lein jee bhar
D                    A
Kal ho naa ho, kal ho naa ho
Bm          G        A        D
Joh hai samaan, woh kal ho naa ho

Antara:
G                 D
Har ghadi badal rahi hai roop zindagi
Em                A
Chaav hai kabhi kabhi hai dhoop zindagi
G                 D
Har pal yahan jee lein jee bhar
Em        A          D
Joh hai samaan woh kal ho naa ho

Your task: Play this in D major using the arpeggio LH pattern. The chords are simple — D, A, Bm, G, Em.

Answer Key — Full Transcription:

RH Melody (Mukhda):

Measure 1 (D): F#(3) F#(3) E(2) D(1) | (quarter notes — "Kal ho naa ho")

Measure 2 (A): E(2) F#(3) E(2) rest | ("kal ho naa ho")

Measure 3 (Bm): D(1) D(1) E(2) F#(3) | ("har pal ya-han")

Measure 4 (G): A(5) G(4) F#(3) E(2) | ("jee lein jee bhar")

 

Measure 5 (D): F#(3) F#(3) E(2) D(1) | ("kal ho naa ho")

Measure 6 (A): E(2) F#(3) E(2) rest | ("kal ho naa ho")

Measure 7 (Bm-G): D(1) E(2) F#(3) G(4) | ("joh hai sa-maan")

Measure 8 (A-D): F#(3) E(2) D(1) rest | ("woh kal ho naa ho")

Antara RH:

Measure 9 (G): B(3) B(3) A(2) B(3) | ("Har gha-di ba-dal")

Measure 10 (D): A(2) F#(1) A(2) rest | ("ra-hi hai")

Measure 11 (Em): G(3) G(3) F#(2) G(3) | ("roop zin-da-gi")

Measure 12 (A): F#(2) E(1) rest rest | ("...")

 

Measure 13 (G): B(3) A(2) B(3) D(5) | ("Har pal ya-han")

Measure 14 (D): A(4) F#(2) D(1) rest | ("jee lein jee")

Measure 15 (Em-A): G(3) F#(2) E(1) F#(2) | ("bhar joh hai sa-")

Measure 16 (D): D(1) rest rest rest | ("maan" — final)

LH Accompaniment (arpeggio):

D: D(5) F#(3) A(1) F#(3) — quarter notes

A: A(5) C#(3) E(1) C#(3)

Bm: B(5) D(3) F#(1) D(3)

G: G(5) B(3) D(1) B(3)

Em: E(5) G(3) B(1) G(3)

X:1 T:Kal Ho Naa Ho (Simplified) M:4/4 L:1/4 K:D V:1 clef=treble name="RH" "3"F F "2"E "1"D | "2"E "3"F "2"E z | "1"D D "2"E "3"F | "5"A "4"G "3"F "2"E | F F E D | E F E z | "1"D "2"E "3"F "4"G | "3"F "2"E "1"D z | "3"B B "2"A "3"B | "2"A "1"F A z | "3"G G "2"F "3"G | "2"F "1"E z z | "3"B "2"A "3"B "5"d | "4"A "2"F "1"D z | "3"G "2"F "1"E "2"F | "1"D z z z |] V:2 clef=bass name="LH" "5"D, "3"F, "1"A, "3"F, | "5"A,, "3"C, "1"E, "3"C, | "5"B,, "3"D, "1"F, "3"D, | "5"G,, "3"B,, "1"D, "3"B,, | D, F, A, F, | A,, C, E, C, | B,, D, F, D, | "5"A,, "3"C, "1"E, "5"D, | "5"G,, "3"B,, "1"D, "3"B,, | "5"D, "3"F, "1"A, "3"F, | "5"E, "3"G, "1"B, "3"G, | "5"A,, "3"C, "1"E, "3"C, | G,, B,, D, B,, | D, F, A, F, | "5"E, "3"G, "1"B, "5"A,, | "5"D, z z z |]

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Creative / Ear Training (10 minutes)

Lead Sheet Skills

Exercise 1: Chord Symbol Flash Drill (3 minutes)

I will give you chord symbols. Play each immediately with no preparation:

Cmaj7 — play it. Am7 — play it. G7 — play it. Fsus2 — play it. Dm — play it. E7 — play it. Bbadd9 — play it (Bb-D-F-C).

Speed is the goal. In a real jam session, you have no time to think. The chord symbol should trigger an instant physical response.

Exercise 2: Transpose “Yesterday” Opening (4 minutes)

“Yesterday” is in F major. The opening chord progression is: F — Em7 — A7 — Dm

Using the Nashville number system, this is: I — vii (of relative minor) — V7/vi — vi

Now transpose to C major: C — Bm7 — E7 — Am

Play the opening melody and chords in both keys:

• F major (as written above)
• C major (transposed)

Transposition is one of the most practical lead sheet skills. Singers often need songs in different keys.

Exercise 3: Create an Accompaniment on the Fly (3 minutes)

Here is a chord progression you have never seen:

| Am | G/B | C | F | Dm | Am | E7 | Am |

Play through it twice:

1. First time: root-5th pattern (simplest)
2. Second time: arpeggio pattern (more flowing)

Notice how the same chords can sound completely different depending on your accompaniment choice. This is the art of lead sheet playing — the chords are given, but the interpretation is yours.

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Review & Homework (5 minutes)

Summary

Today you:

• Learned to read chord symbols on lead sheets (major, minor, 7th, sus, add9, dim, aug)
• Understood slash notation (C/E) and the Nashville number system
• Practiced creating 4 different accompaniment patterns from chord symbols
• Played “Yesterday” (Beatles), “Hallelujah” (Cohen), and “Kal Ho Naa Ho” from lead sheets
• Verified your playing against full transcription answer keys
• Practiced transposition using the Nashville number system

Self-Check Questions

1. What does “Dm7” mean? Name all 4 notes.
2. What does “C/E” mean in slash notation?
3. In the Nashville number system, what is the “4 chord” in G major?
4. Name 4 different LH accompaniment patterns you can use when reading a lead sheet.

Practice Homework (Before Next Session)

• Lead sheet practice — 15 minutes daily. Choose one of today’s 3 songs. Play from the lead sheet (NOT the answer key). Try different accompaniment patterns each day.
• Chord symbol flash drill — 5 minutes daily. Write chord symbols on paper. Flip through them and play each immediately.
• Nashville numbers — 5 minutes daily. Play I-IV-V-I in C, G, D, and F major. Think in numbers, not letters.
• “Kal Ho Naa Ho” review — 10 minutes daily. This song has a Bollywood feel — add grace notes and Indian ornaments from Sessions 14-15.
• Scale and improvisation maintenance — 10 minutes daily.
• Total: ~45-50 minutes daily

Common Mistakes to Watch For

• Looking for the written-out LH part: There is no written LH part on a lead sheet. You must create it. This feels scary at first, but it is liberating — you choose how the song sounds.
• Always using the same accompaniment pattern: Variety is key. A ballad needs arpeggios. A pop song needs rhythmic comping. A folk song might need simple root-5th. Match the pattern to the mood.
• Forgetting slash chords: When you see C/E, the E in the bass matters. It creates a smoother bass line than jumping between root notes. Pay attention to the bass note in slash chords.

CT-X9000IN Tips

Chord Play Mode

If your CT-X9000IN has a Chord Play or auto-accompaniment mode, it can be useful for lead sheet practice:

1. Enable auto-accompaniment
2. Play the chord root in your LH — the keyboard automatically generates a full accompaniment pattern
3. Focus your attention entirely on the RH melody

This is a helpful learning tool, but do not rely on it permanently. The goal is to create your own accompaniment patterns with your own hands.

Recording Lead Sheet Performances

Use the MIDI recorder to record your lead sheet performances:

1. Record your first pass through a song — using simple root-5th accompaniment
2. Record a second pass — using arpeggios
3. Compare the recordings — which version suits the song better?

This A/B comparison trains your arranging skills — the ability to choose the right accompaniment for the right song.