So, lets get started. Fake book notation looks similar to that shown below. That is, the melody and lyrics are shown on a single treble clef staff with alphabet letters and symbols above the staff. These alphabet letters and symbols represent chord symbols , telling you which chord to play with the melody.
Dont panic if you also see some little grids above the staff, like those below. Just ignore them and use the alphabet letters. So you know, these fancy little line and dot pictures are called guitar chord frames . They tell guitar players where to put their fingers to play the chord. (Yes, even guitar players use fake books!)
Reading from a chord line with single bass notes
Before we jump into playing chords (thatll be in Chapter 2), use the chord symbols to play single bass notes with the left hand. For example, when you see the chord symbol C , just play and hold the chords root note C with your left hand until the next chord symbol comes along. Your right hand, of course, will be busy pounding out the melody.
Well start with an easy song favorite, Yankee Doodle. Play through the melody once by itself, then add the left-hand single notes indicated by the chord symbols. (Again, play only single root notes, not full chords.)
Yankee Doodle
American Folksong from
the Revolutionary War
Yankee Doodle wasnt too difficult, was it? Try another all-time favorite thatll be stuck in your head for at least the rest of this chapter When The Saints Go Marching In. Again, I suggest you try the melody first before adding the left hand. (Dont get ahead of me, pal youre still playing single root notes only with the left hand.)
When the Saints Go Marching In
Words by Kathleen E. Purivs
Music by James M. Black
Sure those two songs were easy, and sure the left-hand single bass notes wont exactly wow an audience, but you learned an important skill: being aware of the chord symbols while playing a melody .
Spice things up with a fifth
Any time you play two or more notes at the same time, you are playing harmony . The distance between any two notes is called an interval. An interval is measured on a scale. Got that? Read it again.
The C major scale below shows you each scale tone, numbered from 1 to 8. These numbers help you measure and recognize intervals.
For example, a very common interval in music is the fifth . Its used in tons of chords and tons of melodies. Using the C scale above, a fifth is from C (1) to G (5). (Its very easy math: just count the notes.) Other fifths are found in a similar way D to A, E to B, F to C, G to D, and so on. Get the idea?
Try playing the fifths shown below. You should play the two notes of each fifth at the same time, using your thumb and pinky. (You can use other fingers, but Im warning you that it may hurt.)
For the next song, try playing some fifths with your left-hand. That is, every chord symbol now represents the root note (or lowest note) of the fifth. Play the root with your pinky and use your thumb to add a fifth above the fift scale tone up from the root. For example, when you see C , play the notes C-G.
Aura Lee
Words by W.W. Fosdick
Music by George R. Poulton
All of the left-hand fifths in Aura Lee can be located easily on the white keys, using the C major scale on page 6 as a guide. But what about black-key root notes? Its important to remember that fifths are based on the major scale of the root note. Memorizing every major scale would be very helpful but also very taxing. I have an easier tool to help you find your fifths...
The Worlds Easiest Fifth Finder