A Grammar for Lead Sheet

1. File Layout

• A global header
  • with metadatas (See 2. Metadata)
• Several sections
  • Adhoc header
  • Chord Line (one per section)
  • Melody Line (one per section)

Title: Autumn Leaves
Composer: Joseph Kosma
Rhythm: 4/4
Key: bb
Chord Beat: 1
Note Beat: 4
Octave: 4
Clef: treble

Section(A): {
Chord:
Cm7 | F7 | BbM7 | EbM7 |

Melody:
R G A B | E5--- | - F G A | D5- D5- |
}

2. Metadata

• Title: Song Title

• Composer: The composer of the song.

• Rhythm: Time signature. e.g. 6/8.

  • The first is numerator (beats per measure)
  • he second is denominator (basic beat)

• Key: Key signature

  • (empty): C major/ A minor
  • #, …, #######: 1 - 7 sharps. e.g. bb = Bb major.
  • b, …, bbbbbbb: 1 - 7 flats.

• Note Beat: Default duration unit for melody symbols

  • 1: whole note
  • 2: half note
  • 4: quarter note
  • 8: eighth note
  • …

• Chord Beat: Default duration unit for chord symbols.

  • same as above

• Octave: Default octave when a note has no digit.

• Clef: Clef

  • treble, bass

Adhoc Metadata You can insert one or more metadata into a section for adhoc use. For example:

Section(B): {
Key: bbbb
Chord:
AbM | Gb7#11 | Cm7 | F7#9 |
...
}

3. Bar Lines

• |: basic
• |:: start repeat
• :|: end repeat
• |1, |2, … : 1st/2nd ending (volta).
• |Coda: Coda sign
• |DaCoda: To coda.
• Fine: Fine
• |D.C., |D.S., |Dacapo: Dacapo
• |S: segno

Example

|1 Cm7 | F7 | F7 | Bb7 :|
|2 Cm7 | Fm7 | Bb7 | Eb69 |

The line breaks in the first line of each section will be enforced in the output score.

4. Duration

We use the following duration notations:

• (none): One default unit.
• -: extend by one unit per -.
• _: fill the rest of the bar.
• . before symbol: half of the unit.
• . after symbol: extend half of the unit.
• .. before symbol: 1/4 of the unit.
• .. after symbol: extend 1/4 of the unit.

Examples:

G               : 1 beat
G-              : 2 beat
G--             : 3 beats
|R G_|          : 3 beats (assume 4/4)
.G              : 0.5 beat
G.              : 1.5 beats
..G             : 0.25 beat
|R G-- | ----|  : 7 beats

5. Note

5.1. Pitch

• C, Db, D, Eb, E, F, Gb, G, Ab, A, Bb, B
• Natural override: suffix n — Bn, En, Gn (cancel key signature on that note)
• R is a rest.

5.2. Octave

• Add a digit for octave: C5, Bb4, F3.
• If omitted, Octave from the header is used.

5.3. Triplets

Three notes in the time of two units:

| Bb- (Ab C Eb)3 |

See lady bird.lead for example.

5.4. Multiple pitches at once (chord tones).

Brace several note names; they share one duration:

| C C C {C E G} |        

6. Chord

Any text is accepted. Here are the common ones.

For chord notation, see Chord Essentials.