Chord charts

Phil_aka_Pip

I get pissed off with people who give me a lyric sheet which chord symbols written above words, and they call it a chord chart. It isn't. It's unreadable.

A chord chart divides time up into bars, like sheet music does, except there's no stave. Rhythmic information can be provided, but at least a time signature and a tempo is required. For simpler songs where a chord is held for the duration of a bar, it is OK to just write the chord symbol in that bar; where there are so many beats on one chord and so many beats on another chord using a slash to represent a beat is OK and tells you on which beat the harmony changes.

Why do people especially singers think that a guitarist can read a lyric sheet ?

stimpsonslostson

Because they're singers not "musicians". At least they gave it to you- a drummer would have to find someone help them sound out the long words. 

ArchtopDave

Phil_aka_Pip said:

I get pissed off with people who give me a lyric sheet which chord symbols written above words, and they call it a chord chart. It isn't. It's unreadable.

A chord chart divides time up into bars, like sheet music does, except there's no stave. Rhythmic information can be provided, but at least a time signature and a tempo is required. For simpler songs where a chord is held for the duration of a bar, it is OK to just write the chord symbol in that bar; where there are so many beats on one chord and so many beats on another chord using a slash to represent a beat is OK and tells you on which beat the harmony changes.

Why do people especially singers think that a guitarist can read a lyric sheet ?

Entirely agree with you. If it ain't got "the dots". then it's incomplete.

John_P

If it’s a strummy song then chords over lyrics can be ok - especially if you know the song fairly well but the more detail the better.    

I had a dep gig a couple of years ago filling in as half of an acoustic duo - a lot of the “chord sheets” I was promised would be waiting for me were just lyrics with no mention of music at all.   Made for some interesting moments! 

Lestratcaster

If its a song you know already sometimes lyric cues can help esp if its a repeated chord cycle. Sometimes I'll use a lyric to let me know I've reached 4 times or something, but yes it should be in bars with a rhythmic value.