lead sheet

[ leed ]

noun

1. a copy of a song containing the melody line, sometimes along with the lyrics and the notations indicating the harmonic structure.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lead sheet¹

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Example Sentences

Key to making the system work is placing an insulating material such as a lead sheet between the pixels to increase the contrast between radiation readings coming into the detector from different directions.

From Science Daily

They used lead sheets instead of fully written-out arrangements, and played everything live.

From Los Angeles Times

Stepney impressed them so much, he kept getting called back to work, and eventually became the label’s lead sheet writer.

From New York Times

Mr. Distler, on the other hand, said he worked primarily from paper — lead sheets and scores — rather than by listening closely to records.

From New York Times

Instead of classical music, she taught her students to play big band jazz off lead sheets, a form of musical notation with fewer written parts and more room for improvisation.

From New York Times

Related Words

• composition