When I was about 14 years old I bought my first fake book. They were illegal back then, but most professional musicians had them. I paid $50. for mine — under the counter from a music store owner. $50. then was something like $500. now, so for a teenager, it was a huge purchase. The one I purchased had 300 songs in it in lead sheet format. Now fake books often have 1000 or more songs in them.

But it paid for itself many times over as I used it for years learning song after song, and allowed me to play in a little combo that played for dances and parties and such. I would usually earn $15. or $20. per gig, so I got my $50. back quickly.

Later I bought many, many fake books — some for jazz tunes, others for standards, still others for Latin, others for gospel, and so on.

The songs in a fake book are in lead sheet format — meaning just the melody with the chord symbols written above the melody. Watch this short video on fake books, lead sheets, and chord symbols.

You can buy a fake book at most any music store and most large bookstores. For a course on playing more notes without reading more notes using a fake book, click here.