Charts

I found that when I bring a new song to my band mates, it can be a long learning curve for the other guys. The song might start as a 3/4, with the tempo at 100. Then, after 9 measures, it goes into a 4/4 at 115. At measure 36, we’ll hit a 6/8 at 140 for four measures, then… you get the picture. And I have to explain the seventeen different chords to them (no, my songs are not always like that). I found that after three hours in a practice room, we’re about halfway through and something (at least one thing) isn’t the way it’s supposed to be.

To save time (and not have to see the drummer dangerously twirling his sticks in my direction), I came into the habit of giving them a recording of just a rhythm guitar and an awkward voice (basically singing really low into a microphone), but all timed and with a metronome running. I record these using Cakewalk. Although now that I’ve discovered Guitar Pro, this is now my main tool. Then I put everything into charts and give these to the guys a week or so before meeting them with our guns ready. Works a lot better.

This way they have heard the song in advance and can tell me whether or not they want to do it. A lot of what I write doesn’t make it to the F.R.O.G. Incident as it simply doesn’t fit into the band’s context. Sometimes, as I write the songs, it’s hard for me to see if a song fits or not. Also, sometimes I think a song won’t fit and the guys love it and want to do. So I give them a copy of everything I write.

With the chart, we can now all read it and play the song at the same time whilst making the appropriate changes at the appropriate places.

Most musicians don’t work with charts, and I’ve only recently started doing so myself. I regret not having used them before.

A chart is like a building plan of the song. Some musicians like a detailed plan, that is, actual notes for all instruments. Most musicians you’ll play with can’t read music so they don’t care. The musicians who can read, though, should be able to get along quite nicely with a well-built chart.

First line is the title, second the songwriter’s name. At the bottom, always put the copyright notice (e.g., © A-J Charron, 2001. Just in case someone forgets their copy in the practice room or on the bus or what-not). In between, sketch the song out.

Put the initial tempo and time signature. Then write down the chords to the intro. In the margin, write “Intro”. Then, leave a space and write the first verse (or chorus if this is how your song starts). You should basically write the chords and perhaps the first line or so of lyrics to help situate them. A good way of doing so is to write up a few measures using only chord notations (see example). Leave a space and write the next part of the song (verse, chorus, instrumental, etc). Always identify the section in the margin.

Also, always clearly mark time signatures and tempo changes.

The chart should not be more than a page long. This so that everybody doesn’t have to stop halfway through the song to turn the page around…

Here is an example of a chart for one of my band’s (the F.R.O.G. Incident) songs:

This is the title song from our upcoming album. It doesn’t have many tempo or key changes. It’s six and a half minutes long and fits well within a page. Of course, you don’t have to make your charts just like this one.

I did this one on the computer as I wanted it to be clear to show you just what I meant, but, unless I’m working with Guitar Pro, I never write them up on the computer. It’s quicker to doodle one and photocopy it after.

You don’t have to actually write the measures, you could, for example, write “Fmaj7-1 measure, Dmadd9-1 measure, play twice. If this works for you and your band, then go ahead. As long as everyone involved understands what’s written, then that’s fine.

Using this method, you can bring a song into the band even if the guys have never heard it before. Start playing it and they’ll be into it before you’re halfway through it, and making the appropriate changes.