2.4.2 A lead sheet

In popular music it is common to denote accompaniment with chord names. Such chords can be entered like notes,

     
     \chordmode { c2 f4. g8 }

Now each pitch is read as the root of a chord instead of a note. This mode is switched on with \chordmode. Other chords can be created by adding modifiers after a colon. The following example shows a few common modifiers:

     
     \chordmode { c2 f4:m g4:maj7 gis1:dim7 }

For lead sheets, chords are not printed on staves, but as names on a line for themselves. This is achieved by using \chords instead of \chordmode. This uses the same syntax as \chordmode, but renders the notes in a ChordNames context, with the following result:

     
     \chords { c2 f4.:m g4.:maj7 gis8:dim7 }

When put together, chord names, lyrics and a melody form a lead sheet,

     
     <<
       \chords { c2 g:sus4 f e }
       \relative c'' {
         a4 e c8 e r4
         b2 c4( d)
       }
       \addlyrics { One day this shall be free __ }
     >>

More information

A complete list of modifiers and other options for layout can be found in Chords.

Other languages: French.