The Ultimate Fake Book collection for those who fancy Improvising. Find the most popular and the best fake book online for piano and other instruments. A fake book is a collection of musical lead sheets intended to help a performer quickly learn new songs. Each song in a fake book contains the melody line, basic chords, and lyrics – the minimal information any musician need to make an impromptu arrangement of a song, or fake it. Buying fakebooks is much more economical than buying sheets for individual songs.
There is nothing fake about a Fake book! In fact it is a real book with lots of songs.
It is basically a collection of leadsheets sold in a book format.
Unlike a sheet music which prints the notes for both the hands (treble as well as bass clef), fakebooks provides the melody, lyrics and chords for a song.
So in that sense, fakebooks are ideal for improvisers!
Normally, these songs are grouped on some common theme such as an artist or style of music or hit songs from any year. Buying a fake book is economical as well, as compared to buying sheets for individual songs.
Here are top reasons to buy a fake book:
- You get hundreds of songs in most fake books
- Almost every single song is the best (just flip through it and you will find new hit songs every time)
- The songs could be from one genre ot could be a mix of various genres
- Great value for the money.
- Most books use plastic comb style binding for easy handling.
- The page layouts are well thought out to avoid page turns
- Great resource for practicing better
- Most songs are simple to play
How to Use a Fake Book
Outline of a Song
A fakebook provides only the outline of the song and then you need to improvise and harmonize the song.
Once you are comfortable with the basics of sight reading, you will enjoy playing from a fakebook since you just have to read the treble clef. Once the melody sinks in, just look at the chords for directions to improvise.
Of course, you need to be at a level where you know all your chords and are comfortable using them.
Improvising
As you move past the beginners level and start learning/playing difficult pieces, it is important that you start training yourself on how to use chords in different ways.
You need to practice improvising and learn chord substitutions. Also learn and memorize a few rhythmic patterns for the 3/4 and 4/4 tempo; it will spice up your playing.
In fact, improvising is fun and once you get inside it you would want to improvise almost everything. Normally classical songs are played as it is and not improvised upon so sometimes you may have to control yourself.
Used by Performing Pianists
Most of the working pianists have a good collection of fakebooks. It is faster for them to learn a new song from such books.
Another reason they love it is because almost all the songs fit on one page!
If they get any request for a song, they just go to the relevant page and just improvise on it.
The way the notes are laid on a fake book, it is even easy to transpose the song to another key. This is useful if you are accompanying a singer.
The Best Fake Books for Playing the Piano
There are plenty of books available… and what you want would depend on what you like to play.
Some of the popular fake books based on content and price are listed below.
How to Play from a Fake Book (Guitar, Piano/Keyboard)
Ever wondered how to create better accompaniments on the keyboard for the melodies in your favorite fake books? This “teach yourself” book introduces you to chord building, various rhythmic styles, and much more, so that you play the songs you like just the way you want them. Keyboard players with a basic understanding of notation and sight-reading will be on their way to more fun with fake books.
The relaxed tone of the text and selection of fun songs keep How to Play from a Fake Book entertaining throughout perfect for amateur musicians, or as a supplement for keyboard teachers and their students.
Read more on on Sheetmusicplus
The Ultimate Pop/Rock Fake Book: C Edition (Fake Books)
Its important to know a bunch of songs ready to play, whenever an opportunity comes to your, if you’re learning to play the piano or any other music instrument. And though you might already know several pop songs, The Ultimate Pop/Rock Fake Book shows you how to play those songs on the piano, and it contains many more songs, close to 600.
If you are looking for an excellent pop/rock fake book, look no further, grab this one right away! This is indeed the ultimate collection of 600 pop/rock hits in one amazing book.
Buy the Ultimate Pop/Rock Fake Book on Sheetmusicplus
Classic Rock Fake Book: Over 250 Great Songs of the Rock Era, Arranged for Piano, Vocal, Guitar, Electronic Keyboard an all ‘C’ Instruments
If you’re learning to play the piano, or for that matter, any other musical instrument, over time its important to build your repertoire. You should always have a bunch of songs ready, that you can play anytime you get the opportunity to do so.
This Classic Rock Fake Book is an invaluable collection of over 250 of the best rock songs of all time from the classic rock genre, with nearly 70 songs added for this spectacular 2nd Edition…which you can add to your repertoire.
For piano, voice, guitar and all C instruments, this fake book includes melody, lyrics, and chords. The fake book features 2 tables of contents: one by artist, and one alphabetical by song title.
Check out all the songs of the Classic Rock Fake Book
More Buying Links
Find great selection of books. All styles, all keys, lots of artists.
- The Real Book: Sixth Edition by Hal Leonard Corporation
- The 666 “Popular” Fake Song Book: 666 Songs with Music, Lyrics and Chord Symbols
- Classical Fake Book: Over 850 Classical Themes and Melodies in the Original Keys
- This Is the Ultimate Fake Book Third Edition: For Keyboard, Vocal, Guitar, and All ‘C’ Instruments
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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