Lead Sheets on musicnotes.com

I've been working diligently on an upcoming Summer Project where students will play and sing music from movies and musicals. I specifically asked students what movies they liked and we came up with ideas of music. Wanted to take a moment to share two lead sheet options that are called Beginner Piano, where the note names are written in the notes. Yet want to take it a step further and share about the chords for Crocodile Rock and Once Upon a December.

Crocodile Rock Lead Sheet by Elton John and Bernie Taupin is a great example of using 1, 4, 5 and 6 chords. I focus on inversions of the chords, yet explain how the chords work with the root, 3rd and 5th. Students love playing a melody in the right hand and chords in the left hand. Sometimes I pull out the solo cups with the musical alphabet and clear cups with sharps and flats to explain chords. A visual really works well. Here is the link to the song on musicnotes.com and a YouTube.

https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0135591

The second song is called Once Upon a December from Anastasia the musical. This is a song with more chords and key changes, even though it doesn't show it in lead sheet, with key signatures. This is a beautiful song to teach with various chord inversions that are gorgeous. I kept the YouTube simple with the left hand, yet other options are possible. Just wanted to show block chords with this video. Yet be creative with the left hand chords. Here is the musicnotes.com link and YouTube.

https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0261087

Lead sheets can be helpful when it comes to creativity by playing a song with chords. What are some of your favorite lead sheets? Would like to know. Thanks for your support. Blessings.