Klarinet Archive - Posting 000648.txt from 1999/10

From: Grant Green <gdgreen@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] What's a fake book?
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 14:02:50 -0400

>To me the word "fake" always was related to non-realness, and that's what
>all of mydictionaries tell me, too. So what the heck is a "fake book" - a
>book printed on wall paper or something like that?
>
>Rien

A "fake book" traditionally contains the lead lines and chords to all
the standard tunes, so that you can "fake it" on a gig, i.e., play
the tune without really having an arrangement of it. Often, it helps
if you're already familiar with the tune... The original fake books
were often piles of manuscript tied together with string, written out
solely for one's own use. Later, they were copied and distributed
("Hey Frank, can I get a copy of your fake book? I don't have
'Stardust' in mine...). Of course, no copyright royalties were paid
on the tunes, which made them illegal (did you know that there are
criminal penalties for copyright violation?).

The modern "Real Book" is a legitimate book of standards, available
in C/Bb/Eb/bass, on which the royalties are paid. The term "real" is
a pun on the original fake books.

Grant

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grant Green gdgreen@-----.com
http://www.contrabass.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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