This cheat sheet provides a quick reference for understanding Jerry's unique musical notation system.
Fundamental Concepts
- Default Time Signature: All songs are in 4/4 time, meaning each bar has 4 beats/notes.
- The 'Bon' Unit: A 'bon' is a fundamental unit representing a beat or note. Every bar consistently contains 4 bons.
Key Symbols and Their Meanings
| Symbol | Meaning | Value (in bons) |
|---|---|---|
||: |
Repeat Bar Start: Go back to this point when :|| is encountered. |
|
:|| |
Repeat Bar End: Go back to the nearest ||:. |
|
1., 2. |
Numbered Endings: Indicates different ways to end a repeated section. | |
_ |
Underline: Signifies a Chorus or Bridge section. | |
/ |
Forward Slash: A single beat. | 1 bon |
~ |
Tilde: Half a beat. | ½ bon |
^ |
Caret (in front of syllable): Half a note. | ½ bon |
^ |
Caret (between syllables): Combines two ½ bons to make 1 bon. | 1 bon |
= |
Equal Sign (in front of syllable): Quarter note. | ¼ bon |
= |
Equal Sign (between syllables): Combines two ¼ notes to make ½ bon. | ½ bon |
# |
Hash: Quarter beat. | ¼ bon |
@ |
At: Sustains a note beyond its customary value. | Variable |
() |
Brackets: Modifies the value of a group of entities (e.g., deducts one entity's value). |
Additional Notation Principles
- Syllable Splitting: Words are often split into syllables, each representing a note (e.g., "ten-der").
- Note Stretching: Repeating letters (e.g., "sweet tt", "go oo oo oo") indicates a sustained or stretched note.
- Single-Letter Words: Typically ½ bon each (e.g., "A", "I").
- Time Signature Changes: Indicated explicitly (e.g.,
2/4at the start of a bar). - Chord Notation: Simplified (e.g.,
BbM7for Bbmaj7) and placed directly above lyrics for precise timing.
This cheat sheet covers the essential elements of Jerry's Songbook notation. For more detailed explanations and examples, please refer to the full tutorial.