Release of the Vocal Sheet Standardization
Lyrics include the vocal message of a song. We can structure lyrics, so that its display also transports an idea of song structure. But a lyric sheet doesn't include much additional instructions for the vocalist. This is why we thought we would develop the Vocal Sheet Standard, which includes a symbolic system for the vocalist to understand a new piece of music better.
Let's fill the boardroom to get this going!
What does it include?
Similar to the stave for music in general, tabs for guitarists, or rhythm patterns for percussionists, our standard includes a few instructions, that guide the singer in the right direction. The idea is to make the learning of new songs a bit faster and easier. The vocalist gets additional information, for example about unexpected pauses and phrasing, vocal technique, overlapping lyrics, and effects. It's also finally clear how to handle multiple vocalists, backings and the entry of choirs. The challenge was to keep the lyrics readable and well formatted.
The Vocal Sheet Standard in it's current version is the result of this work, and the lyrics you can practice at Lead Vocals are formatted in this way. We have created a comprehensive guide for anybody out there, who would like to adopt the standard within his or her own project.
It's free to use…
If you decide to adopt Vocal Sheet Standardization please mention the name and version of the standard and include a link to Lead Vocals (http://www.leadvocals.ca/resources/vocal-sheet-standard) because we will make improvements along the way. Any new changes will reflect in the version count. If you let us know about your vocal sheets, we are happy to link back to you in return. If you have ideas for an advancement please reach out to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We welcome your input very much!
Find specific details about the Vocal Sheet Standard at
