Cover of 'The Standards Real Book' by Sher Music Co., featuring a decorative marble mosaic with a musical clef symbol in the center.

Standards Real Book


By Sher Music Co

Every improvising musician needs to know “The Great American Songbook” repertoire for all sorts of gigs, rehearsals and jam sessions. The Standards Real Book contains the most authoritative versions of these timeless tunes that the world knows and loves. 

For this monumental labor of love, we listened to and synthesized the most important recordings of each song to come up with a consensus of what the correct chord changes should be - based on the best jazz recordings of the song.

These are the jazz versions of these standards, not the original sheet music changes.

Includes the most well-known and loved songs from:

George Gershwin • Cole Porter • Rodgers & Hart Michel • Legrand Harold • Arlen Van Heusen & Cahn • Duke Ellington • Johnny Mandel • Antonio Carlos Jobim • Henry Mancini •Hoagy Carmichael • Alec Wilder • Johnny Mercer • Sigmund Romberg • Horace Silver • Vincent Youmans • Dietz & Schwartz • Harry Warren • Burt Bacharach • Michael McDonald • Leonard Bernstein • And Many More!

There are also a handful of pop-type classics and jazz originals to round out the selection. These songs will touch you and your audiences’ hearts for the rest of your musical career. Don’t miss out!

Includes:

  • 550+ pages of need-to-know transcriptions!

  • Lyrics and verses included for every tune, when they exist. 

  • Available in C, Bb and Eb versions.

Spiral-bound, 574 pages, Index of Songs.

Endorsements: 

“Singers! All of you should line up and praise Chuck Sher! For doing these genius fake books for us — I mean, a world without them is inconceivable.” 
— Mark Murphy 

“The new Standards Real Book is really incredible! So many great songs, many of which one never sees printed. And like always in the books published by Sher Music Co., they are represented accurately.”
— Maria Schneider 

“Again you have done a beautiful job. I think the new book is terrific. I especially like the alternate chords.”
— Dave Frishberg 

The Standards Real Book is a remarkable collection of great songs of the 20th Century. The editors deserve congratulations on this massive and entertaining volume of songs.”
— The Jazz Review 

Format: Print
Key: C
$52.00
Regular price $52.00
All Books Spiral-Bound to Lay Flat on Any Music Stand
Instant Digital Downloads
Primary Instrument: All Instruments
Primary Instrument: All Instruments

“The Standards Real Book is an incredible compilation. The accuracy, clarity and great taste of the Sher Music team have produced a volume of enormous importance. It is a new source for the far-ranging possibilities of this music that we love.”
— Richie Beirach

“Sher Music's Real Book series just keeps on getting better and better. The Standards Real Book is the closest thing in print to The Great American Song Book.”
— Mark Levine

“It's great to have the standards and more - done legally, clearly and accurately. More cheers to Sher Music taking care of necessary business for musicians.”
— Dave Liebman

“Finally a series of great fake books which are practically guaranteed for their accuracy and attention to detail. As an arranger and performer, I refer to them all the time and wish they were available years ago.”
— Alan Broadbent


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