Jazz Fake Books Explained: Best Real Books for Beginners (How to Read & Use Them)
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If you want to start playing real jazz songs, standards, and lead sheets — you need a good Jazz fake book (often called a Real Book).
A fake book is one of the most important tools in jazz piano education — giving you real songs, chord symbols, lead sheets, and practical material to develop your repertoire, harmony, and improvisation.
For most beginners, one quality fake book is all you need — it can provide years of Jazz piano practice.
Jump to:
What is a Jazz fake book? →
How to choose the best Real Book for beginners →
Best Real Books for Jazz piano →
Hal Leonard vs Sher Music Real Books →
Beginner Jazz songs from fake books →
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What Is a Jazz Fake Book?
A Real Book is simply a collection of jazz standards written in lead sheet format—melody on top, chord symbols underneath. It gives you the raw material to practice chords, progressions, and improvisation on real music.
Most Real Books cost around $35—and they’ll give you years of material at the piano.
But not all Real Books are equal.
Some are poorly laid out. Some use awkward keys. Some are much better for beginners than others.
In this guide, I’ll show you exactly which Real Books are worth getting—so you don’t waste time or money.
“Is it better for me to download individual songs on the internet?”
No - I don’t think so. There’s something special about having a complete organized set of jazz songs, bound in a thick book, and organized in alphabetical order.
A Real Book is a lovely thing to own, and it will travel with you throughout your jazz piano education.
How to Choose the Best Real Book for Beginners
When considering which Real Book to buy, make sure you buy a Real Book that is ‘in C’.
Some Real Books will say ‘in Bb’ or ‘in Eb’ - these books are for transposing instruments like trumpet and saxophone, and their songs will be written in different keys to the original songs.
So if you are a piano player, make sure you buy a Real Book that is ‘in C’.
Best Real Books for Jazz Piano
I’ve seen many different Real Books over the years. Some I didn’t like - due to the way the arrangers notate chords (some arrangers simplify the chords, or use slash chords - which I’m not a fan of).
There are two publishers that I’m a fan of - Hal Leonard and Sher Music.
“How do I decide which Real Book to buy?”
Look at the song list for each Real Book and choose whichever book has the most number of songs that you’d like to play. That’s all it comes down to.
“How many Real Books do I need?”
For most students, one real book will be plenty for the first year of learning jazz.
I did most of my jazz piano learning with just one real book (The Standards Real Book by Sher Music).
Later on, if your playing needs something new - go ahead and buy a second real book, and you’ll get a fresh batch of tunes to explore.
I now own four real books which cover every jazz standard I would ever want to play.
Hal Leonard vs Sher Music Real Books
Real Books I use and recommend:
The Real Book: Sixth Edition (in C):
Comes with 400 songs.
Songs include: All Blues Au Privave Autumn Leaves Black Orpheus Bluesette Body and Soul Bright Size Life Con Alma Dolphin Dance Don't Get Around Much Anymore Easy Living Epistrophy Falling in Love with Love Footprints Four on Six Giant Steps Have You Met Miss Jones? How High the Moon I'll Remember April Impressions Lullaby of Birdland Misty My Funny Valentine Oleo Red Clay Satin Doll Sidewinder Stella by Starlight Take Five There Is No Greater Love Wave *
The Real Book - Volume II (in C):
Comes with 400 songs.
Songs include: Air Mail Special Birdland Bye Bye Blackbird Caravan Doxy Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words) Georgia Girl Talk I Remember You I Thought About You In Walked Bud The Jodi Grind Just the Way You Are Killer Joe Little Sunflower Mercy, Mercy, Mercy Moanin' The Nearness of You Now's the Time Old Devil Moon Phase Dance St.Thomas Speak Low Stardust Tangerine Tenor Madness Watch What Happens Whisper Not Willow Weep for Me Yardbird Suite
Real book volume III (in C):
Comes with 400 songs.
Ain't Misbehavin' All or Nothing at All Along Came Betty Cheek to Cheek East of the Sun (And West of the Moon) Funkallero H & H I've Got the World on a String I've Got You Under My Skin The Jive Samba The Lady Is a Tramp Milestones Moonlight in Vermont A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever) Samba De Orfeu Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All the Time) Things Ain't What They Used to Be The Very Thought of You Violets for Your Furs Watermelon Man
The Standards Real Book by Sher Music (in C):
Comes with 264 songs.
Songs include: After You, Ain’t No Sunshine, Alice in Wonderland, All My Tomorrows, All Of You, All Through The Night, Alone Together, As Time Goes Bye, Autumn Nocturne, A Beautiful Friendship, Begin The Beguine, The Best is Yet to Come, Bewitched, Blue and Sentimental, Come Fly With Me, Crazy Rhythm, Dreamsville, Embraceable You, The Girl From Ipanema, How Insensitive, I Get A Kick Out Of You, I Got Rhythm, I Loves You Porgy, I've got you Under My Skin, Indian Summer, Just One Of Those Things, Love For Sale, Lullaby Of Broadway, Meditation, Moondance, My Funny Valentine, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Night and Day, On A Clear Day, Slow Hot Wind, So Nice (Summer Samba), Softly, As In a Morning Sunrise, Stormy Weather, Summertime, Take Five,Tea For Two,They Can't Take That Away From Me.
10 Beginner Jazz Songs from Fake Books
I strongly recommend always having at least three Jazz songs ready to play at any time.
A simple personal repertoire — no sheet music, no warm-up, no hesitation.
When someone asks you to play, you’ll be ready.
Here are 10 excellent beginner-friendly Jazz standards to start building your repertoire:
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All TheThings You Are (Real Book 6th Edition)
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Autumn Leaves (Real Book 6th Edition)
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Misty (Real Book 6th Edition)
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Satin Doll (Real Book 6th Edition)
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Stompin’ AtThe Savoy (Real Book 6th Edition)
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Moon River (Real Book Volume II)
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Fly Me To The Moon (Real Book Volume II)
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Georgia On My Mind (Real Book Volume II)
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Cry Me A River (Real Book Volume III)
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Summertime (Standards Real Book by Sher)
The Winner Is...
Most of my ‘beginner songs’ listed above can be found in the Real Book 6th Edition.
Therefore – if you’re finding it hard to choose which book – I recommend this one.
Winner = Real Book 6th Edition.
But all of these books are great.
Base your decision on which songs that you want to play – whichever book has the most songs you want to learn.
Want more than just 10 songs?
I’ve put together my complete list of 33 beginner-friendly Jazz standards — designed to help you build real repertoire, gain confidence, and always know what to play.
Next Step
👉 Need a slower, step-by-step breakdown of the true fundamentals behind Jazz chords, intervals, and ii–V–I progressions?
Start with my Beginner Jazz Piano Fundamentals Guide →