45 (not counting tunes we have dropped).
That is, if you come see us, you'll probably hear 45 tunes.
That is, if you come see us, you'll probably hear 45 tunes.
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How Many Songs Are On Your Playlist?
- Thread starter jive1
- Start date
My band has been together about 6-7 years. We have about 120 songs that we can play well enough. Another 20+ songs that rotate in/out of the mix that can be dusted off given a couple tries. Probably bring in 2-3 new songs each month which usually results in 2-3 of the less rewarding songs being dropped from the rotation. Roughly 90% covers, 10% originals.
One of the cool things about having many songs available is that we don't have to predetermine what we're going to play on any given night. Instead, we can react to what the audience seems to dig as the night progresses.
One of the cool things about having many songs available is that we don't have to predetermine what we're going to play on any given night. Instead, we can react to what the audience seems to dig as the night progresses.
Sheesh, when I see someone say more than like 15 it boggles my mind. Unless the majority of those are covers or your band has been around for more than a couple of decades.
I myself probably know fewer than 20 songs. I don't have a band yet though.
I myself probably know fewer than 20 songs. I don't have a band yet though.
I play in 2 regularly gigging cover bands - each has about 50+ tunes in rotation. My oldest original band probably has been through 60-70 tunes (4 albums + others), and I'm involved with a singer/songwriter who has 4 albums out, so add another 60-70 there ... I play with three blues bands, maybe 30-40 songs apiece there. And I usually get hooked up with 1-3 projects any given month that require me to learn anywhere from 10 to 30 songs. Sheeesh! When do I have time to do anything else?
Well I don't play covers myself. With our own music, we average out at around 7-8minutes per song, with the new album coming in at an hour with 8 songs. We have a total catalogue of around 40 songs, all of them written by ourselves, plus we have maybe 5-10 songs we cover occasionally. An average hour long gig, you'll get less than ten songs, a two hour gig, we tend to be able to throw a few more experimental tracks in and probably average around 16-18 songs.
We play somewhere between 8-12 songs on a given original rock night. the instrumental band I play in is typically between 10-30 songs. The covers/special event/charity band I play 20-40 songs with a list of about 60.
I'm a regular in three bands and I sub for two other bands so my personal playlist is a little over 200.
If you have ever watched any Gordon Ramsey shows where he fixes restaurants, he typically disapproves of a 200 item menu. He tells the owners to shrink their menu to 20 items that they do very well because it is much easier to turn out perfect dishes with fewer complicating factors.
With bands that I know that have 100+ songs, most songs are done very well, some are done mediocre and a few sound bad.
Most big touring/recording bands will play the same set or two sets more or less the same for a year or two with little change, even with the order of the tunes. It makes for a high quality product.
If you have ever watched any Gordon Ramsey shows where he fixes restaurants, he typically disapproves of a 200 item menu. He tells the owners to shrink their menu to 20 items that they do very well because it is much easier to turn out perfect dishes with fewer complicating factors.
With bands that I know that have 100+ songs, most songs are done very well, some are done mediocre and a few sound bad.
Most big touring/recording bands will play the same set or two sets more or less the same for a year or two with little change, even with the order of the tunes. It makes for a high quality product.
Right now there are 6 originals and about.....6 covers.
I don't want to have too many songs on hand that I'd have to remember, sometimes I have to look at my notes before playing a song. But that's usually more for solo play, as long as there are drums I instinctively know when to switch.
I don't want to have too many songs on hand that I'd have to remember, sometimes I have to look at my notes before playing a song. But that's usually more for solo play, as long as there are drums I instinctively know when to switch.
We are a blues band of 50+ year-old guys, all of whom have been playing since high school...you tell me how many songs are on the playlist! 
I sub regularly in a band that has over 2000 (!!) songs spread across many genres, blues, country, jazz, western swing, deco, pop, rock n roll, irish, reggae, you name it.
Of my two bands, one has around 65, the other has around 120.
Of my two bands, one has around 65, the other has around 120.
We would have 60-80 songs that we could pull out at any time. In a 4 hour show we seemed to fit 45-52 songs into a 4 set format depending on all the other things going on.
But if we knew 72 at that moment it might because we threw out another 50 that either got stale or didn't work. In 3 years I'm sure we worked through over 150 songs.
But if we knew 72 at that moment it might because we threw out another 50 that either got stale or didn't work. In 3 years I'm sure we worked through over 150 songs.
We've been together for over 10 years. Have over 200 songs in the gig book. We normally carry 50 or so to a gig. Average 15 to 18 per hour. Fifteen old standbys the rest fit the occasion. All old covers, all old time Country.
The last cover band I was in easily had 100+
The last sub-gig I did - my uber-organized guitar playing friend had his what I call, "Great Big Book of Everything" which is a 4", 3-ring binder filled with page after page of charts and lyrics with chords. I don't know how many pages are in a 3 1/2" stack, but I would not be one bit surprised if it were well over 500. Pop, rock, jazz, country - you name it... If it was 'bar music' it was in the book.
At that gig (last Halloween and to-date one of my favorite gigs ever) there was no set list and the leader just called off song after song after song. We all had our share of ones we just knew or could fake well enough, but for the odd one or two where we had question marks over our heads, the Great Big Book had a chart.
That was the bomb-diggity! One of these days I am going to have that book copied so I can have one of my very own! Damn, my friend is the most organized musician on earth!
The last sub-gig I did - my uber-organized guitar playing friend had his what I call, "Great Big Book of Everything" which is a 4", 3-ring binder filled with page after page of charts and lyrics with chords. I don't know how many pages are in a 3 1/2" stack, but I would not be one bit surprised if it were well over 500. Pop, rock, jazz, country - you name it... If it was 'bar music' it was in the book.
At that gig (last Halloween and to-date one of my favorite gigs ever) there was no set list and the leader just called off song after song after song. We all had our share of ones we just knew or could fake well enough, but for the odd one or two where we had question marks over our heads, the Great Big Book had a chart.
That was the bomb-diggity! One of these days I am going to have that book copied so I can have one of my very own! Damn, my friend is the most organized musician on earth!
