Set list?...Yes or No?

[DWBass]

I much prefer a setlist and stick to it. Many times, BL's abandon it and calls out songs. I don't like it. Know your demographic. I also don't like waiting for cats to be 'ready' to play the next song. Annoys the hell out of me!

 

[two fingers]

I was in a band that did that. We had a block of 4 songs...two fast, a slow song, and then another fast song. That was one block. Then we would play a non-block song, and then another block, and end with a non-block song. The blocks could be mixed and matched with the non-block songs. Very minimal down time.


Keyboard players seem to need more time between songs to set their patches up. Luckily that is just about the same amount of time the lead guitar player needs to drink beer.


What are your "big songs?" Just curious.


Like a show?

"Big songs" are the huge smash hits that work in my area to build to the end of the show.

 

[51PRI]

"Big songs" are the huge smash hits that work in my area to build to the end of the show.

I think I understand the concept of "big songs." I was just curious as to what YOUR big songs were.

 

[Ostie]

Set list. We may jump around or skip some songs, but def want a set list.

 

[Dominic D]

Like a show?

My best paying gigs are usually theater show (tribute acts). I also do a lot of corporate parties and weddings that aren’t so structured but we still use setlists.

 

[glocke1]

How does your band plan out the performance night? Do you use a regular set list that is the same every gig, or does the band leader call the songs based on what is going on with the crowd on that particular night, or do you do a show? Do you take requests, and if so, how do you take them? Do you play a request right then or next set when it works naturally into the set?

My primary band sends out a set list a week or two before the gig. It's great, it allows time for everyone to get prepared, and they always have a good flow in terms of song choices.

We don't usually do requests unless it's something everyone knows.

ETA: I did a fill in gig yesterday. I had asked for a set list of tunes they wanted to play so I could prepare before hand, and only half the ones that I was told would be played were on the list.

It was very irritating as I had put in a lot of time and effort on some of them and they didn't make the final cut.

Instead a bunch of random stuff was being called.

I pulled it off ok, but learning and remembering tunes at the last minute while on stage is just not something I want to be doing.

Should they ask me back I will more than likely decline. that kind of randomness and lack of organization is not a lot of fun for me.

 

[el murdoque]

With my band, it's always the same: We play with a setlist. There is no real BL to decide, so I made it a democracy.
Most members can't really look at the songs and see the special wants or needs for everyone.
Just a few examples would be: Songs should be well balanced for the singers, so that one song were singer A has a hard time and singer B does next to nothing, the following song should not be a Singer A song again.
Same with the drummer, who is handicapped. Songs with taxing bassdrum patterns should not be back to back.
The list goes on.

Apart from that, it'd be nice to have some kind of curve over the performance.

Discussions use to be endless when Member A wants to move a song to a spot where Member B does not want it.

Everybody is invited to create a set list and bring it. The band will go with the best one.
The result is that I am the only one to bring a set list - but I don't need to discuss my decisions.

 

[Nashrakh]

We have all our songs on a giant wheel and let audience members come up and spin it for song selection.

I love that idea for a gimmick. Now, I only need to sharpen up my craftsmanship...

 

[Stinsok]

You don't realize how much dead air you have without a setlist.

 

[Stinsok]

You don't realize how much dead air you have without a setlist.

 

[51PRI]

With my band, it's always the same: We play with a setlist. There is no real BL to decide, so I made it a democracy.
Most members can't really look at the songs and see the special wants or needs for everyone.
Just a few examples would be: Songs should be well balanced for the singers, so that one song were singer A has a hard time and singer B does next to nothing, the following song should not be a Singer A song again.
Same with the drummer, who is handicapped. Songs with taxing bassdrum patterns should not be back to back.
The list goes on.

Apart from that, it'd be nice to have some kind of curve over the performance.

Discussions use to be endless when Member A wants to move a song to a spot where Member B does not want it.

Everybody is invited to create a set list and bring it. The band will go with the best one.
The result is that I am the only one to bring a set list - but I don't need to discuss my decisions.

How do you write a unique set list for each gig? Do you tailor it for the particular event?

 

[el murdoque]

How do you write a unique set list for each gig? Do you tailor it for the particular event?

We usually have about three hours' material ready to go. Most gigs require two hours, some require three.
Basically, I try and make three lists at the beginning of the gig season. Lists A and B that are as different from each other as possible and the long list, that is basically most of the songs we can play.

Those three usually serve us through the season, sometimes we need to modify one, though.

During winter, we don't really gig and spend time doing new material - some songs get dropped as new ones get introduced - some on purpose, some by accident. We somehow stay at three hours active material no matter what we do.

 

[El Thumpo]

My current band is all originals, all written by the lead singer/rhythm guitarist. We put a lot of thought into the setlist for each show, because there are a lot of factors. Which ones are in the same key, so they might sound similar even if dynamically they’re not? Let’s mix those up. Which ones require a change of instruments—switching from violin to viola, acoustic guitar to resonator? We might do two or three with that particular configuration in a row, so stage time isn’t taken up with re-tuning and tinkering. Which ones have a similar emotion/energy? Let’s not cluster those. A song that comes on too strong early in the evening might push people away from the stage so they can finish their conversations, while the same song later in the evening could fill the dance floor.

Et cetera, et cetera. At least with the kind of music we’re doing, creating set lists feels like a minor art. We do it collaboratively, and enjoy it.

 

[pepj]

Prefer a set list but if you have a very large catolgue then I expect the singer to read a room.
However, a very large number of songs can mean its not easy to recall them all unless written down.

 

[mrcbass]

I've worked under both conditions w/preplanned set lists and call outs based on an overall playlist.

I much prefer to have preset setlists. I don't mind if audibles are called during show in reaction to the crowd, but having a preset list is valuable on many levels. Especially if you have guitarist(s) who use multiple guitars or alternate tunings. With a list you can block things so the flow interruptions are minimal and the front person knows to jibber-jabber at certain points. You also have less dead stage time that occurs when the people deciding what to play can't make a quick call. And for me, I can better freshen up my parts if I know the specific 50-60 songs that will be played, vs. hoping I spot checked the possible hundred songs on a playlist.

We've done some requests and even "seat of the pants" songs. Typically, my bands have been more able to accommodate "something from an artist" rather than a specific tune. It's to good to be in the company of players who can pull this off. Not everyone can.

 

[Stinsok]

We have played "Purple Monkey Dishwasher" a time or two.

 

[richntiff]

Setlist for sure - but a good band will have the flexibility to shift tunes around or throw some in from the ‘extras’ list if the situation calls for it. Honestly, I’d probably avoid any BL who thinks they can just read the room and call each song. Recipe for amateur hour.

 

[Fuzzbass]

How does your band plan out the performance night? Do you use a regular set list that is the same every gig, or does the band leader call the songs based on what is going on with the crowd on that particular night, or do you do a show? Do you take requests, and if so, how do you take them? Do you play a request right then or next set when it works naturally into the set?

I juggle a half-dozen different bands (either as sub or primary; the distinction doesn't matter to me). I rehearse with none of 'em, so I MUCH prefer to work with setlists! Main reason is that I use my tablet full of "cheat sheets": rough chord charts (numbers, not letters) with notes. They are contained in a setlist app where I've saved hundreds of songs, and I've set up a setlist for each band I play with, each containing the relevant songs of course. If I get a printed setlist at the gig, I can arrange my cheat sheets accordingly.

Note: I'm not reading the entire gig! To the contrary: depending on the band, I know 70-95% of the songs by heart. My cheat sheets are there for reference... a quick glance is usually enough to remind me of the arrangement. Notes are also important: "Band X plays this in E instead of G", "Band Y plays the bridge again after the 3rd verse".



Requests: this is when I'm particularly grateful for my tablet. If they get a request for a song I haven't done with them before, and I'm super rusty on it, I'll check to see if I have a chart for it. If so, I'll give 'em thumbs up. Also, most bands try to honor requests ASAP, but it can depend.

P.S. There have been a couple/few times I've checked the internet for a song that wasn't in my tablet, but I hate to do this because internet charts can be illegible and also wrong.

 

[fdeck]

How do you write a unique set list for each gig? Do you tailor it for the particular event?

I play in a 19 piece big band with 2 rehearsals and 1 gig per month. A set list is pretty much a basic necessity so we know what to practice for each gig.

We used to play all new material for every gig, but we felt that our sets were a bit rough, and sometimes we liked having a second chance on something we liked. So by agreement, we keep half of the tunes from the previous gig, and the other half are either new or haven't been played in several years. The bandleader keeps track of each month's set list.

The BL will choose a theme, typically revolving around a major birthday of an artist, such as the recent 100th anniversary of Charles Mingus (lots of cool bass parts, yay). Also, since it's impossible to play with exactly the same personnel each month, we'll usually have one or more subs, so the BL will choose tunes that feature those subs with melodies or solos. And, balance the sets so we don't murder the wind players with multiple back-to-back barn burners. Also, the BL is not a dictator, and suggestions from the band are always welcome.

Two other bands I'm in are both starting up, so we literally have just enough material for a gig, as we add more. That makes it easy to make a set list.

I always like it when a band has a set list, even if they depart from it or take requests. Just to prevent dead air.

 

[pepj]

How do you write a unique set list for each gig? Do you tailor it for the particular event?

Yep