Live gig - chords and lyrics organizer

[Big Band Guitar]

I use paper. Battery never runs down, never winks out for no reason.

[Lost Sheep]

In this (similar thread) I told how I use a cheap laptop, foot-operated page turner and a 5" bluetooth keyboard to display my lead (cheat) sheets.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=615255

Because Notepad uses very compact files (simple text) I can string together several songs in the nights set list and display them in the order I planned. If I want to deviate from the pre-planned set list, I can open another version of Notepad and pick any given song. My laptop sits on the floor or a platform away fro the audience's line of sight. My bluetooth keyboard is small enough to fit in a pocket or one of those small tables or drink holders that attach to a microphone stand.

Here is the post I put there:

I don't use the music display programs (which allow for full-staff sheet music, I admit - but I don't use sheet music for performance anyway).

I am old school and low-tech.

I use the text program, "Notepad" on a laptop (a notebook would do as well, but I don't have one) and a page-turning bluetooth device on the floor.

My lead sheets are plain text (as notepad does) and more easily editable than PDF files and a LOT more compact, using less memory and loading faster.

Here is an example (Midnight Special). Chords are embedded in the lyrics in brackets so whatever font is used, alignment is not a problem

{D}Let the midnight {G}special, shine the light on {D}me
Let the midnight {A7}special, shine the ever-lovin’ {D}light on me

{D} When you get up in the mornin’,{G} when that big bell ring{D}
You go and march to the table{A7}, see the same thing{D}
{D}Knife and fork are on the table{G}, there’s nothin’ in your pan{D}
And if you say a-thing about it{A7}, havin’ trouble with the man{D}

Note: I have rehearsed with this setup. Laptop on the floor or low table or chair seat. Page turner on the floor. Bluetooth keyboard (with backlighting so I can see the buttons in the dark) to control the song selection process. There is a bit of a pause between songs as I select the next song, but not much.

With a predetermined order of songs, it would be easy to make a single text file with all the songs in the order to be played.

Of course, my sets are 15 minutes (open mics) and I have not done them in over a year due to the pandemic. So testing "live" in performance still awaits. But rehearsals have been near-perfect.

[Petty1818]

Ipad Mini, Onsong and Airturn Bluetooth w/ Boss FS5U footswitches. Literally changed my life when I switched to this set up. It's easier than ever to import songs from the internet and you can add chords, change the key etc. My buddy doesn't have the Bluetooth pedals but he puts the lyrics on a timer so they move as he sings.

I had a bit of trouble seeing the ipad on the mic stand while singing but I just rigged something up. I found a mic stand clamp with an extension arm and then I attach the Ipad mini to the end of the arm. It just brings the ipad mini out to my right so I can see it more clearly than being right under the vocal mic.

[Nama Ensou]

Originally Posted by Big Band Guitar

I use paper. Battery never runs down, never winks out for no reason.

That's why I also walk and never use a bicycle or car, and don't use shoes because they wear out. Eat everything raw, with my hands so I don't have to worry about dishes or silverware, or cooking even. List goes on, but I agree with your witty post 200%.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by Dothraki

100%. Maybe having a reference for lyrics at most but definitely would want to know the song inside and out on guitar before performing it.

I agree, and I think that applies to lyrics too. I know it's not a very popular view, but I think (possibly with some very rare exceptions) if you can't learn and remember the lyrics you shouldn't be playing out.

[Chriscom]

While we're at it, I settled on this to hold my small tablet to my mic boom:

https://www.tackform.com/collections...dmill-and-more

Re the earlier comment about Notepad, whatever works, thumb's up. But in SongbookPro for example, it's ridiculously easy to change the order of tunes in your setlist--touch and move up or down--and add any song in your already-stored collection to it. And Notepad wouldn't work for me with around 50 songs in my setlist. But differnet people approach this differently, it's all good.

[Nama Ensou]

Originally Posted by Paleolith54

I agree, and I think that applies to lyrics too. I know it's not a very popular view...if you can't learn and remember the lyrics you shouldn't be playing out.

Bingo. It is absolutely a popular view with the greater majority of people you would actually want on stage with you. Learn your parts and use these programs for keeping track of songs you seldom play, or only do once a year, then after utilizing the resource, put the thing away, or on setlist mode.

Originally Posted by Chriscom

...in SongbookPro for example, it's ridiculously easy to change the order of tunes in your setlist--touch and move up or down--and add any song in your already-stored collection to it.

This is what I want to be able to do, reorganize and also quickly find songs that I've forgotten so I can brush up on them really quickly.

[CASD57]

My setup.....
Galaxy Tab A7
Songbook Pro
On-Stage Tablet holder (Clamps on the mic stand) and it also serves as a desk stand for the Tablet

I use a word processor to take the copied page of the print sheet you get from Ultimate-Guitar
I make the page two columns... The reason I don't always do my songs at the same tempo or I'll have slow parts within a song so I don't trust auto page mover.
I want the whole song on one page to be seen without it moving

But this usually screws up the chords a little so I go through the song and adjust everything to my liking.

[Dothraki]

Originally Posted by Paleolith54

I agree, and I think that applies to lyrics too. I know it's not a very popular view, but I think (possibly with some very rare exceptions) if you can't learn and remember the lyrics you shouldn't be playing out.

I agree to an extent...but flipping verses is a pretty common (whoopsy) even from the legendary artists in a live scenario. If you’re covering other peoples songs that chance is a lot higher. We all know the infamous AIC live unplugged problem that happened, even when he had his lyrics right in front of him lol. Granted that was probably partially due to the heroin use.

[Big Band Guitar]

I have upgraded to a tablet with graphite cellulose memory.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by Dothraki

I agree to an extent...but flipping verses is a pretty common (whoopsy) even from the legendary artists in a live scenario. If you’re covering other peoples songs that chance is a lot higher. We all know the infamous AIC live unplugged problem that happened, even when he had his lyrics right in front of him lol. Granted that was probably partially due to the heroin use.

Right, I hear you. And as I acknowledged, there are probably some rare exceptions, especially for the big-leaguers who've written hundreds of songs and are performing a handful of them on a given night: no problem with a teleprompter in cases like that. Nor with a local cover band that takes requests from a songbook of 200 songs: no problem looking that up and reading it.

But otherwise I think learning to deal with or (better) avoid those issues is part of being ready to play live. The fact that it's hard means better prep is needed rather than an on-stage reference IMO. Some of the guys in cover bands I've been in used tablets (and before that 3-ring binders on music stands) because they didn't have the discipline to learn the songs (and I mean learn them, not just know how they go!) and the on-stage resource was a crutch, pure and simple. Drives me nuts.

[Lost Sheep]

Once upon a time, I used a small piece of paper taped to the shoulder of my guitar. It has the first word of each verse of a song. Just the first word was enough to prompt my memory so I would not switch the order of the verses around.

On another note, Hobo Jim has written between 500 to 600 songs and I have nver seen him use paper or electronic even when taking requests. Once, for the first song he ever wrote. Came off without a blip.

To "Big Band Guitar". "graphite cellulose memory". I like it. A whole lot more portable than carved granite memory.

[Chriscom]

Originally Posted by Paleolith54

Some of the guys in cover bands I've been in used tablets (and before that 3-ring binders on music stands) because they didn't have the discipline to learn the songs (and I mean learn them, not just know how they go!) and the on-stage resource was a crutch, pure and simple. Drives me nuts.

I could cite many examples, but right now I'm picturing one of the best, most popular duos around here and they use tablets to extend their set list. Nobody cares.

It was different when there was nothing but three-ring binders and such--I can also think of a local who used that several years ago and it really showed how that was a barrier between the audience and the performance of the song, especially because in that case it was relied on so much. The music stand, the turning of pages including flipping around if every song hadn't been arranged in setlist-order because that was such a pain...

But in 2021, smartphones and small tablets have much less of a footprint, even moreso with foot pedals, and they're so common in everyday life they're part of the wallpaper of life and only scolds make a big deal out of it. To be fair, it prompted one of my all-time favorite comments in comment history, if you can't learn and remember the lyrics you shouldn't be playing out. I'll let the locals know so they can all go into hiding.

[Dothraki]

In the end it’s all up to the player, whatever provides the best performance. I would say not having references on stage for anything other than a set list would garner the best performance. BUT.... if a solo artist had a tablet for refreshers on cover songs, I’m all support for that. When I see an orchestra play I never once think “man, they’re all just up there reading the sheet music” lol. Everyone doesn’t have to appear to be the top best most amazing perfect awesome musician in the world with a million cool points, that’s not what music is about to me. If the performer is into it and loves jamming, tablet or not, nothing else matters.

[buzzardwhiskey]

My method is lengthy, but has worked for several years now.

I collect music by Googling the internet and finding lyrics and chords.

They get transferred to a Word document where I "test" them by finding a YouTube video or an MP3. I will correct any problems there.

If the song requires a capo, I make a non-capo version by adjusting the chords, and I make a new Word file out of that.

Then the Word file(s) are output as PDF file(s).

The PDF's get loaded onto iPads where the band uses unrealBook to display them and create set lists.