Comments on: Write a Killer Live Setlist http://servethesong.net/write-killer-setlist/ Songwriting Tips for DIY Musicians Tue, 15 May 2012 23:26:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jamie http://servethesong.net/write-killer-setlist/comment-page-1/#comment-5082 Jamie Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:18:13 +0000 http://www.servethesong.net/?p=433#comment-5082 Hi! I'm busy getting my Irish band ready for St. Pats' again.. another year... Unlike many other types of bands, Irish music is typically much faster paced, and many times is centered around the drinking-dancing crowd. Our songs are comprised of jigs, reels, slip-jigs, strathspeys, etc. - and they typically last 3-4 min each. Therefore, our sets tend to be longer by nature - Our 3-hour set list is comprised of 58 tunes- many are instrumental, as well as vocals. What I do for a set list is use my computer. I put my list into an exel format, giving each bandmate a color-code, as well as color-coding the instrumentals into (2) catagories 'slow and fast'. I place all the tunes in a list- divide each set into 3-equal parts (around 18-20 songs per set). Now I am free to cut and paste how I want the show to progress. I know that if I have 3 blue tunes in the beginning - those are fast instrumentals, follow that by a pink, orange, and green- and I know that Denise, myself, and Kelly will be performing vocals (are they fast or slow? THAT, you have to arrange to suit) then 3-4 more blue, another pink, another orange, 2 more blue, another green, another orange, another pink... It's worked great- and you can visually see where the uptempo and slower tunes are at a glance. In addition, since we perform not just on St. Pats, but year-ound and at different types of gigs (Renaissaince Faires, festivals, weddings, etc.) I can now develop set lists to tailor our expected audience. (Sea Shanties, Scottish, Irish, older folks, younger bars, etc.) Hoped this helped! :) Hi!

I’m busy getting my Irish band ready for St. Pats’ again.. another year… Unlike many other types of bands, Irish music is typically much faster paced, and many times is centered around the drinking-dancing crowd. Our songs are comprised of jigs, reels, slip-jigs, strathspeys, etc. – and they typically last 3-4 min each. Therefore, our sets tend to be longer by nature – Our 3-hour set list is comprised of 58 tunes- many are instrumental, as well as vocals. What I do for a set list is use my computer. I put my list into an exel format, giving each bandmate a color-code, as well as color-coding the instrumentals into (2) catagories ‘slow and fast’. I place all the tunes in a list- divide each set into 3-equal parts (around 18-20 songs per set). Now I am free to cut and paste how I want the show to progress. I know that if I have 3 blue tunes in the beginning – those are fast instrumentals, follow that by a pink, orange, and green- and I know that Denise, myself, and Kelly will be performing vocals (are they fast or slow? THAT, you have to arrange to suit) then 3-4 more blue, another pink, another orange, 2 more blue, another green, another orange, another pink…

It’s worked great- and you can visually see where the uptempo and slower tunes are at a glance.

In addition, since we perform not just on St. Pats, but year-ound and at different types of gigs (Renaissaince Faires, festivals, weddings, etc.) I can now develop set lists to tailor our expected audience. (Sea Shanties, Scottish, Irish, older folks, younger bars, etc.)

Hoped this helped!

:)

]]> By: Everything in its right place | Ottawa Citizen Blogs http://servethesong.net/write-killer-setlist/comment-page-1/#comment-5071 Everything in its right place | Ottawa Citizen Blogs Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:52:10 +0000 http://www.servethesong.net/?p=433#comment-5071 [...] nicked this graph from Brian Casel’s posting Write a Killer Set List from the blog Servethesong.net, which has to do with songwriting, production and promotion. [...] [...] nicked this graph from Brian Casel’s posting Write a Killer Set List from the blog Servethesong.net, which has to do with songwriting, production and promotion. [...]

]]> By: The Sacred Scroll of Live Music: The Almighty Set List http://servethesong.net/write-killer-setlist/comment-page-1/#comment-94 The Sacred Scroll of Live Music: The Almighty Set List Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:03:16 +0000 http://www.servethesong.net/?p=433#comment-94 [...] Serve the Song blog also agrees that picking a good set of songs is crucial.  So it’s no surprise that artists take time before the show to choose a set of songs that will create the right mood and make the show flow and feel just the way an artist wants it to. [...] [...] Serve the Song blog also agrees that picking a good set of songs is crucial.  So it’s no surprise that artists take time before the show to choose a set of songs that will create the right mood and make the show flow and feel just the way an artist wants it to. [...]

]]> By: situationism http://servethesong.net/write-killer-setlist/comment-page-1/#comment-93 situationism Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:17:30 +0000 http://www.servethesong.net/?p=433#comment-93 Bands STILL do drum solo's? LOL Bands STILL do drum solo’s? LOL

]]> By: Metfan94 http://servethesong.net/write-killer-setlist/comment-page-1/#comment-91 Metfan94 Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:33:03 +0000 http://www.servethesong.net/?p=433#comment-91 When I'm writing the setlists for my band, I always put in some drum solo, bass solo, medley, guitar solo and guitar duel, this REALLY works out well. When I’m writing the setlists for my band, I always put in some drum solo, bass solo, medley, guitar solo and guitar duel, this REALLY works out well.

]]> By: Ganja Skateboard http://servethesong.net/write-killer-setlist/comment-page-1/#comment-90 Ganja Skateboard Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:29:08 +0000 http://www.servethesong.net/?p=433#comment-90 Very nice. Thanks for this. Very nice. Thanks for this.

]]> By: Taco Billy http://servethesong.net/write-killer-setlist/comment-page-1/#comment-87 Taco Billy Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:02:17 +0000 http://www.servethesong.net/?p=433#comment-87 I like the circle of fifths idea, backwards for guitar its the circle of fourths....creepy huh? Fucking guitarists, easy for everyone to play, gruesome for anyone to play really well. Just make sure to have a nice///intro, nice///outro, (per set). No one cares anymore, be satisfied playing period. I want Patty Blegovich on my stick by the next season of get me out of here, I'm a celebrity. I like the circle of fifths idea, backwards for guitar its the circle of fourths….creepy huh? Fucking guitarists, easy for everyone to play, gruesome for anyone to play really well. Just make sure to have a nice///intro, nice///outro, (per set). No one cares anymore, be satisfied playing period. I want Patty Blegovich on my stick by the next season of get me out of here, I’m a celebrity.

]]> By: Mark Steven http://servethesong.net/write-killer-setlist/comment-page-1/#comment-86 Mark Steven Wed, 20 May 2009 22:05:08 +0000 http://www.servethesong.net/?p=433#comment-86 Another thought, what about arranging your song list around the circle of fifths? Anyone thought of what kind of effect that would have on an audience subconsciously? So, one song in A, the next in D, the next in G, the next in G . . . etc. Hmmm, I might have to look into that and see if it provides any kind of fluency . . . Another thought, what about arranging your song list around the circle of fifths? Anyone thought of what kind of effect that would have on an audience subconsciously? So, one song in A, the next in D, the next in G, the next in G . . . etc. Hmmm, I might have to look into that and see if it provides any kind of fluency . . .

]]> By: Gerry Mercer http://servethesong.net/write-killer-setlist/comment-page-1/#comment-85 Gerry Mercer Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:28:28 +0000 http://www.servethesong.net/?p=433#comment-85 This is great advice, man. I'm always the dude tasked to come up with the set list and I usually struggle with it. I put a lot of thought into pacing the set and finding songs that minimize downtime caused by capo use (and subsequent tuning) and other awkward breaks in the set. I can usually fill in time with an irish jig or just crowd banter (SOCIABLE anyone?), but I'd rather keep things chugging along as much as I can. I hadn't thought of the psychology of putting songs in the same key together, outside of running them together into some kind of medley. Good call! Ger Rocket Lounge This is great advice, man. I’m always the dude tasked to come up with the set list and I usually struggle with it.

I put a lot of thought into pacing the set and finding songs that minimize downtime caused by capo use (and subsequent tuning) and other awkward breaks in the set. I can usually fill in time with an irish jig or just crowd banter (SOCIABLE anyone?), but I’d rather keep things chugging along as much as I can. I hadn’t thought of the psychology of putting songs in the same key together, outside of running them together into some kind of medley. Good call!

Ger
Rocket Lounge

]]> By: Taco Billy http://servethesong.net/write-killer-setlist/comment-page-1/#comment-84 Taco Billy Sun, 05 Apr 2009 14:49:24 +0000 http://www.servethesong.net/?p=433#comment-84 The Sinchiladas did a 4 hr. show last weekend and performed all tunes in alphabetical order from start to finish, although not recommended, the night was well paced. Taco Billy The Sinchiladas did a 4 hr. show last weekend and performed all tunes in alphabetical order from start to finish, although not recommended, the night was well paced.

Taco Billy

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