I want to hear from players who DONT use Ipads while gigging or busking. How do you remember words and the order of verses without muddling them up? Is it a connection you have to the song? is it the story in the song you remember? What mental tricks do you use to remember lyrics? I'm fkn terrible 😆

I'm working on a new app at the moment and I'd really like some feedback from the gigging musicians in here before I go too far down the rabbit hole. The idea is deliberately simple. A lyrics and setlist app for musicians who DON'T need 400 features and an engineering degree to work out how to use it. 😂 It won't have MIDI or a heap of complicated automation. The focus is on making the things most of us actually need onstage really easy: - Create and organise setlists - Lyrics with simple autoscroll - Easily change the font size - Add chords directly into your lyrics - Clean, simple interface - Quick to set up and easy to use during a gig Basically, build your setlist, open the song, hit scroll and play. I'm already building it, but I'd love some input from people who actually gig. Would you use something like this? And more importantly, what ONE feature would you consider essential in a simple lyrics/setlist app? I'm deliberately trying to avoid feature creep, so don't turn it into the cockpit of a 747 just yet. 😂

Does anyone record demos to get gigs any more? Or is it all live footage, warts and all?

Ok my fellow musicians, this is my first Question for the Group, would like to get y'all's opinions. Here goes: Do you and/or your bands cross genres a lot, a little, or not al all? I'm not really talking about cross over hits like 'Copperhead Road' (one of my favorites, btw). I'm referring to the truly different genres, like 60s bubble gum pop to 90s grunge (an extreme example). If you do, how do you handle it? A set or mini set in each? Tempo based? Show/venue based? I like and perform most genres (no rap or modern hip hop)... I'm talking anything from Charlie Pride and Marty Robbins thru Aldo Nova and Bon Jovi, to Air Supply and the Little River Band. I'd just like to hear your thoughts!

I am worried about my drummer who founded the tribute band we are in with me in '19, seems to be overwhelmed with his life, & NOT aware of it! It's incredibly frustrating as it TOOK me 3 years to find him! HE got together with this lady not long after we started playing, who's marriage had broken up BEFORE she gave birth to her daughter in late '19. It turns out he Ended up with a huge tax debt he was not aware of, so his work took precedence to pay it off! (NOT begrudging that!) in '24 I had a really GOOD keyboardist interested in joining us. WE only usually do monthly rehearsals, & I organised 8 that year. HE cancelled about 6 of them and forgot a few! Needless to say that dude bailed! (CAN'T say I blame him!) WE got another good player that's a bit Younger, but he too is a bit disappointed! The last rehearsal we had was in March! NOW! DuE to family/living arrangements, his step 'daughter' , spends 2 w/Es a month with her father & 2 with her mum & my drummer! (They are NOT married, but ARE Engaged...)The PROBLEM is, when the girl is at home with them, he CAN'T rehearse with us, cos she NEEDS him to help look after her, but can only do PAID gigs, but practice or jam nights for fun is out of the question! Seriously? CAN'T she look after 1, 7 y/o girl on her own for a few hrs? This has caused probs trying to book rehearsal dates. I ask him for dates, when he's free, he says 'I'll get back to you', but never does! His problem is, he tries to please Every1, and gets snowed under! I also feel he is being EXPLOITED by her somewhat! What dos Every1 Else think? The rem 3 of us, are going to have a practice to backing tracks, and think also do a conference call with 3 of us on the phone to him, cos my nudging doesn't seem to resonate with him, but from all 3 of us it MIGHT make it sink in! OTHERWISE, I will seriously HAVE to look at other drummers! Thanks for listening/reading!