How To Build A Gig Setlist

[@lver3522]

Setlists are just so fuckin important for people who are trying to break through as a musician, but for the longest time I didn't know how to do that! This video was so helpful

[@twominuteguitarlessons]

guys you've done a decent explanation , and loved your video , I want to add a little thing i think you missed ... playing more than 3 consecutive songs in the same key my be boring for the listener and they might lose interest without knowing why .

[@paulmanners5382]

Quite a few bands use a style similar to the flow one, where for example they end a song on the same chord the next one starts on, and repeat this to maintain the intensity of the set for an extended period, by not really stopping playing.

[@markcarls1896]

The Rolling Stones always started their shows with a cover. Obviously, it worked out pretty well for them.

[@spottedstar1123]

along the same vein, could you make a video about how create the track list of an album? (disregarding the fact that most people just shuffle albums anyway smh)

[@TheMusicLab]

I think the problem with that is, it is basically down to the individual track list, so it would be really hard to say by generalising!

[@samharrison3479]

Catfish and the bottlemen use a song called tyrants to end there set. It's not their strongest song but it's perfect to end on. Probably my favourite the guitars and crazy and the whammy break down is unreal.

[@joeyragequit682]

Sam Harrison smart comment

[@sean6749]

Sam Harrison what's the guitar in your profile picture?

[@Nick-me1ms]

WHERE YOU AT GREEN DAY IN DENVER?

[@SamdGG]

Sean it's one of the Gibson/epiphone es hollow/semi hollow guitars

[@sean6749]

Dropyonder dGG aight thanks

[@pepethefrog3537]

I watched because the pun in the thumbnail was too great, love the video too!! Xx

[@jacobunderwood4691]

I have seen a lot of bands do a mix of the flow and the build up. Start off strong with the first few songs whilst making them flow together. Then stop and slow things down a bit before getting back into that flow with a big end climax

[@boxofcereal989]

I agreed with all of this EXCEPT for the part where it said “Please the crowd because in the end, it’s for them.” Music shouldn’t be a way to get popular, it should just be a way to express yourself. Do you have a song that YOU wanna play live? Then fucking play it. Fuck the crowd if they don’t like it because it’s not their art, it’s yours. Making the music is the rewarding part. Having fans is a bonus. *REMEMBER THAT*

[@adamgh0]

For an original band, maybe. I play in a cover band and that's definitely NOT how that works. You have to read the crowd and play what they're in to. If you just want to get up there and play Nu Metal all night because "fuck the crowd," you won't be playing that venue again.

[@buskman3286]

Exactly right. I gig 3-4 days per week. If you are performing for people your JOB is to entertain them not to get hung up on your own ego. Sure, you can play a gig with all your own songs but unless you are already famous, nobody wants to hear them UNLESS it is specifically a venue for that purpose. Two or MAYBE three of your own songs in a 45 minute set is about it. More than that will often have the venue manager saying "drop those songs." If you are a street performer, the "audience" will say the same thing by not dropping cash (either real or electronically) into the basket... The other thing to remember is that if you are performing as the "live music" at a restaurant/coffee house, etc you are usually just musical wallpaper. The clientele came to eat/converse with friends, etc. They DID NOT come to see/hear you play music. ;) Don't be offended if they ask you to turn down the volume or at their lack of interest in your greatness!

[@Crashbangwallopguy]

I wasn't really sure where the best place was to post this question, but here we go: when creating tickets for a gig, would you design them yourself with just location, date and time etc, and just print them, or would you go down a more professional route?

[@TheMusicLab]

That Is totally up to you! Ticket printing can be really cheap, for my bands debut gig we got 150 tickets for £30, but it's up to you! Just avoid using standard paper as it easily tears and gets mashed!

[@Crashbangwallopguy]

The Music Lab okey dokey, thank you so much 👍🏻

[@CoReOmega]

Is spirit of radio a good song to open with

[@HHermans1]

This is why my former favorite band played almost the same setlist for the last 15 years. After the first two songs there were no more surprises. Booooring.

[@cosylife4936]

For the 3 x 40 min sets, I’m thinking maybe 1’film style’ set as described, 2 ‘interesting set’ and 3’all out party stonker’ style set . Thoughts?

[@ayrreal3678]

Hi. I perform each week at the local open mic and I’ve never made a set list. It’s been suggested that I make one hence I appreciate your advice. I personally like to match the vibe on the night so a fixed set list can be out of place in this settling but I’m wanting to move on to do some gigs now. Thanks for the insight.

[@cosylife4936]

I’m playing in an acoustic duo, we tend to play ‘popular classics’. I’m thinking of doing a set that goes through the ages, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80, 90, 00s etc as we usually play 3 40 odd minute sets to pubs. Thought anyone?

[@yovo6226]

Guys i have a question. In a lot of your tutorials you cover how to write like good riffs and sound original and so on. But can you give me some tips on how to write only the verse of the song but for instruments. I understand people usually just play a chord progression or go like riff-line-riff-line...But how can spice that up a bit if we're talking about the rock genre. I also have a suggestion for a series you could do. I one of your songwriting episodes you said like this genre has a lot of this and this, but you don't do that very often so i would like to see a series called something like "what makes a -------- song". For example what makes a reggae song and then you start explaining like it has an odd accent and a counterpoint between the bass and the drum downbeat and so on. Thanks in advance and keep up the good work.

[@TheMusicLab]

There are literally infinite ways to write a verse. Try a mixture of palm muting, taking out instruments and riffs not seen anywhere else in the track! We have a series doing that! It's called 'The Genre Handbook': kzbin.info/aero/PLDzJP3IsYWR-GT2kshq_tgOXlus3hU7-w

[@sixsentsoldiers]

Some Kind Of Wonderful is the perfect opener. It the perfect soundcheck.

[@diegocastaneda1016]

Basically blind them and deaf them in the first ten minutes and then while they're recovering from that slip in a few not quite and good ones, stuff people will recognize. Take it down, do something slow, something that needs a little bit more thought, maybe a medley or something, and then gradually build up to the next climax. But basically the begging and end of a show are very important. Brian May and Roger Taylor in the Wembley Weekend documentary

[@zed6501]

Goated thumbnail

[@HotelFlorentia2024]

great, that's what I do/think. What about some slow acoustic ballads songs that are written in a pop/rock/britpop band? Do you include them in the gig, put on your acoustic and play a few and then back to rock? Haven't been able to figure it out.. don't feel like playing 4 consecutive slow acoustic songs I think people will get distracted,, and even switching from electric to acoustic I'm not sure as it might waste some time. Thanks, great video..

[@roryodonnell1489]

Great video lads 👍

[@cosylife4936]

In a 3 x 40 set playing a pub would you recommend three ‘film like sets’ or one big set across the 3?

[@TheMusicLab]

I think we'd argue that 2 hours of any band is too much, even festival headliners generally don't do that long...

[@TheMusicLab]

That being said we are talking about bands who want to 'break' and 'make it', if you are just doing covers, making music and doing it for the fun of it then just do whatever makes you happiest!

[@cosylife4936]

Thanks for your reply guys! Yes it’s a service more than anything; pubs tend to want as much playing time as possible to keep the punters entertained. I guess it’s similar to cruise ship work etc.

[@vernal6944]

Somebody help me... I'm going to be doing three 40 min sets. Most of my songs are from 60 70s and 80s and they are almost all ballads. Everything from Purple Rain , to breathe , to Old Man by Neil Young . The vibe that people say that I have is that I convert cover songs from the straight-laced (the way they normally are played) into something that sounds more like Pink Floyd coming from one person. My guitar is a swirling psychedelic machine and in Stereo along with my vocals. Here is the problem....All my songs sound pretty much the same at the same tempo but the response I get back from each of them is usually very good. It's not in my nature to play a happy song nor is it my nature really to play a fast song. How could I make this more diverse but yet still keep all of the ballads and all around the same beats per minute. Or maybe this is an impossibility because of the limitations that I just explained. I guess what I'm trying to do right now is going from pretty clean sounding to completely swirling psychedelic. I also like to mix them up back-to-back to where one is super drenched in effects and one is not. But other than that I can't think of how to mix them up very much . Thanks for the reply in advance.

[@VENOMARI24]

You guys should make a video on having 2 bands at once or like how to manage them.

[@TheMusicLab]

There's a few tips we could give: 1. Don't play leader, or atleast not in both bands. It's far too much work to do yourself, if you want to be in both, maybe take a backseat with everything but the music! 2. Make sure you actually have the time to be in 2 bands, there's nothing worse than having a member that can never make it to stuff.

[@jamesxracing8111]

Brilliant thumbnail haha - caught my eye as I know and am local to Alex (blur bassist)...😂

[@neiltruslove7520]

Do you help people put playlist together

[@sean6749]

You guys should do a let's write a Punk rock song

[@lukemccordick5164]

Hey guys, we just played our first show and as of right now there is one video on our channel and there is more to come, I would really appreciate it if you could watch a video just to leave some advice for us if you have the time, depending on when you see this I recommend the songs "Dead Birds" and "nerves", just wondering if there's any improvements that could be made thank you

[@angadbawa4302]

Hey guys love your videos , I'm trying to write some songs ive got lyrics down but I need some help for catchy hooks also can u talk about build ups like how catfish and the bottle men like build up the song to this awesome end thanks guys

[@TheMusicLab]

Analyse what they are doing, at each point: What are the guitars doing? What chords are being used? Is the bass doing the same? What about the drums, whats being played and how? Some, if not all, of what they are doing will contribute to the sound you are looking for!

[@DaniAlexandria]

Is it better to try and sign with a big record label or a small up and coming label?

[@TheMusicLab]

There's no way of even getting close to one of the big three. Either they come to you, or it isn't happening, unless you have a world class track record and someone with an 'in'. The best way I have seen to get signed is to not try to. Become an awesome band on your own, because then when the labels come knocking, they'll have to be offering something good or it isn't worth your time.

[@cosylife4936]

Dani Alexandria quite an open question. It depends on so many things. What’s your aim for instance?

[@speahlo4471]

I’m doing a Beatles setlist, 15 songs. Any must have song ideas?

[@studlygrish]

I would do five early Beatles songs - Love Me Do, Please Please Me , help,and I love her, Anna. Then do five cheerful songs. Yellow Submarine, I Am the Walrus, Rocky Raccoon. Act Naturally.here comes the sun.the last 5 show how the Beatles rocked. Helter Skelter,let it be Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.back in the USSR , hey jude .then end it with yesterday or twist and shout

[@speahlo4471]

studlygrish thank you! I love those ideas!

[@studlygrish]

Here's something fun we do it karaoke take a song from 1960-1963 and make it a Beatles song. 1.it must be raindrop 2.will you still love me tomorrow They started in 1960 but didnt come here til 1964 but what if the hadnt.if they came here in 1960 what songs might record companys have had them release?

[@studlygrish]

Listen to Dee Clark- raindrops karaoke. karaoke cloud

[@ScottRandall31]

All My Lovin’

[@alexander-germain]

are you guys going to do a q and a? idk if you have anywhere to submit questions for a video anywhere

[@TheMusicLab]

Generally we just answer questions in the comments! The Q&As weren't great videos. (if you do want to ask one though, the best way is to make a new comment and not to reply to this one!)

[@1974crystalful]

What about a band that plays multi-genre??

[@pox775]

Thnk u

[@TaranRichards]

Thanks

[@adamgh0]

Don't make a setlist. Make a list of all of the songs that your band knows how to play and put them on a big sheet of paper. Pick one or two to start with and read the crowd from there.

[@ShaneHurley1]

Female singer?

[@sunnydeyaliofficial]

Lol.what experience does this kid have? Birthday parties?

[@TheLink4391]

Ok boomer