I got the newsletter email today for the 2025 review. I loved all the updates this year and I'm excited to know that there's even more coming. This app is amazing and the continued support and updates continue to blow me away. I think this the app is so underrated and that more bands should be using. I hope you continue to get more and more users.
That being said, I'm always thinking of ideas for the app. I actually kept a little note where I would jot down ideas for the app based on my experience with it as well as how my bandmates use (or don't use) the app.
Here are some of the more fleshed out ideas I wrote down. For most of these, I know there are workarounds but I think they would be better served if they were implemented how I describe them here.
- Select checkmarks like on the website for the apps - This would be helpful for editing setlists in the app. You can currently select multiple items if they are contiguous and you can only move them, not delete them.
- Option to insert songs after a specific song when editing setlist - This is only available when viewing a setlist and using the quick add function. (Also, ability to a quick add a song as the first song. I don't believe this is possible atm)
- Option for users with "edit added data only" access to copy items. For example, if there is a layout that the administer made, the user can make a copy of the layout only for them so that they can edit it.
- More filters for viewing MIDI presets (such as by MIDI device,
- Queue next song (my number one new feature request) - If a user wishes to deviate from the order of a set, they can select a song to come next while currently viewing another song. This would allow automations to seamlessly transition without needed to make a whole new set
- Batch Midi Presets - While Bandhelper is very powerful when sending MIDI commands, managing large amounts of midi presets can become unwieldy. I think having another layer for sending "batches" of MIDI presets at once would improve the user experience. I described the idea more fully in this previous post: http://forum.arlomedia.com/index.php?topic=3331.0
- General Undo action - A simple "undo" button in the toolbar would be a lot better than having to go to the website and trying to restore a previous sync.
- Set default layout per setlist - This used to be possible I think but was removed at some point. I think this should be brought back. This would be useful for something like a "practice" setlist where the user also has a practice layout.
- Allow users to freely type set names/pause names when creating a set list as opposed to choosing from a pre-determined list. Can use autocomplete to help speed up process.
- Home Button for the website. Also, show the homepage when logging instead of showing the last page the user performed an edit. I find it can be a little confusing when you log into your account and you're not sure what page you're looking at. Also, some filters/search terms may have been left on and only a certain section of songs is being shown.
- Move the search bar on the website to the top and also rename it to "search", similar to how it is in the app and other websites. Having it placed in the middle of the side bar and the title "containing the text..." can be confusing to some users.
- Show all smart copies filter. On the website, it's only possible to hide smart copies
Amazing work as always Arlo!
Thanks for the kind words, I'm glad you're liking the product!
It's difficult to address 15 different requests in one message, so I apologize for being terse:
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMSelect checkmarks like on the website for the apps - This would be helpful for editing setlists in the app. You can currently select multiple items if they are contiguous and you can only move them, not delete them.
Are you asking for a way to remove multiple songs from a set list at once?
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMOption to insert songs after a specific song when editing setlist - This is only available when viewing a setlist and using the quick add function.
I think an additional prompt to select the song you want to add songs after wouldn't be a time saver compared to the current methods of arranging songs. It would also be annoying to get the prompt every time if you don't want to use it, or cluttering and distracting to add it as a second option alongside the normal Add Songs option. Are you aware that you can click the options button (three dots) for a song and then select a song to move it after?
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AM(Also, ability to a quick add a song as the first song. I don't believe this is possible atm)
This seems counterintuitive. Why would you want to quick add a song to the start of the set list? Then you would have to scroll back to your original position to resume playing your set list.
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMOption for users with "edit added data only" access to copy items. For example, if there is a layout that the administer made, the user can make a copy of the layout only for them so that they can edit it.
That's on my wish list and I'll add a vote for you.
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMMore filters for viewing MIDI presets (such as by MIDI device,
In what situation would that be useful? MIDI presets are designed to be able to send to multiple devices, so in many cases a MIDI Device filter wouldn't have any effect.
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMQueue next song (my number one new feature request) - If a user wishes to deviate from the order of a set, they can select a song to come next while currently viewing another song. This would allow automations to seamlessly transition without needed to make a whole new set
You already requested this in at least one other thread. Please don't request the same thing multiple times in multiple places.
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMBatch Midi Presets - While Bandhelper is very powerful when sending MIDI commands, managing large amounts of midi presets can become unwieldy. I think having another layer for sending "batches" of MIDI presets at once would improve the user experience.
This is another repeat request.
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMGeneral Undo action - A simple "undo" button in the toolbar would be a lot better than having to go to the website and trying to restore a previous sync.
You can also roll back edits in the apps, from the Settings > Account Sync > History button. The Lyrics and Chords fields have undo and redo buttons. Please provide more detail about a situation in which you wanted to have undo and redo buttons in the toolbar.
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMSet default layout per setlist - This used to be possible I think but was removed at some point. I think this should be brought back. This would be useful for something like a "practice" setlist where the user also has a practice layout.
This was never a feature before. I'll add it to my wish list.
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMAllow users to freely type set names/pause names when creating a set list as opposed to choosing from a pre-determined list. Can use autocomplete to help speed up process.
If we did that, we wouldn't have a way to also enter settings for sets like Exclude From Total Duration. Are you aware that you can create a set name from the Choose Set Name popup?
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMHome Button for the website.
You can click the BandHelper logo to go to the home page.
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMAlso, show the homepage when logging instead of showing the last page the user performed an edit. I find it can be a little confusing when you log into your account and you're not sure what page you're looking at.
I think it's common enough to pick up where you left off using the site last time that it's worth reloading the last page automatically. I haven't received other reports of confusion about what page you're looking at.
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMAlso, some filters/search terms may have been left on and only a certain section of songs is being shown.
I used to hear of confusion about the filters being remembered, but I haven't heard of that since I added the "x of x" counts to all the list pages.
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMMove the search bar on the website to the top and also rename it to "search", similar to how it is in the app and other websites. Having it placed in the middle of the side bar and the title "containing the text..." can be confusing to some users.
Have you seen that this is confusing to users? I haven't seen that.
Quote from: Insider0203 on October 22, 2025, 11:32:13 AMShow all smart copies filter. On the website, it's only possible to hide smart copies
This is another repeat request.
Thanks for responding to each one! And sorry for some of the repeat requests. This was just my running log of ideas
QuoteAre you asking for a way to remove multiple songs from a set list at once?
Yes, in the app at least.
QuoteThis seems counterintuitive. Why would you want to quick add a song to the start of the set list? Then you would have to scroll back to your original position to resume playing your set list.
In situations where you'd want to do a different song as an opener, which I feel is pretty common. A lot of the friction I experience with the app is what you can/can't do with and without an internet connection and when live sharing. It's a common occurrence for a band to be on stage, have the iPads connected for live sharing (without an internet connection) and then change the opening song. It just seems like an odd oversight or omission that you can't just highlight the first set banner in the song list and add a song after even though you can with any other set.
QuoteI think an additional prompt to select the song you want to add songs after wouldn't be a time saver compared to the current methods of arranging songs. It would also be annoying to get the prompt every time if you don't want to use it, or cluttering and distracting to add it as a second option alongside the normal Add Songs option. Are you aware that you can click the options button (three dots) for a song and then select a song to move it after?
I actually didn't know that! That's great. However, the way I was envisioning it wouldn't necessarily be an additional prompt, it would just be another option in the three dot menu. Tap the three dots on the song, press the option "add song after" and you choose what song from your whole repertoire. However, "move song after" works just as well. To me, it just seems a little more intuitive to go to the spot where you know you want to add a song and then choose the song as apposed to adding the song first and then moving it after. Either way, it's great that you can do this.
QuoteIn what situation would that be useful? MIDI presets are designed to be able to send to multiple devices, so in many cases a MIDI Device filter wouldn't have any effect.
I guess this also depends on the individual user' workflow. For me, I use a Fractal FM9 for my guitar and I have all its core midi commands saved as presets in Bandhelper. There are individual CC's to change scenes, turn on/off individual effects etc. Rather than making individual presets for every song on my FM9 (we do A LOT songs and it would be extremely inefficient to do that), I piece together to core functions as needed in band helper using the "send additional presets" option. So I end up getting lots of nested presets within presets and it becomes a little unwieldy. This is why I also requested the batch Midi feature so I can just make nested presets on a per-song basis. I'm open to the idea that maybe I don't have the most optimal workflow so I'm open to other suggestions
QuoteYou can also roll back edits in the apps, from the Settings > Account Sync > History button. The Lyrics and Chords fields have undo and redo buttons. Please provide more detail about a situation in which you wanted to have undo and redo buttons in the toolbar.
I'm thinking of situations where you change the order of a setlist or change a layout. How does the account sync history button work without an internet connection?
Quotef we did that, we wouldn't have a way to also enter settings for sets like Exclude From Total Duration. Are you aware that you can create a set name from the Choose Set Name popup?
I am aware of that, it just becomes a lot of taps to do something which seems relatively simple.
QuoteYou can click the BandHelper logo to go to the home page.
That takes you to the bandhelper main page, not the user's account homepage. I guess what I'm asking is that there be more of a user homepage, similar to the app when you open it.
QuoteI think it's common enough to pick up where you left off using the site last time that it's worth reloading the last page automatically. I haven't received other reports of confusion about what page you're looking at.
Ok fair enough.
QuoteI used to hear of confusion about the filters being remembered, but I haven't heard of that since I added the "x of x" counts to all the list pages. Have you seen that this is confusing to users? I haven't seen that.
I can only describe what I see with my bandmates, but that's what they have experienced. That's why I think a simple home button like I described above to clear any previous searches would go a long way.
Again, thanks for taking the time to address all these. I'm looking forward to all the updates you have in store!
Also, the friction I experience with the app is minimal and is overshadowed by just how amazingly flexible it is, so I'm really just nitpicking minor things. You taking the time to discuss all these relatively minor things is really encouraging. Thanks again