Interesting Idea for Enhancement to BandHelper

[tonygardner]

Not sure if this is the right place to post ideas, so feel free to move it as necessary.

It occurred to me that most all songs have commonly named sections like "intro", "verse", "chorus", "bridge", and so on.

It also makes sense that some do these in the same order every time, and some like mix it up a little, and give their bandmates some type of signal where they're going.

BandHelper already does time automation very well, and even has a way to jump to an area of the chord chart with buttons that can be added to the layout screen.

In all cases, it's super helpful to clearly see where you're supposed to be when performing. I'm just wondering if it would be possible to have the song section name display clearly on the layout, either via automation, or via the "jump" links. In fact, I'm guessing that we could even add the ability for the band leader to hit a footswitch to communicate with the other members where we're going.

Thoughts???

[arlo]

To make sure I'm understanding correctly, do you want BandHelper to display text like "intro," "verse," etc. to signal or confirm to band members what part of the song you're in? And that this could be either automated for fixed arrangements or manually controlled for on-the-fly arrangements?

[tonygardner]

Thanks for jumping in, Arlo. It sounds like you understand my idea very well. I understand that I can use the page markers to navigate to certain parts of the song, and these markers can even be labeled with the song section, but it is difficult to both play my instrument, sing, run the mixer, make eye contact with the bandmates (who are all glued to their BH screens), and reach out and poke the page marker buttons all at the same time. And, to be perfectly honest, I even forget myself how we rehearsed the song last Thursday, and have a nasty tendency to change which sections go when during the performance (probably my musician's biggest "pet peave"). I will say that I primarily use PDF's with my own custom-made chord charts, so using markers for navigating to sections of the song wouldn't work out so well since it's all on one page.

Remote control via my iRig Blueboard (which has four buttons) or other Bluetooth/MIDI device would be an ideal scenario, not using markers per se, but more just to have a miscellaneous text control added to my layout which displays "VERSE 1" in big yellow letters at the bottom when I hit Button #1, or whatever I want to clearly communicate with the rest of the band (they really are glued to their BandHelper screens). And, for those who perform using the pre-recorded automation, they could have "VERSE 1" flash for a couple of seconds before making the jump, then stay on at the bottom.

Sorry about the lengthy response. I guess my audience's biggest "pet peave" is that I talk too much between songs. 

[arlo]

If you were using markers, you could add Multiple Marker Buttons to your layout, and it would highlight the current marker as you step through them with a foot switch.

If you were using the Lyrics field instead of attached PDFs, you could add headings like "Verse" to your lyrics, then record an automation track that highlights those lines as you progress through the song (you can highlight a lyrics line by double-tapping the left third of the line). If only you need the PDF, you could assign that only to yourself, and set up shared lyrics for the other users which consists only of these text headings. However, using an automation track would also require a fixed arrangement played against a consistent tempo source (a click track or backing track).

I think you're saying you want something that will help you stick to a consistent structure and remind others of that structure. If so, those two approaches would offer a manual and an automated function, respectively.

Or do you want the ability to vary the structure on the fly and communicate those changes to others? That would be harder because, as you said, you already have your hands full performing. In that case, I'm not sure communicating with your bandmates through the app could be made easier than shouting to them as needed. 

[Chris]

Just my two cents here: there are commonly used hand-signals which can help your mates know what you will go to next.

As far as I am aware, pointing a "V" with your index and middle-finger is a verse, forming a "C" with your hand is Chorus and making a wave-like movement with your hand (like 90°-turned "C" is the bridge.

Worked for me quite well when I lost my band when improvising some parts with the audience

Cheers