How to Make a Setlist for Your Band

For a band with a booked show, a setlist needs to answer three questions: what are we playing, in what order, and how long will it take? Talking, tuning and instrument changes all use part of the slot. You need to account for them before you reach the last song.

This guide follows an illustrative band's 30-minute set, explains the choices behind the order, then shortens it for a 25-minute slot. The planning table and onstage example are here in the article, ready to copy and adapt to your songs.

TL;DR

• Confirm your performance start and finish times, including what the slot covers.

• Use the length of your live arrangements and allow time for the gaps between songs.

• Choose an opener you can play confidently, then check how each song leads into the next.

• Rehearse the whole sequence, including introductions, guitar changes and the ending.

• Prepare a shorter version and agree how the band will communicate any changes onstage.

Table of contents

• What should a band setlist include?

• A 30-minute setlist example

• Choose the song order

• Rehearse and time the whole set

• Cut the set when you have less time

• Make the onstage setlist easy to read

• Keep notes for the next show

• Common questions

What should a band setlist include?

A band setlist should show the songs in performance order and any cues the players need, such as a count-in or guitar change. While planning, add the live duration of each song and the time between songs. Rehearse the sequence against the agreed slot, then make a readable version for the stage.

Before choosing the songs, confirm the performance window with the organiser. Ask whether setup, soundcheck or clearing the stage uses any of that time. A schedule showing “30 minutes” needs that detail before you can plan 30 minutes of performance.

If you have several dates, keep each show's agreed times with its booking details. Our DIY tour booking guide covers confirming the arrangements for each date.

A 30-minute setlist example

This illustrative example uses seven fictional original songs. The band has a lead singer, guitarist, bassist and drummer. Its 30-minute performance window starts with the first count-in; setup happens beforehand.

The music timings include count-ins, intros and endings. “Gap after” allows for applause, speech and instrument changes. “Elapsed” is the total time used after each row's gap. All times are in minutes and seconds.

There is 25:30 of music and 3:00 of planned gaps, giving a total of 28:30. The last gap allows 20 seconds for the finish and applause. That leaves 1:30 within the agreed window for things taking longer than planned.

The gaps have specific jobs. After Same Street, the singer welcomes the audience. After Two Rooms, the guitarist changes to acoustic while the singer introduces Borrowed Light. The next gap allows the change back to electric. Before Last Train, the singer gives a short thank-you.

These are planning allowances for this setup. Check your own changes in rehearsal and adjust the figures. Seven songs fit here because of their lengths and arrangements; a band playing shorter songs or extended solos will need a different list.

Choose the song order

Start with songs the band is ready to perform

Make a list of the songs you can play from beginning to end. Beside each, note its live duration, who starts it and any practical demands: a guitar change, a different tuning, a difficult vocal part or an ending that needs a cue.

In Berklee's guide to preparing a setlist, vocalist Patrice Williamson recommends keeping repertoire details such as key, tempo and style available, then trying sequences of songs. Those notes help you compare possible orders before committing to one.

Signal Fire opens our example because the band knows it well and can start together from the drummer's count. Same Street follows with a guitar opening. The band can play both confidently before the singer pauses to welcome the room.

Choose your closer at this stage too. Last Train has a rehearsed ending the band can finish together. They intend to play it within the main set, whether or not an encore is possible.

Listen to the joins between songs

Play the end of one song followed by the opening of the next. Listen for changes in rhythm, instrumentation, volume and vocal demand. You might keep two songs at a similar tempo while changing the instrument that starts them.

Night Bus begins with bass, giving the third song a different opening from the first two. Later, Borrowed Light uses acoustic guitar and an easier lead vocal part after Two Rooms. Side Door brings the electric guitar back before the closing song.

This order suits the example's arrangements. Your quieter song might be a good opener, or your short set might keep a similar pace throughout. Try the sequence aloud and decide whether the changes serve the music you play.

Plan instrument changes and spoken parts

A song that needs a different instrument brings a practical transition with it. In our example, the guitarist needs to put down the electric, pick up the acoustic and be ready to start Borrowed Light. The singer's introduction happens during that 45-second gap.

Give the person starting the next song a clear way to check that everyone is ready. If adding an instrument changes the sound connections, update your stage plot and input list as well.

Practise the spoken parts, including any introduction to a song. If you plan to mention your merch table, include that sentence in the timing too. Time the words aloud while the instrument change happens to check whether both fit in the same gap.

Rehearse and time the whole set

Run the set in order with a timer or a recording. Start at the agreed first cue and keep the clock running through every gap. Use the live arrangements, including the full endings and any solos.

During a complete timed run, keep going through recoverable mistakes so you can see the overall duration. Afterwards, work separately on anything that broke down. Rehearse a troublesome change using the end of the preceding song and the start of the next one.

Replace estimated timings with what you measured. If an acoustic change took 55 seconds, a 45-second allowance needs revising. If a song's live outro added a minute, include it in that song's duration. Allow for the audience response that an empty rehearsal room cannot reproduce.

Check the last few minutes particularly carefully. The singer's thanks, the final count-in and the closing song all need to fit. Finish within the agreed time, and leave enough allowance that a small delay does not force an unplanned ending.

Cut the set when you have less time

Suppose the organiser reduces this band's slot to 25 minutes. The band removes Night Bus, saving its 4:05 playing time and the following 0:15 gap. That brings the planned total down from 28:30 to 24:10.

They also shorten the welcome after Same Street from 30 seconds to 20. Here is the revised plan:

The new total is 21:25 of music plus 2:35 of gaps, leaving one minute within the shorter slot. The band has kept its opener, acoustic song and closer, while losing the bass-led opening and longer instrumental passage in Night Bus.

There is a new transition to practise. After the welcome, the drummer now counts in Two Rooms; previously, the bassist would have started Night Bus. Mark the change on everyone's copy and rehearse from the end of Same Street into Two Rooms.

Choose a possible cut before the show and agree who will call it. If your set starts late, ask the organiser whether the finish time has changed. Use the time available to select the rehearsed version that fits, checking whether you also need to shorten a spoken part.

Make the onstage setlist easy to read

Use large, dark text on a plain background and leave space between songs. Check that each player can read their copy from their playing position. A phone or tablet needs to be readable there too, with the list available when you need it.

Here is the 30-minute version as a short onstage list. The extra lines are reminders to the players:

[Band name] / [show date] / 30-minute version

FINISH BY: [agreed time]

1. SIGNAL FIRE / drums count four

2. SAME STREET / guitar starts

WELCOME

3. NIGHT BUS / bass starts

4. TWO ROOMS / drums count four

CHANGE TO ACOUSTIC + SONG INTRO

5. BORROWED LIGHT / acoustic starts

CHANGE TO ELECTRIC

6. SIDE DOOR / drums count four

NAME, THANKS, WEBSITE

7. LAST TRAIN / guitar starts

Add keys, capo positions or ending cues where your players need them. Agree any abbreviations together. Put the show and version on each copy, and replace the old copies when you revise the order.

If you mention your musician website before the last song, say where people can hear the songs from the set. Check those recordings are easy to find on your music website homepage. Keep the spoken reminder within the time you've allowed.

Keep notes for the next show

After playing, note where the plan differed from the performance. Record the total duration and any transition that took longer than expected. A note such as “guitar still being changed when the count started” gives you something to rehearse before the next date.

Discuss the order with the rest of the band. If a sequence felt awkward, try an alternative at rehearsal and time it again. Keep the previous version with its show date so you can see what changed and why.

Common questions

How many songs do you need for a 30-minute set?

The example fits seven songs into 28:30, including gaps. Work from your own live timings: add the songs, speech and transitions, then check the total against the slot. Use the same method for 45 or 60 minutes, including any agreed breaks. Song length and arrangement determine the count.

What if we don't have enough songs for the slot?

Tell the organiser how much you can play and discuss a shorter set before the show. Use songs and arrangements you have rehearsed. When looking for gigs, state your prepared set length so the person booking you can consider an appropriate slot.

Should we include an encore?

Keep an extra rehearsed song available if it suits the show. Agree with the organiser whether an encore is possible and how it fits the finish time. Plan a main-set ending you are happy with, because the show may need to end there.

Can we change the order during the show?

Yes, if the band can communicate the change clearly and still finish on time. Agree who calls it and how everyone acknowledges it. Name the next song, since a number may refer to different songs on different versions. Check instrument changes before making the swap.

Is a setlist the same as a repertoire list?

A repertoire list shows the songs you can offer. A setlist selects and orders songs for one performance. For wedding and function bookings, clients may want to see the wider song list before discussing the event. Prepare the running order once you know the show's requirements.

Should we print the setlist or use an app?

Either can work. Test paper size and placement from your playing position. For a device, check the battery, screen visibility and whether the list opens without a connection. Have a backup you can use during the show, and make sure it contains the same version.