[FiddlerJeanne]

I have many situations where the same song appears in multiple setlists (for different playing partners, different gigs, etc.). I need to annotate songs specific to the setlist, e.g., to make notes about who is playing harmony, how many times through. These notes are different for each setlist, so I don't want them to show up if I switch to a different set list or even just choose the song directly from the songlist.

Any easy way to do this? I'm managing with annotations, but it's clumsy to get them out of the way when I don't need them.
Thanks!
Jeanne

[Zubersoft]

The easiest way to deal with this problem is to make copies of the song per setlist. Each copy of the song could have different annotations. One of the ideas on my TODO list is to add a concept of song versions. Each version of a song would potentially have its own set of data, files, annotations, etc. When adding a song to a setlist, you could choose which version to use. This would allow you to manage the annotations differently per version of the song. It would also allow for things like having the same song in different instruments, and switching the active version depending upon which instrument is needed (reducing the number of songs needed in the library).

The other option for dealing with this option would be for me to add annotations per setlist, but I really don't like the idea of doing that, as it completely breaks my current design.

Mike

[GraemeJ]

I have the same problem and I solved it in the way Mike has outlined.  Just make a copy of the chart and give it a unique name.  In my case, I tend to use Song Title - Key - Vocalist or Band name, but whatever works for you.  These individual charts are then placed in setlists and annotated as and if required.

[FiddlerJeanne]

Thanks! I was afraid that would be the answer. I can do that, but it's clumsy and confusing. Too many songs, and the songs are the same except for the setlist notes. Multiple copies of a song then gets messy when I have annotations that apply to all setlists. So I guess what I really want is notes that are attached to the song (as they are now, so show for all setlists or just selecting the song), and notes that are attached to the setlist only (performance notes?).

I guess this is turning into a feature request!

An alternative that would work well for me, and maybe others, without changing anything about how annotations are currently handled. In fact, this might even be better for me. Leave annotations on the song as they are, but provide a way of either generating a songlist within MobileSheets, and let us annotate the song list, or provide a way of including "hot links" from a songlist in Google docs or similar to the sheet music for the songs. I usually create a songlist, and put the notes there. Then I print the songlist before a gig, and only use the tablet if I actually need to look at the sheet music. If I could display the song list with it's notes, and just tap to get the sheet music, that would be super. Sometimes the notes are very brief (e.g., 2x, me harmony) but sometimes I include notes about which of us is introducing the song and approximately what we're going to say (and the names of the people to thank!). I can do all of this now except tap to get the sheet music.

About versions: The version concept doesn't really change things for me, and might muddy the waters as I already have "true" versions: same song, different source.

I guess I'd like a way to keep track of performance versions as something distinct from song versions, i.e., not have multiple copies of a song that is the same except for performance notes.

Thanks for considering!

[GraemeJ]

Another approach would be to create a setlist and then insert a placeholder prior to any chart you want specific notes for and enter those notes on the placeholder page. As you cycle through the setlist, you get a reminder of how you're about to play the next chart.

Another setlist with the same charts, but for a different arrangement, just needs a different set of placeholders with the appropriate notes.

This means that each piece of music is only stored once (with any annotations that are common to all performances).

[FiddlerJeanne]

Thanks. I'll have to experiment with this as I'm not clear (yet) on how placeholders work. I like that it avoids duplicating the charts. I really don't want extra stuff in my main database as that will make a mess in the long run. This might be a good workaround: I'll try it!
Jeanne

[Zubersoft]

One thing to note about placeholders - it is in fact a song that will show up on the Songs tab, so if you create a lot of them, it could create the "mess" you are trying to avoid.

Another thing that is worth considering is to create multiple layers of annotations in the annotations editor. You could then switch between what annotations are shown depending upon which setlist is loaded, but then you would need a way to correlate which annotation group to use for which setlist, so I'm not sure that will work for you either.

Currently, notes can be kept for songs by tapping the notepad icon at the top left corner of the overlay. If that feature is expanded so that specific notes can be kept for each song in a setlist (associating the notes with the setlist instead of the song), and there is a way to automatically have those notes pop up when the song is viewed (or a way to bring them up and have them fade out or something along those lines), would that work better for you?

[GraemeJ]

Currently, notes can be kept for songs by tapping the notepad icon at the top left corner of the overlay. If that feature is expanded so that specific notes can be kept for each song in a setlist (associating the notes with the setlist instead of the song), and there is a way to automatically have those notes pop up when the song is viewed (or a way to bring them up and have them fade out or something along those lines), would that work better for you?

That is a much better idea.

I seem to remember asking if notes could pop up when the chart was loaded, ages ago .  Tying the notes to a specific setlist is a great idea.

[Zubersoft]

I've now added support for having notes automatically displayed for songs for version 1.3.7. You can set notes independently per setlist and you can also set songs for when the song is loaded outside of a setlist if you so desire (so that you can have notes that aren't shown when it's loaded in a setlist). Hopefully everyone will like the behavior and appearance. I've included options so the notes can be dismissed with a touch or they will fade out after a set amount of time (1 to 10 seconds).

Mike

[GraemeJ]

I've now added support for having notes automatically displayed for songs for version 1.3.7. You can set notes independently per setlist and you can also set songs for when the song is loaded outside of a setlist if you so desire (so that you can have notes that aren't shown when it's loaded in a setlist).  Hopefully everyone will like the behavior and appearance. I've included options so the notes can be dismissed with a touch or they will fade out after a set amount of time (1 to 10 seconds).

Mike

Mike, I would willingly have your babies - that's a great set of changes

[Zubersoft]

Haha, thanks Graeme. I only wish I could introduce the new features faster.

[GraemeJ]

New features seem to come out on a regular enough basis. If they are added very quickly, it does mean that users of the app can get overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of the changes and never really get to undestand them.

[FiddlerJeanne]

The setlist annotations are great--doing exactly what I want!

I think there's a bug, though, and/or I don't understand how it's supposed to work:
If I have a song with song notes, and display the song from within a setlist, I get the note box displaying, but it's blank and doesn't show the note.

Also, if I have both song notes and set notes, what is supposed to happen? I would think, if I choose the song from the song list, I'd get only the song note, but not the set notes. If I choose the song from withing the set, I'd like to get both (I think I'm only getting the set notes). My logic is: song notes always apply, so shouldn't be hidden just because I'm using the song in a setlist. Is this possible?

Also, it would be really helpful to be able to:
Change the font size of the notes (both song and set): they're too small for my aging eyes to see from the distance I set up my tablet on stage. Similar to the way you can control annotations would be nice.

It would also be great to have the option of copying setlist notes when copying a setlist. I often have setlists that are mostly the same, but swapping out a few songs. When it's for the same band, the setlist notes probably won't change.
Thanks!
Jeanne

[Zubersoft]

Song notes and setlist notes are intentionally kept separate so that you can display something different when a song is loaded versus the setlist being loaded (I think that behavior was explicitly requested). Joining together both sets of notes is something that I wouldn't want to do by default. If people think it's useful to have the behavior FiddlerJeanne described, I can add a setting to control whether the song notes are shown combined with the setlist notes.

A font size setting is coming in the next update - I just finished implementing it.

I can look into adding an option to copy the song notes. I'll have to modify the dialog used for naming the copied setlist so it has a checkbox at the bottom for determining if notes are copied.

Thanks,
Mike

[Rey_a]

I too have allways felt the need for beeing able to dispay Song notes and Setlist notes together.
Some text is related to the song - whatever the setlist it is on, and other text is setlist related. Currently I need to copy the song related text in all setlist texts and when something needs to be changed, there are several to change. Not ideal.

I am not in favor of copying text from one setlist to another in case the use (band/instrument/....) are the same, as this makes it more difficult to maintain the texts in the future. If something changes, one has to update in multiple places...

Instead I would prefer addition of another level of song texts
- song level
- use level (new concept in MSPro - name is just suggestion) Could mean different band, different instrument . . ..
- setlist level
Optionally all should be displayed together.

Then when playing songs, the "use" should easily be selectable and be remembered by MSPro for the rest of the session. Resulting in the "use" part of songtext also to be displayed (as wel a song level and setlist level text) during whatever is played. Even when swithing a setlist
it would also be nice to have the current "use" displayed in the text window

Just an idea . .. .

Rudy