Band Mate Plus - Band management system
Donation protected
Hi.
I am in process of creating Band Mate Plus, a band management system for band leaders who would like to simplify the process and have all their tasks happen in the same location.
Band Mate Plus will run in most browsers on a computer, tablet, or smartphone, and it will help managing venues, gigs, musicians, tunes, finances, setlists, and more. I will add more details in further posts below.
In order to create this system, I will be taking time off from work so I can focus all my attention on it. Of course, that means the bills still need to be paid, so I am hoping to raise some funds here starting immediately as I am already working on the software.
Every donor will receive three times their donation as free credit to use in Band Mate Plus as well as an invitation to beta test the system. Larger donations will get a mention in the credits.
I believe this system has the potential to be a game changer for busy musicians - I know I can't wait to use it myself for my own band!
Please share this with any musicians you know!
Thanks for your support!
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Band Mate Plus - Features
The account holder can create one or multiple bands they wish to manage. Each band is treated as a separate entity even though information can be shared between them.
Setup
After you finished entering some details about your band, you have the option of customizing your Band Mate Plus experience. You’ll be able to define display options, default modules to open when you visit the system, or customized questions you need to ask venues before accepting a gig. There will be a guided setup system to get you started quickly although you’ll always be able to change these settings again later.
People
First, you’ll want to add your band members with their contact information so they are available for gig invitations sent through this system. You can also add other musicians in case you need to temporarily swap someone out. Last, every venue you play needs at least one contact person. It is possible for a venue contact to also be a possible guest musician.
You can create free musician accounts for your band members in Band Mate Plus and set up various levels of permissions for them going as far as putting someone else in charge of planning a gig you are unable to attend yourself.
Venues
These are locations for your gigs (or possibly rehearsals or band meetings). You’ll enter details like the address, make sure you asked all your venue questions (e.g. can we use their electricity, do they have chairs, etc.), and add/assign a contact person for the venue.
Events
When you are offered a gig, you’ll be able to enter all important information in one location. If you don’t have the venue listed yet or need to add a new contact person, it will all happen in the same location. You can also setup rehearsals or meetings here.
Any offered dates first go into the “Proposed Date” section. Once your event is saved, you can head over to the Scheduler to send event invitations to all your band members (or substitute musicians if needed). They’ll receive an email with a link that will quickly allow them to set their availability for any open dates. Once you have a full band, you can confirm the gig.
The system is setup to handle events as recurring gigs: If you have a regular appearance at the venue, just add another proposed date. This is especially important for the setlist generator which keeps track of setlists from previous dates at the same event to vary the tunes you play.
Calendar
You and your band members deserve a vacation once in a while and can mark time off on the calendar which will be reflected in the scheduler if a gig offer for the same day should come in.
You’ll also be able to create a customized public calendar page that you can implement into your own website.
Tunes
Your entire music catalog can be manually entered or imported from a spreadsheet. The more details you enter, the more search features will be open to you to find the exact song you’re looking for - especially in the setlist builder. Details like the tune’s key and tempo along with trivia notes and arrangement data will be very useful for you and any musicians who will play with you.
Setlists
The setlist creator has three modes: Manual, Assisted, and Automated.
In Manual Mode, you either drag and drop or click tunes to show up in your new setlist while looking at a previous setlist in another part of the screen for comparison.
In Assisted Mode, the system will use your preferences as well as previous setlists to make color coded recommendations one tune at a time to help you create a varied program for your gig. You’re still in charge of creating the setlist, but finding a good balance will be much easier.
In Automated Mode, let the system create the setlist for you all on its own using the same parameters as Assisted Mode. You will be able to fine tune things when it is done.
Some of the criteria for Assisted and Automated Mode include:
- Vary tunes by key.
- Vary tunes by tempo.
- Take into account if the tune will work as a dance tune.
- Limit the amount of slower tunes in the setlist based on your pre-defined percentage entry.
- Use specific tune to start a set or a gig.
- Focus on tunes that have not been played at this venue recently and avoid too much overlap from the previous gig.
- Take into account if a tune can be played if a specific musician is missing for the gig.
Finance
Let the system keep track of all payments and help you split them up among your musicians any way you like. You’ll also be able to keep track of check and invoice numbers.
These are some of the planned highlights of the system as of this time (1/9/2019) and are subject to change. Once I open up beta testing, all donors will receive a personalized invitation to test the system and the ability to send me feedback and suggestions which will help shape Band Mate Plus to a system you’ll really want to use.
Features are subject to change as I continue to grow the system.
---
Donor Rewards
Anyone making a donation will receive an early invitation to beta test the system once it is ready. As a beta tester, you’ll be able to send feedback and suggestions which I will try hard to implement.
As an additional incentive, any donations coming in will result in triple the amount as credit to use in the final version of Band Mate Plus. You’ll receive a special key (one key per account only) that will allow you to directly use up the credit before you have to pay anything.
Especially high donations will be mentioned by name (depending on the donor's permission) in the credits of the system.
---
Why do I think I can do this?
My last project was to write a cafeteria accounting system on my own with planning input from someone who knew the needs of a cafeteria. While the system included a lot of advanced features, the main focus was on keeping the interface easy to use. Today, more than a year after the release of its final version, everything is still working well without any major updates.
I am in process of creating Band Mate Plus, a band management system for band leaders who would like to simplify the process and have all their tasks happen in the same location.
Band Mate Plus will run in most browsers on a computer, tablet, or smartphone, and it will help managing venues, gigs, musicians, tunes, finances, setlists, and more. I will add more details in further posts below.
In order to create this system, I will be taking time off from work so I can focus all my attention on it. Of course, that means the bills still need to be paid, so I am hoping to raise some funds here starting immediately as I am already working on the software.
Every donor will receive three times their donation as free credit to use in Band Mate Plus as well as an invitation to beta test the system. Larger donations will get a mention in the credits.
I believe this system has the potential to be a game changer for busy musicians - I know I can't wait to use it myself for my own band!
Please share this with any musicians you know!
Thanks for your support!
---
Band Mate Plus - Features
The account holder can create one or multiple bands they wish to manage. Each band is treated as a separate entity even though information can be shared between them.
Setup
After you finished entering some details about your band, you have the option of customizing your Band Mate Plus experience. You’ll be able to define display options, default modules to open when you visit the system, or customized questions you need to ask venues before accepting a gig. There will be a guided setup system to get you started quickly although you’ll always be able to change these settings again later.
People
First, you’ll want to add your band members with their contact information so they are available for gig invitations sent through this system. You can also add other musicians in case you need to temporarily swap someone out. Last, every venue you play needs at least one contact person. It is possible for a venue contact to also be a possible guest musician.
You can create free musician accounts for your band members in Band Mate Plus and set up various levels of permissions for them going as far as putting someone else in charge of planning a gig you are unable to attend yourself.
Venues
These are locations for your gigs (or possibly rehearsals or band meetings). You’ll enter details like the address, make sure you asked all your venue questions (e.g. can we use their electricity, do they have chairs, etc.), and add/assign a contact person for the venue.
Events
When you are offered a gig, you’ll be able to enter all important information in one location. If you don’t have the venue listed yet or need to add a new contact person, it will all happen in the same location. You can also setup rehearsals or meetings here.
Any offered dates first go into the “Proposed Date” section. Once your event is saved, you can head over to the Scheduler to send event invitations to all your band members (or substitute musicians if needed). They’ll receive an email with a link that will quickly allow them to set their availability for any open dates. Once you have a full band, you can confirm the gig.
The system is setup to handle events as recurring gigs: If you have a regular appearance at the venue, just add another proposed date. This is especially important for the setlist generator which keeps track of setlists from previous dates at the same event to vary the tunes you play.
Calendar
You and your band members deserve a vacation once in a while and can mark time off on the calendar which will be reflected in the scheduler if a gig offer for the same day should come in.
You’ll also be able to create a customized public calendar page that you can implement into your own website.
Tunes
Your entire music catalog can be manually entered or imported from a spreadsheet. The more details you enter, the more search features will be open to you to find the exact song you’re looking for - especially in the setlist builder. Details like the tune’s key and tempo along with trivia notes and arrangement data will be very useful for you and any musicians who will play with you.
Setlists
The setlist creator has three modes: Manual, Assisted, and Automated.
In Manual Mode, you either drag and drop or click tunes to show up in your new setlist while looking at a previous setlist in another part of the screen for comparison.
In Assisted Mode, the system will use your preferences as well as previous setlists to make color coded recommendations one tune at a time to help you create a varied program for your gig. You’re still in charge of creating the setlist, but finding a good balance will be much easier.
In Automated Mode, let the system create the setlist for you all on its own using the same parameters as Assisted Mode. You will be able to fine tune things when it is done.
Some of the criteria for Assisted and Automated Mode include:
- Vary tunes by key.
- Vary tunes by tempo.
- Take into account if the tune will work as a dance tune.
- Limit the amount of slower tunes in the setlist based on your pre-defined percentage entry.
- Use specific tune to start a set or a gig.
- Focus on tunes that have not been played at this venue recently and avoid too much overlap from the previous gig.
- Take into account if a tune can be played if a specific musician is missing for the gig.
Finance
Let the system keep track of all payments and help you split them up among your musicians any way you like. You’ll also be able to keep track of check and invoice numbers.
These are some of the planned highlights of the system as of this time (1/9/2019) and are subject to change. Once I open up beta testing, all donors will receive a personalized invitation to test the system and the ability to send me feedback and suggestions which will help shape Band Mate Plus to a system you’ll really want to use.
Features are subject to change as I continue to grow the system.
---
Donor Rewards
Anyone making a donation will receive an early invitation to beta test the system once it is ready. As a beta tester, you’ll be able to send feedback and suggestions which I will try hard to implement.
As an additional incentive, any donations coming in will result in triple the amount as credit to use in the final version of Band Mate Plus. You’ll receive a special key (one key per account only) that will allow you to directly use up the credit before you have to pay anything.
Especially high donations will be mentioned by name (depending on the donor's permission) in the credits of the system.
---
Why do I think I can do this?
My last project was to write a cafeteria accounting system on my own with planning input from someone who knew the needs of a cafeteria. While the system included a lot of advanced features, the main focus was on keeping the interface easy to use. Today, more than a year after the release of its final version, everything is still working well without any major updates.
Organizer
Richard Lund
Organizer
Minneapolis, MN