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how do you maintain your song list?
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Author:  TominNJ [ Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:52 am ]
Post subject:  how do you maintain your song list?
What software do you use to maintain your song list?


the easiest way would seemingly be a searchable database of some type that can be sortede by artist or title?

thanks for any help you can offer

Tom
Author:  jamkaraoke [ Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
Tom - Are you using CDGS or MP3+G

There are programs available for either format that will look up and create lists and BOOKS. Before going to mp3+gs I used KJpro and Excel to sort and keep my lists
Now I use songbook creator from Latshaw systems that reads my hardrive files to create a list and or books.
Author:  TominNJ [ Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
Thanks for the reply Jam...I guess I should have mentioned that I'm using CD+G (although I'd like to put them on dvd to cut down on the disk swapping)
Author:  knightshow [ Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
Tom,

I played around with Word, then went to Excel. Chip Stanley has a terrific program he has where he'll convert your existing Excel document to his database... then as you add the discs, it'll redo your songbooks...

Ultimately, I ended up converting to Access, and I can generate my own song title, Artist, even new discs done same way... Then I can take my finished product and put it in .pdf format. That's kewl for online...

I guess it depends on exactly what you're looking for.

I do NOT trust the music book deluxe or kjpro book making stuff... they're ripe with errors. Admittedly, it's far easier to do the books that way. The way I do them is a lot more work, but I tell ya, I have a far greater knowledge of what my individual discs are! When some customer comes up and asks me if I have a specific song or artist, I can usually answer them faster than looking it up in the book!
Author:  6 String [ Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
I just use my word processor to do mine. Each new disc only takes a few minutes to add.
Author:  DannyG2006 [ Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
I use Fast Tracks for my songlists. But I am computer based. When I was disc based I used KJPro.
Author:  Karen K [ Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
When we were disc based, the first time I did my book (years and years ago) I hand entered via Word and sorted. When I got serious (and tired of typing so many hours), I switched over and did the books with Music Book Deluxe. Unlike others, I have found them to be VERY reliable. Occasionally there would be a juxtaposition of song numbers but other than that, if you're careful, you can catch anything like that. They have a very up-to-date database and seldom would you find that they don't have a disc in their database. I like the way you can opt for any number of formats in their system. Very simple to use and offers you the option of entering your own custom discs as well.

When we computerized, one of the reasons I chose MTU Hoster was their songbook function. I haven't actually redone my books yet but what appealed to me was that as you ripped and entered your CDGs, it concurrently created a song book...last song entered, book is ready to print.

There are lots of ways to do all of these things. I think you just have to experiment and figure out what the best way is for you.

k
Author:  SamDoGG [ Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
So I rip my CDG+S to a drive and there is a program that will automatically sort them into a list?
Is there a free program or do I need to purchase it?
Author:  DannyG2006 [ Mon Dec 08, 2008 12:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
SamDoGG @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 1:23 pm wrote:
So I rip my CDG+S to a drive and there is a program that will automatically sort them into a list?
Is there a free program or do I need to purchase it?

I'm not aware of a free program. There are several that works with databases created by Karaoke Players and a couple that scans the hard drive and uses the filenames to generate a songlist. I use a program that does both. It also has a database that works with disc based systems like yours.
Author:  SamDoGG [ Mon Dec 08, 2008 12:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
what is the program you have? I already have my CDGs on my hard drive and was going to start making a list maunually but this sounds way easier.
Author:  jamkaraoke [ Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
http://www.latshawsystems.com/Products.aspx
Author:  dmbcourt [ Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
Hi,

Thanks to everyone for all the great advice here.

I am making my first songlist/book by hand into excel, on my mac. Actually, I now have a 4 column spreadsheet with all of the songs, but I'm stuck as to how to turn this into a book with the two columns, artist listed only once, duplicates (not many) eliminated except the disc/track number, etc that Lonman and others use.

I have Word on mac and PC but not Access, and don't want to buy an entire software program now that I'm nearly done. That said, I would buy Speedbook if that were available, but it seems out of production. Is it still available?

I tried to export to Word, but does that preserve the formatting, or do I need to use a specific type of word document or template.

Thanks,

Dan B
Author:  knightshow [ Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
PM "c. staley"

He's the creator of Speedbook.
Author:  Michaelangelo1 [ Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
I use Excel myself as well. It sounds like you just need to know some Excel tips to help you out.

combining 2 columns - first, save your original, then rename the spreadsheet a different name. If you want to combine column A and Column B, use the CONCATENATE operator in column C. Like "=Concatenate(A1&" "&B1). Then highly an copy and paste the operator down the column.

You can also separate columns using the TEXT TO COLUMNS operator. You simply find a common thread (like a comma) between the words in the column, highlight the column, and ask it to text to columns it down the line. Like A1 = Hendrix, Jimi, and you want it to be A1 = Hendrix, B1 = Jimi.

Excel 2007 on PCs has an auto deduplicating feature that is easy as point and click, but I don't know about the MAC version. You can still dedupe with formula however.

You can export anything into PDF on a PC using the free PDF converter "Cute PDF". Just google it. It works like a printer, but it makes a file instead of actually printing.
Author:  mckyj57 [ Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
jamkaraoke @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 5:01 pm wrote:
http://www.latshawsystems.com/Products.aspx

I looked at this, and it looks quite nice. It handles my file trees well. It looks like it might export PDF to use for printing at my printing place.
Author:  RLC [ Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
mckyj57 @ Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:17 pm wrote:
jamkaraoke @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 5:01 pm wrote:
http://www.latshawsystems.com/Products.aspx

I looked at this, and it looks quite nice. It handles my file trees well. It looks like it might export PDF to use for printing at my printing place.


Yes, Song List Generator does export to PDF as well as Excel, CSV and RTF.
Author:  lbister [ Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
I use Excel. The biggest reason is that my day job is in finance and spreadsheets are my life. It's nice knowing that I can make Excel do what I want it to.

A few months ago I was looking to simplfy my life so I bought a CAVS SCDG player with a usb port and a 500 gig hard drive.

I really didn't want to convert several hundred CDG discs to the new format so I bought all new songs in the SCDG format on DVDs. Much to my suprise I found that when I convert those songs to the hard drive the program writes an index file that can be imported into Excel. For my new songlist I didn't have to any typing! What a luxury.

Oh did I mention that the other reason I use Excel is that I'm too cheap to buy the software that creates songlists. Maybe I should have listed that as the biggest reason I use Excel. :)

I should also mention that my new songlist is sorted by artist only. Formerly I used two lists, one sorted by artist and one sorted by title. I noticed that the pages sorted by title hardly got any wear. I also noticed that when people came up to ask if about songs they usually asked what I had by a particular artist. If they asked about a certain song they always mentioned the artist first.

Then I went to a show hosted by a friend of mine. His songlist is so huge that he has books sorted by artist and books sorted by song. Everybody wanted to use the book sorted by artist.

I don't know if this is a regional thing or what. But just doing one sort reduced my cost of printing the books by 50%.

I keep a book that has both an artist sort and a title sort just in case in need it.

Larry
Author:  DannyG2006 [ Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
SamDoGG @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:47 pm wrote:
what is the program you have? I already have my CDGs on my hard drive and was going to start making a list maunually but this sounds way easier.

Fast Tracks Plus from www.kjtools.com

While it isn't built in there is a program called PrimoPDF that acts like a printer and produces a PDF of anything you print. It works with any program you might print with.
Author:  timberlea [ Sun Dec 14, 2008 8:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
Hand typed into Excel. I check to ensure the speelings of each song and artist is uniform. If there is any doubt I go to the artist home page for the correct spelling of the artist and song. It may take a little longer but it is correct.
Author:  JoeChartreuse [ Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: how do you maintain your song list?
TominNJ @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:23 am wrote:
Thanks for the reply Jam...I guess I should have mentioned that I'm using CD+G (although I'd like to put them on dvd to cut down on the disk swapping)


Hi, Tom. I just have to help a fellow New Jerseyan AND disc-based guy.

I use KJ Pro. Though no database is completely accurate, theirs seems to be the best. The software lets you enter a disc at a time by mfr. number, or song by song. Easy to edit, and you can sort/print by Artist, Title, or Disc with just a click. You can also print out a "catalogue" style book by disc for inventory purposes. Plenty of fonts and sizes, all by one click.

Spaces for page titles and left & right footers as well. Once you purchase the software, you can update from the main database for $5 per month.

You can also make a couple of bucks doing books for others, as you can just click to start a custom song book.

Very easy, and very professional looking. I have tried others, but this one seems to be the fastest and easiest.


Hope that helps...
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