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Band / group diary apps - looking for suggestions please


lou24d53
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Looking for suggestions on some apps which allow group access for collating diaries, so any one in the band can access and mark up dates they're unavailable etc., to make it easier for booking gigs.

Looks to be tonnes to choose from. Just wondering, is there a band 'standard' others are using you could maybe recommend?

The collective in the band are a bit technophobic, myself included, so the simpler to work the better.

Thanks.

 

Ps, tried a search, but as soon as I put in the word diary, it brought up a million build diary threads!

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Both my bands just use Google calendar, everyone in both bands (drums, guitar and myself are in both bands) has access to calendar and update with anything that needs to be on there. 

I'm not a technophobe but if it makes my life more complicated I don't use it (tech should make life easier), I cope alright with it. 

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1 hour ago, Maude said:

Both my bands just use Google calendar, everyone in both bands (drums, guitar and myself are in both bands) has access to calendar and update with anything that needs to be on there. 

I'm not a technophobe but if it makes my life more complicated I don't use it (tech should make life easier), I cope alright with it. 

+1 on the google calendar. We use it all the time, all 5 of us use it. Venue addresses, specific songs or book yourself out for holidays. We obviously have the obligatory WhatsApp group too. 

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Time tree is one we use. 

Good points are you can create and share events, block out weekends you're away etc and everyone can see it instantly. Bad points, if someone pits something in or deletes, makes a comment, you don't get a notification (or maybe you can if you change the settings?). So this leads to arguments over whether the gig was placed in before someone booked their holiday or after!

If everyone is good with filling in their unavailable dates then it makes organising so quick and easy, especially when you get approached straight after a gig.

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1 hour ago, lou24d53 said:

Thanks folks, I've read that Google calendar can be unreliable at time on Android devices, any experience with that, or generally has everything been hunky dory based on experiences? Ta.

We’ve never experienced this in 2 years. 2 apples and 3 androids in the band. No reported issues - except the once when guitarist (who set it up) changed the password and forgot to tell us!😂

We’ve simply chosen 2 colours. Yellow is a gig. Red you are blocked out for for holiday etc then the others know to get a dep  or not take the booking. Clear and simple. Works a treat. 

Edited by bassfan
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wheresthegig.com is a distinct improvement on google calendar. It shows gigs, unconfirmed gigs, cancelled gigs and rehearsals as different colours, handles blackouts (non-availability), sends out updates and reminders to the band automatically. It also allows you to export the gig list to a google calendar if you have people who won't use wheresthegig (there's usually one in each band).

If you're in two bands, it also gives you a 'composite' view of all your gigs.

 

Seeing uk_lefty's comment, when you enter a gig it will also tell you whether people are unavailable at the time, so you know whether people booked off before or after the gig was confirmed. It will also allow you to list deps and offer the gig to someone else if someone is blacked out for a gig

Edited by pete.young
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I use the app Band across a few different groups, no system is perfect but works better for us than alternatives. Used for calendar invites (it auto adds to your google / phone calendar) plus polls (say on setlist or rehearsal dates). Plus ability to upload images useful for lead sheets. Yes, can replicate much on gmail or WhatsApp but crucially here it’s all 1 place , no scrolling through messages or inboxes, nothing gets missed (in theory). 

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We use Google Calendar with colour coding and it works fine for us however my Galaxy S3 on Android won't seem to load things into Google Calendar via the app that are in the main calendar online if it's more than a year in the future. I can see them online via my PC or Laptop but not on my phone. Weird but true. I checked it by loading dates up to the present day via my PC with my phone next to me, which I refreshed/synced after every entry online. A year in the future: as it went over the year they were not visible on my phone despite clearly being on screen in front of me. My harmonica player, however, who has a more modern phone has no issues. Worth checking, all the same before something unfortunate happens!

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Another for Google Calendar.  We've used it since April 2014 and not had a balls up. 

It has it's limitations I suppose but they can all fly it and I can do rebookings on the night on my phone whilst the iron is hot.

Any calendar/diary will only work if everyone is on board and on top of it. 

Needs to be discipline as with every team activity.

One thing nearly caught us out but we've fixed it now is you must cross yourself off a date that you're unavailable EVEN if somebody else had already crossed the night off and the band isn't gigging. 

ie 

MemberA crosses night off for some event.

MemberB looks and thinks great I'll take the wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/partner/secret lover etc away for a romantic weekend if we're not gigging.

MemberA's event gets cancelled some weeks later so he marks the date as free.

MemberB hasn't blocked themselves off as they didn't think we were working anyway.

Date shows as free now.

Gig goes in.

Problem. 

Les

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