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How to write a setlist
Updated October 7, 2026 · 3 min read
A good setlist shapes the whole show: how it starts, where the energy rises and falls, and how it ends. It also needs to fit the time you’re given and be readable on a dark stage.
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Setlist template (printable PDF)
A big-print stage setlist with room for 20 songs, plus an example page with times and notes.
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Start with the time slot
Know your set length and changeover time from the advance. Build the set to fit with a little room to spare. Time each song (including count-ins and talking) so your runtime is accurate.
Open strong
Your first song sets the tone. Choose something the band plays confidently that hooks the room quickly. Many bands put a well-known song second, after a strong opener.
Pace the middle
Mix tempos and keys so the set doesn’t feel flat. Group songs that share tunings or instrument changes to avoid dead time. Plan where you’ll talk to the crowd and keep it short.
Close strong
End on a song that leaves people wanting more, and decide in advance whether there’s an encore and what it is.
Print it big
On stage, people read setlists from a distance in poor light. Use large, bold type, one song per line, with key or tuning notes if needed. Tape copies to the floor for each player and the engineers.
Have a backup plan
Know which songs you can cut if time runs short and which to add if you get extra time.
Track what you play
Songwriters can earn performance royalties for live shows by reporting setlists to their performing rights organization (for example ASCAP, BMI or SESAC in the U.S.). Keep a record of what you played each night so reporting is easy. Check your organization’s rules for deadlines.
Setlists for different situations
- Headline set: room for a longer arc, a quiet moment in the middle and an encore.
- Support set: shorter and tighter. Open with energy, play your best songs, finish on time.
- Festival set: assume a crowd that doesn’t know you. Lead with the most immediate songs and keep talking to a minimum.
- Acoustic or in-store: fewer songs, more talking, simpler arrangements.
Practical stage notes
Add small notes next to songs where they help: capo position, tuning changes, a sample cue, who counts in. Keep notes short; a setlist is a glance, not a script.
Example (EXAMPLE)
| # | Song | Length | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Opener | 3:40 | Straight in |
| 2 | Best-known song | 4:05 | |
| 3 | Mid-tempo | 3:55 | Drop D |
| 4 | Ballad | 4:30 | Talk before |
| 5 | Closer | 5:10 | Encore after |
Total: about 21 minutes plus talking. Make the time add up before the show, not on stage.
How TRMNGR helps
On the Setlists tab of TRMNGR’s Stage section you can create setlists, Add Song with title, minutes, seconds and notes, drag to reorder, and see the Set runtime update as you go. Copy Setlist makes variations, and you can tick Submitted To ASCAP, BMI or SESAC for each setlist. Assign a setlist to a show from Day View, then Print Setlist or Export PDF for a big-print stage copy.