What Is a Band Book? How to Make One Your Whole Band Will Use

Every working band has the same problem: five people, five different versions of the setlist, and nobody can find the right chord chart when the singer calls an audible. A band book fixes that. It's one shared songbook that every member has a copy of — same songs, same keys, same order.

This guide covers what goes in a band book, how to organize it, and how to build and order professionally printed copies delivered straight to your door.

What Is a Band Book?

A band book is a shared songbook that every member of the band uses. It contains the chord charts, lead sheets, lyrics, and reference material your band needs — all in one place, in one agreed-upon order. Everyone has the same book, so when someone says "turn to page 34," everyone is looking at the same thing.

Think of it as the single source of truth for your band's repertoire. No more texting chord charts five minutes before rehearsal. No more "I have it in a different key." No more shuffling through loose pages on a music stand.

Band books are common in jazz ensembles and pit orchestras, but they're just as useful for cover bands, church worship teams, function bands, and any group that plays from a shared repertoire.

Why Every Band Needs One

If your band has ever had one of these moments, you need a band book:

• "Which version are you looking at?" — Different members have different chord charts for the same song, with conflicting keys or arrangements.
• "Hold on, let me find it" — Someone is scrolling through their phone or flipping through a binder while everyone else waits.
• "We changed that last week" — Arrangement changes get lost because there's no central reference.
• "The sub doesn't know the setlist" — A fill-in musician has nothing to work from.

A band book solves all of this. Rehearsals start faster. Gigs run smoother. New members and subs can sit in with confidence because they have the same book everyone else uses.

What Goes in a Band Book

The contents depend on your band, but most band books include some combination of:

• Chord charts — the backbone of most band books. Simple, clear, one page per song when possible.
• Lead sheets — melody line with chords, common in jazz and worship settings.
• Lyrics with chords — useful for vocalists and acoustic players.
• Setlists — printed setlists for recurring gigs or standard sets.
• Reference pages — chord diagrams, scale references, or a key/tempo chart for each song.
• Notes — arrangement notes, cues, or performance reminders ("bass intro, drums in bar 5").

You don't need all of these. Start with whatever your band actually uses during rehearsals and gigs, and build from there.

How to Organize It

Organization is what turns a pile of charts into a usable book. Here are the most common approaches:

• By set — group songs into Set 1, Set 2, Set 3. This mirrors your live show and makes gigs effortless.
• By energy level — openers, mid-set grooves, ballads, closers. Useful for bands that adjust setlists on the fly.
• By genre or style — rock, soul, jazz standards, originals. Works well for bands with a wide repertoire.
• Alphabetical — simple and easy to navigate. Best for large repertoires where you call songs by name.

MakeMySongBook uses chapters to organize your book. Each chapter gets a divider page and appears in the auto-generated table of contents — so you can combine approaches. For example: Chapter 1 is your standard first set, Chapter 2 is your second set, and Chapter 3 is "Extras" for requests and audibles.

How to Build It with MakeMySongBook

Building your band book takes about 15 minutes. Here's the process:

1. Collect your charts as PDFs. Gather every chord chart, lead sheet, and lyric sheet your band uses. Save them as PDFs — one file per song works best. Name each file clearly (e.g., Superstition - Stevie Wonder.pdf).
2. Upload everything to the builder. Drag and drop your PDFs — they'll become songs in your book. The filename becomes the song title automatically.
3. Organize into chapters. Drag songs into the order you want. Create chapters for each set, genre, or however you want to organize. MakeMySongBook generates a table of contents and chapter dividers automatically.
4. Add tool pages. Include chord reference sheets, scale diagrams, or setlist pages using the built-in tools. These are especially handy for subs who might need a quick reference.
5. Design your cover. Add your band name, pick artwork or a color theme, and make it yours. A good cover turns a stack of charts into something your band will actually be proud to pull out at a gig.
6. Preview and generate. Check the live preview to make sure everything looks right, then generate your PDF.

Getting It Printed

Once your band book PDF is ready, you have two paths: print it yourself or order professionally printed copies.

Option 1: Print at Home

If you just need a quick copy for yourself, print the PDF at home. Use double-sided printing ("flip on long edge") to keep it compact. MakeMySongBook automatically handles page alignment so multi-page songs start on the correct side — no awkward mid-song page flips.

Option 2: Order Printed Copies

This is where it gets good for bands. MakeMySongBook lets you order professionally printed and bound copies delivered straight to your door. Choose the format that works best for your band:

• Softcover book — a professionally printed paperback with a printed spine. Looks great on a shelf, feels like a real book. Durable enough for the gig bag.
• Spiral binding — lays completely flat on a music stand, which makes it the best choice for most bands. No fighting with pages that want to close. Flip to any page and it stays open.
• Magazine — saddle-stitched, lightweight, and budget-friendly. Great for shorter setlist books or when you need a lot of copies without breaking the bank.

All formats are available in A4 (standard, easy to read on a music stand) and A5 (compact, fits in a gig bag pocket).

The spiral-bound format is especially popular with gigging bands. It lays flat, it's durable, and it looks professional on stage. If your band plays from music stands, this is the format to choose.

Tips for a Great Band Book

• One page per song when possible. Keep charts concise so you don't have to flip pages mid-song. Use abbreviations and repeat signs.
• Agree on keys first. Make sure every chart is in the key your band actually plays the song in — not the original key, not a capo key, the actual key you use.
• Include tempo and feel. A BPM marking and a style note ("shuffle," "straight 8ths," "half-time feel") saves time in rehearsal.
• Number your songs. MakeMySongBook generates a table of contents with page numbers automatically. Use it — calling "page 34" is faster than "the one by Stevie Wonder."
• Version control. Put the date on the cover or first page. When you update the book, everyone knows which version they're holding.
• Leave room to grow. Your repertoire will expand. It costs nothing to regenerate and reorder the book when you add new songs.
• Give a copy to every sub. When a fill-in musician gets a real printed book instead of a last-minute email with 15 PDF attachments, they show up prepared and confident.

Frequently Asked Questions