Guides and advice for working musicians — gig management, stage plots, setlists, band coordination and more.
Tempo is the heartbeat of every song. This guide covers everything a working musician needs to know — from what BPM actually means to how metronomes work, how to find the tempo of a song, and how click tracks take tempo control into a live show.
A wedge monitor is the speaker on the floor of the stage that faces back towards the performer. Here's how they work, why they're shaped that way, and what every gigging musician needs to know about them.
Gig management software helps musicians track shows, invoice clients and manage band pay in one place. Here's what it does, who needs it, and what to look for.
Band booking software helps musicians get found online, receive direct booking enquiries, and manage incoming gig requests — without paying agent commission. Here's how it works.
You don't need a physical metronome or a dedicated app. A free online metronome that runs in your browser is faster to access and covers everything most bands need at rehearsal.
Tap tempo lets you find a song's BPM by tapping it out rather than calculating it. Here's how it works, how it's calculated, and when to use it over dialling in a number manually.
Making a setlist online means building it from a permanent song library, displaying it on any device during a show, and sharing it with your band without sending files. Here's how it works.
A musician quote template helps you send professional, itemised price estimates to clients instead of quoting from memory. Here's what to include and how a modern tool makes it faster.
A band task manager is a dedicated tool for assigning jobs to band members and tracking their completion — separate from the group chat where tasks go to die. Here's how it works.
Most bands communicate through WhatsApp or Messenger — tools built for social chat, not band coordination. Here's what a dedicated band communication app does differently.
Making a click track used to mean opening a DAW. A browser-based click track maker lets you set your BPM, choose a time signature, and export a WAV in under a minute — no audio software required.
ChordPro is the standard format for digital chord charts — but most musicians only scratch the surface. Here's everything you need to write, read and use ChordPro charts properly.
Most working bands don't need an accountant — they need a system. Here's how to track income, manage invoices, split pay, and stay ready for tax time.
Free stage plot generators range from useful to frustrating. Here's how to tell the difference and what actually matters when building your stage plot.
From missing ABNs to vague descriptions, these are the most common invoicing errors working musicians make — and exactly how to fix each one.
Most bands run their business across five or six different apps. Good band management software brings it all together. Here's what to look for.
PDF is the standard format for sending invoices by email. Here's how to save your Dashplan invoice as a PDF and what to check before you send it.
A step-by-step guide to generating a professional tax invoice from any logged gig — from your first log to a PDF ready to send.
Corporate clients have accounts departments, approval processes and different expectations. Here's how to invoice them correctly and get paid without the back-and-forth.
Super is one of the most overlooked financial obligations for working musicians. Here's when you're entitled to it, when you have to pay it, and how to track it.
A Word or Excel invoice template gets the job done for one gig. Here's why it breaks down fast — and what a better system looks like.
Late payments are part of working as a musician. Here's how to follow up professionally — and escalate if the polite approach isn't working.
A quote tells a client what you'll charge. An invoice tells them what they owe. Here's when to use each document and what should go in them.
A wedge monitor is the angled speaker at a performer's feet that lets them hear themselves on stage. Here's how they work and when they make sense.
GST is 10% of the price before tax — but there's more to it than that. Here's how to calculate it correctly and show it on a musician's invoice.
GST registration is mandatory once your music income exceeds $75,000 per year. Here's how the threshold works and what it means for your invoices.
The ATO has specific requirements for what counts as a valid tax invoice. Here's what musicians need to know — and what happens if your invoice doesn't comply.
A complete checklist of every field that belongs on a professional gig invoice — so you get paid faster and your records hold up at tax time.
Deposits protect you from no-shows and last-minute cancellations. Here's how to structure your payment terms and what to include in your quote from the start.
A jazz trio is one of the most requested live music formats for private events. Here's how to price the gig, what add-ons to include, and how to handle special requests.
A quote email is often the first impression a client gets of how professional your band is. Here's what to include and how to structure it for the best response.
Quoting from memory is how musicians end up undercharging. A systematic approach to quoting means you never forget a cost, never undercharge a client.
When your band supplies the sound and lights, the quote gets more complex. Here's how to price equipment provision correctly and avoid undercharging.
If your music income exceeds $75,000 a year, you need to register for GST and charge it on your gig fees. Here's how it works and how to quote correctly.
Most musicians never work out what their time is actually worth. Here's a framework for setting an hourly rate that covers your costs and rewards your skills.
Venues often ask for public liability cover, and your gear is worth protecting. Here's a plain guide to both types of insurance for Australian musicians.
Wedding gigs are high stakes and high value. Here's everything you need to include in a wedding quote — and how to price yourself correctly for the day.
Many Australian venues ask musicians to have their gear tested and tagged. Here's what test and tag means, when you need it, and how often.
Corporate events pay well — but only if you quote them correctly. Here's what corporate clients expect, what to charge, and how to present it professionally.
At plenty of gigs there is no engineer, so you run the PA yourself. Here's how to set up, get a clean mix, and stay consistent room to room.
Most bands undercharge because they quote from memory and forget half their costs. Here's a proper framework for building a gig quote that covers everything.
Small stages punish loud backline. Here's how to control stage volume so the room sounds good and the band can hear itself.
A tight three-piece sounds enormous with a click track keeping everyone honest. Here's the practical setup for a trio that wants to lock in and play loose.
The gear most likely to end a gig is the gear with no backup. Here's what redundancy a working band should carry and why.
Once your click track is built, you need to get it into your DAW at exactly the right position. Here's how to do it in three of the most popular DAWs.
A well-stocked gig kit turns small disasters into non-events. Here's what belongs in the bag every working musician should carry.
Theatre productions often use click tracks to lock live musicians to pre-recorded content. Here's how to build one that works for a stage show.
Live sound runs on three main cable types. Here's what XLR, jack and Speakon cables do and where each one belongs in your rig.
Wedding bands face a unique challenge: long sets, mixed repertoire, and song requests on the night. Here's how a click track with section cues helps you handle all of it.
The SM58 is the default live vocal mic for good reasons. Here's how it compares to the alternatives and when another choice makes sense.
Many bands run to click on smaller gigs without any dedicated tech. Here's the equipment, the routing, and the workflow to make it happen.
A DI box is one of the most common bits of live gear and one of the least understood. Here's what it does and when you need one.
Duos and acoustic acts can benefit from a click track just as much as full bands. Here's how to set one up without it sounding robotic or over-produced.
A wedge monitor is a floor-facing speaker that lets you hear yourself on stage. Here's how wedges compare to in-ear monitors — and which system is right for your band and budget.
IEMs and click tracks go hand in hand. Here's how to route your click correctly, what to include in each mix, and common mistakes to avoid.
A PA turns your instruments into a sound the whole room hears. Here's a plain guide to what a PA is made of and what a gigging band needs.
Function bands play long sets of varied repertoire to non-musicians. A click track with section cues keeps the show tight — here's how to build one.
Backline is the band's own gear on stage — amps, drum kit, keyboards and more. Here's exactly what counts as backline, what the venue typically provides, and why it matters before every gig.
The terms are used interchangeably, but click tracks and guide tracks do different things. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right setup for your gig.
The gap between what a venue supplies and what you have to bring catches bands out constantly. Here's how to know before you load the car.
Cover bands are increasingly running to click. Here's exactly how to set one up — from choosing a BPM to getting audio into your IEMs on the night.
We're launching Dashplan's introductory pricing for early adopters — A$25/month for the full suite of tools built for working musicians.
Monitor mixes are the part of a stage plot most bands underexplain. Here's what a monitor mix is, how many you need, and how to note them clearly.
A click track keeps your whole band locked in from bar one to the final chord. Here's what it is, how it works, and why more bands are using one every night.
At plenty of gigs you are the sound engineer. Here's how a stage plot works as your own setup guide when there is no one running the desk.
Western Australia has made one of the clearest recent funding commitments to contemporary music in the country — $2.75 million from 2025 — and it has backed the national $250 fair-pay benchmark.
Engineers see hundreds of stage plots and the same gaps come up again and again. Here's what they wish more bands included.
Victoria markets itself as Australia's live music capital — and it puts real money behind the claim. Here's how the state supports musicians through Music Works, and where to turn for fair pay and legal help.
Most stage plot problems come down to a handful of avoidable mistakes. Here's what trips bands up and how to fix each one before you send it.
Arts Tasmania has run dedicated support for contemporary musicians through its Contemporary Music Fund. Here's what's on offer for Tasmanian musicians and where to turn for fair pay and legal help.
Stage plots use a shorthand of symbols for mics, monitors, DIs and power. Here's what the common ones mean and how to keep your legend clear.
South Australia has a standalone government music office, and it was one of the first governments to back the national $250 fair-pay benchmark. Adelaide is a UNESCO City of Music — and the support structure reflects that.
An input list tells the engineer every signal your band sends to the desk. Here's how to write a clear one and line it up with your stage plot.
Queensland's arts agency runs programs that reach musicians directly — including touring money that explicitly covers gigs — and the state has backed the national $250 fair-pay benchmark.
Stage plot, input list and tech rider get used interchangeably, but they do different jobs. Here's what each one covers and when a venue needs it.
The Northern Territory has a small population but a huge musical footprint. Here's what the government arts program offers NT musicians, and where to turn for fair pay and legal help.
Corporate events mean a corner of a ballroom, an AV crew and strict volume limits. Here's how a stage plot keeps a polished corporate setup running smoothly.
New South Wales runs the busiest live circuit in the country. Since 2023 it has had a dedicated government music office — Sound NSW — to match. Here's where the state backs fair pay and legal rights.
Blending a DJ with live players creates a hybrid rig that confuses venues. Here's how a stage plot makes a DJ-plus-live setup clear to the engineer.
Canberra punches above its weight on musicians' rights. The ACT funds music through artsACT, endorses the $250 minimum fee, and publishes its own remuneration principles for artists.
Worship teams rotate players week to week on a shared system. Here's how a stage plot keeps a changing roster set up consistently and quickly.
Music is work, and work comes with contracts, conditions and the occasional dispute. Here are the national resources that protect Australian musicians on the legal and workplace side.
Functions rarely give you a proper stage or a house engineer. Here's how a stage plot helps a wedding band claim the space, power and setup time it needs.
A music career can be precarious. Here's where to find crisis relief grants, free counselling and mental health support through Support Act — available to musicians across every genre.
Australian musicians are bleeding $150–$275/month on fragmented software. Here's how Dashplan consolidates invoicing, setlists, stage plots, and band management into one $25/month platform built for the live music industry.
A horn section adds punch and a handful of extra mics. Here's how to lay out a stage plot that keeps sax, trumpet and trombone set up cleanly.
If there's one number every gigging Australian musician should know, it's $250. Here's where it comes from, why it can't be undercut, and what to do when someone tries.
Add a fifth member and the stage gets crowded fast. Here's how to plan a 5-piece stage plot so inputs, monitors and cable runs all stay under control.
Performance fees are only half the picture. Here is how royalties work in Australia and who to sign up with to get paid every time your music is played, streamed or copied.
A four-piece is the workhorse lineup for pubs and functions. Here's how to lay out the stage plot so a full front line, backline and drum kit get set up without fuss.
The classic trio packs a full rhythm section into a small footprint. Here's how to lay out a 3-piece stage plot so the engineer gets drums, bass and guitar right the first time.
A duo has more moving parts than a solo act and less room to explain them on the night. Here's how to build a stage plot that gets two performers set up fast.
A solo acoustic act still needs a stage plot. Here's what to put on it, how to lay it out, and how to send it to the venue before you arrive.
A cold start to a performance is audible. The warm-up you do in the 45 minutes before stage time matters more than most musicians realise.
It's possible for every individual musician to have good time and for the band as a whole to still feel unsteady. Group timing is a specific skill that requires specific practice.
Rehearsal time is expensive. An unproductive rehearsal isn't just a waste — it erodes morale and makes the next one harder to motivate. Here's how to run one worth everyone's time.
Modern live performance increasingly relies on click tracks for anything involving backing tracks or video sync. If you haven't trained with one, here's where to start.
The metronome is one of the oldest and most effective practice tools in music. Used correctly, it's one of the fastest ways to build solid, consistent timing.
Paper works until it doesn't. Printed setlists get wet. Folders of tech riders get left at home. Going paperless isn't just modern — it's reliable.
A productive rehearsal has a plan going in and a record coming out. Without notes, the same issues come up week after week.
Every venue has quirks. The PA is excellent but the monitors are poor. There's no loading bay. You only have to learn these things once — if you write them down.
Returning clients are the best clients. To make the most of a returning relationship, you need to remember things — and that requires notes.
A gig journal captures the layer below the spreadsheet — the texture of the show, the details that don't fit in a financial record.
"We get all our gigs through word of mouth" works until it doesn't. Online presence is insurance — and the only path to a pipeline you control.
If you're running more than one musical project, the administrative complexity doubles with every project you add. Here's how to handle it cleanly.
Your band profile is often the first thing a prospective client sees. It needs to answer the key questions quickly and make it easy to take the next step.
There's chasing bookings, and then there's being set up so bookings come to you. The difference is mostly about how easy you make it for people to take the next step.
Most cover bands get bookings through word of mouth — until they want to grow. Online presence is how you build a pipeline you actually control.
The setlist link went out three weeks ago. The load-in time was confirmed in the chat. Neither can be found now. Sound familiar?
A band that runs on schedule impresses clients, plays great shows, and keeps its members happy. Getting there is mostly about having a system.
Telling someone to "sort the PA" is not delegation — it's wishing. Effective task assignment is specific, time-bound, and followed up on.
"I thought you were handling that." The failure is almost never malice. It's ambiguity. Here's how to build clarity into your band's communication.
Running a band involves a surprising amount of things that have nothing to do with music. Here's how to keep on top of all of it.
Live Mode is the part of a digital setlist that makes a real difference on stage. Here's how to set it up and use it every night.
ChordPro is the standard text format for chord charts. If you're still counting spaces to figure out where the G comes in, this is for you.
Most working musicians have their repertoire spread across three or four places. A single, well-organised song library changes everything.
Paper setlists work — until the lights are wrong, someone stands on it, or you change a song 20 minutes before stage time. Digital is better.
A great set isn't just a list of songs you like. It's a journey with an arc — and building one that works every night takes some thought.
The best way to understand a good stage plot is to see one. Here's what a professional setup looks like for different band configurations.
Having a stage plot is half the battle. The other half is making sure the right person at the venue actually sees it — and sees the current version.
There's a minimum threshold below which a stage plot stops being useful. Here's what should be in yours — and what the sound engineer actually needs.
Making a stage plot doesn't need to be complicated — but it does need to be accurate. Here's how to build one that actually works.
If you've ever spent the first 45 minutes of soundcheck explaining where everyone stands, a stage plot solves exactly that.
Disputes over money are one of the fastest ways to damage a band. Transparency and a consistent system prevent almost all of them.
If your music income exceeds $75,000 per year, GST registration is mandatory. Here's how it works and what it means for your invoices.
A professional invoice makes chasing payment less awkward and protects you if it doesn't come. Here's what to include and how to send it.
A gig log is more than a tax record — it's the clearest picture of your business as a musician. Here's why it's worth keeping.
Most musicians track gig income in a spreadsheet — or not at all. Here's a better approach that actually works at tax time.