Auto-scrolling documents or lyrics

Instead of changing pages by tapping the screen or using a foot switch, you can configure BandHelper to auto-scroll your documents or lyrics. You can watch a tutorial video or read on for more details.

  • To use this feature, you must enter durations for the songs you want to auto-scroll, using the Duration field on the song edit page. Alternatively, you can enter a default song duration on the set list edit page, and then any song that doesn't have a specific duration entered will use this default duration. You can also enter a default song duration on the Settings > General Settings page, and this will be used for all future set lists, as well as for songs viewed within a smart list.
  • When you view a document or lyrics in the set list view, the document button will show a down-arrow to indicate that auto-scrolling is available: auto-scroll button. You can tap this button to start auto-scrolling, or tap it again to pause. You can also override the auto-scroll position while it is running by dragging the document to a new position.
  • If you are using a layout without a document button, or want to start and stop auto-scrolling while viewing a full-screen document or lyrics, you can configure an app control action.
  • The auto-scroll feature includes an automatically calculated pre-roll that allows you to read the first part of your document or lyrics before the scrolling begins. When auto-scroll is activated, the document icon changes to a countdown timer to show you where you are in the pre-roll or the auto-scroll duration.
  • If the automatically calculated scroll speed doesn't work for you, you can edit the song and set the Auto-Scroll Pre-Roll and Auto-Scroll Duration fields. Then the auto-scroll function will use these values instead of using the Duration value and calculating the pre-roll automatically. This is better than manipulating the Duration field to control the scroll speed, because the Duration field is also used to calculate the lengths of set lists.
  • You can also control BandHelper's behavior when you override the auto-scroll position or pause and resume the auto-scrolling, with Settings > Advanced > Recalculate Speed If Overridden. When turned on, BandHelper will adjust the scrolling speed to reach the bottom of your document or lyrics at the original end time of the song. When disabled, BandHelper will continue with the original scrolling speed and adjust the completion time of the song to match when you reach the bottom of the document.

Enhancements and alternatives to auto-scrolling

Sometimes you need more control over lyrics positioning than auto-scrolling can provide, for example, if you vary the arrangement of a song each time you play it. Here are some alternatives to scroll lyrics without touching your screen:

  • If you always play an intro or solo for the same length, you can insert blank lines into your lyrics at those places.
  • You can assign an app control action to pause and resume auto-scrolling as you play. This is useful if you want to pause during solos.
  • You can also assign an app control action to manually scroll up or down, to adjust the auto-scroll position while it's running.
  • For more manual control, you can add page markers to your document or lyrics, then assign an app control action to jump to the next or previous marker. Then you could, for example, press a foot switch each time you want to advance to the next verse.
  • The most sophisticated option is to record an automation track, which can include a series of auto-scroll starts and stops, jumps to markers or jumps to any position. You could even use automation tracks to jump backwards to repeat an earlier verse. However, using automation tracks require that you play a song with the same arrangement at the same tempo each time.